Sweet, tart, and warm – my caramelized apples recipe is an easy-to-make healthy Fall dessert, perfect to eat with a scoop of ice cream. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and even vegan too!
How to Make Caramelized Apples
Yay, more apple-based recipes! I have so many I need to use after all that apple picking I did in September, so hopefully this simple recipe can come in handy for you this Fall, too.
For this recipe, the apples are sautéed in butter, sugar, and cinnamon until tender and caramelized. They can then be added to sweet or savory dishes from pancakes to roasted pork loin, or be eaten directly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
What Does Caramelization Mean?
One thing to keep in mind that often gets confused is that caramelized apples are not caramel apples! Caramelization is actually the browning of sugar used in cooking for the resulting sweet nutty flavor and brown color.
What You’ll Need to Make Caramelized Apples
Apples – Use 2-3 gala, granny smith, or any other firm cooking apple.
Butter – I used non-dairy.
Sugar – I used coconut sugar, but white sugar or brown sugar would also taste great!
Cinnamon
Tips and Tricks
What Are The Best Apples to Use For Caramelization?
The best apples to use for this recipe are a firm apples such as Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala or Honeycrisp. Most people prefer Granny Smith because they are tart, which pairs perfectly with the sweet buttery caramelized sauce. It’s not a good idea to use a softer apple because they will fall apart while cooking.
What to make with caramelized apples?
Caramelized apples can be used on top of ice cream, on your pancakes, or as a pie filling. You can also use caramelized apples in savory dishes like chicken or turkey if you enjoy a sweeter taste to your meals. But honestly, you can use caramelized apples on almost anything you want!
How to Store Caramelized Apples?
Once cooled, place it in a jar with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate. It should keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
5 from 4 votes
Healthier Caramelized Apples
Sweetly tart and thoroughly warming, my vegan and refined sugar free caramelized apples recipe is an easy-to-make healthy Fall dessert, perfect to eat with a scoop of icecream.
My toxic trait is needing a little something sweet after every meal. Lately, I’ve been reaching for either a slice of my 4-ingredient banana bread or a bite of gluten-free almond flour brownies. However, sometimes I just don’t have the time to bake anything – and that’s where this no-bake gluten free cookie dough comes in!
Just 5 ingredients (not including the chocolate chips), one bowl, and only a few minutes to throw together. This seriously simple dessert recipe is so easy, even my husband could make it… and that’s saying something!
What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe
Softened Butter or Coconut Oil: Choose your preferred butter or coconut oil to create that perfect cookie dough consistency. Butter adds richness, while coconut oil keeps it light and healthy.
Milk: Opt for non-dairy milk to make this recipe dairy-free. Choose your favorite variety – almond, soy, or oat – to enhance the cookie dough’s creaminess.
Sugar: Select your sweetener of choice – brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple sugar, or cane sugar. Cane sugar is best for a sugar cookie flavored dough, and brown sugar is best for a chocolate chip cookie flavored dough. I used maple sugar to make mine a little healthier, but still delicious!
Vanilla Extract: A teaspoon of vanilla extract elevates the dough’s aroma and taste, creating that classic cookie flavor.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: The star of our gluten-free show! Ensure it’s a high-quality gluten-free flour blend for the best tasting results.
Mini Chocolate Chips: Tiny bits of chocolatey goodness – these Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips are perfectly sized for this edible cookie dough. However, if you don’t have mini chocolate chips, feel free to use any size chocolate chip or chunk you’d like!
Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Edible Cookie Dough
Simple & Quick: This recipe is incredibly easy to make with just a few ingredients and minimal prep time.
Delicious & Creamy: The combination of sugars and vanilla gives this dough a sweet, creamy flavor that’s perfect for satisfying your cookie dough cravings.
Versatile: Enjoy it straight from the bowl, as a topping for ice cream, or use it in other dessert creations like truffles or as a cake filling.
Safety Tips (How to Heat-Treat Flour)
To ensure the gluten-free flour is safe to eat raw, you can heat-treat it:
Microwave Method: Microwave the flour for about 1 minute, ensuring it reaches a temperature of 165°F.
Oven Method: Spread the flour on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs
Dairy-Free/Vegan: Use coconut oil instead of butter and non-dairy milk like almond milk. Ensure the chocolate chips are dairy-free and vegan.
Sugar Alternatives: You can substitute brown sugar with coconut sugar, cane sugar, or maple sugar to fit your dietary preferences.
Recipe Variations and FAQs
Variations:
Chocolate Cookie Dough with Marshmallows: Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and mini marshmallows.
Matcha White Chocolate Cookie Dough: Add 1 tablespoon of matcha powder and white chocolate chips.
Lemon Poppyseed Cookie Dough: Add ½ teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, and ½ tablespoon poppy seeds.
FAQs:
Can Gluten-Free Flour Be Eaten Raw?: It’s generally safe, but heat-treating the flour is recommended to kill any potential bacteria.
How Long Will the Dough Last in the Fridge?: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Can You Freeze Gluten-Free Cookie Dough?: Yes, freeze the dough for up to 3 months for later use.
Additional Notes
Storage: Keep the dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator to maintain its freshness and prevent it from drying out or absorbing other flavors from the fridge.
Use Fresh Ingredients: Ensure your ingredients, particularly the butter and milk, are fresh for the best taste and texture.
Enjoy Responsibly: This recipe is meant to be eaten raw, so don’t try to bake it as it won’t hold together properly without eggs.
3.99 from 59 votes
Gluten Free Edible Cookie Dough Recipe – 2 ways!
A super simple recipe for edible gluten-free cookie dough! It’s a quick and easy fix to satisfy your sweet tooth. Made dairy-free, egg-free, and healthy too!
1/4cupsugar (brown sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar, or maple sugar)
1teaspoonvanilla extract
3/4cupgluten-free all purpose flour
1/4cupmini chocolate chips
Double Chocolate Gluten-Free Cookie Dough
2tablespoonsbutter or coconut oil, softened
3-4tablespoonsmilk, I used non-dairy almond milk
1/4cupsugar (brown sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar, or maple sugar)
1/2cupgluten-free all purpose flour
1/4cupunsweetened cocoa powder
1/4cupmini chocolate chips
Instructions
Add all the ingredients except the chocolate chips to a large bowl and stir to combine.
Then, fold in the chocolate chips and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour: I recommend using either Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour or King Arthur’s Gluten-Free Measure For Measure Flour, I’ve made these recipes with both brands and they’re delicious! The one gluten-free flour brand I would avoid is Trader Joe’s, for some reason the taste of that flour can be quite bitter.
