Easy Brown Sugar Skillet Apples

The French love apple cakes, compotes and desserts. This easy-to-prepare recipe is deliciously warm and sweet….think tart apples with just a hint of cinnamon, coated with a caramelized sugar glaze. Your kitchen will smell so cozy as it cooks.

Serve it with roasted chicken or pork for a homey meal. The apples are also delicious with yogurt, a dollop of creme fraiche or on vanilla ice cream, oatmeal or crepes.

Apple orchards in New England are bursting with fruit filled trees for a good part of the year. My skillet apples are the perfect way to use up the abundant harvest. 

The sugar caramelizes while cooking, creating a delicious glaze along with apple brandy and cider. Any nonstick pan or even a well seasoned cast iron skillet will work in this recipe. But I like using my non-stick Scanpan.

Brown Sugar Skillet Apples Recipe

Serves 2

Some Notes

If making this recipe for 4 or more allow one apple per person. It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. Just heat and eat the next day. But they’re best served the same day straight from the pan.

So let’s discuss the sugar… You can use natural turbinado sugar, dark muscovado, regular brown sugar or light brown sugar for these apples

Turbinado sugar is a brown sugar taken straight from the sugar cane without full refining. I get it from Trader Joe’s. Here’s the link. Dark muscovado sugar is also a minimally processed cane sugar that has a high molasses content. It’s great for gingerbread and all kinds of holiday spice breads and quick breads.   Regular dark brown sugar or light brown sugar works like a charm too.

If you happen to go apple picking, grab some cider along with apples and make this dish.

Ingredients

2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced into wedges. You can use any apples you fancy.

2 tablespoons of unsalted or salted butter (or more if you’re feeling decadent)

1 tablespoon of turbinado sugar, dark brown muscovado sugar, regular light brown or dark brown sugar.

A pinch or two of Vietnamese cinnamon or regular ground cinnamon.

A tiny pinch or two of  salt

A 1/2 cup of apple cider 

Splash of Calvados Apple Brandy or Applejack (optional)

Instructions

Heat pan on medium heat and melt the butter. Add the sliced apples, a pinch or two of salt, the apple cider and calvados (if using). Take the pan off the stove to add the calvados. Cook the apples until desired texture. I like them soft, but still holding their shape with a slight bite. 

When they’re close to being done, add the brown sugar. The sugar will melt very quickly. Stir it around and keep a close eye on it. It will thicken and coat the apples. Don’t let the sugar burn. It can burn very quickly. Add a dash or two of cinnamon. 

Bon Appetit!