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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Baked Apples

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These Caramel Apple Cheesecake Baked Apples are the perfect dessert! Whether you need a fun dessert after dinner or a more intimate dessert, they meet all expectations. 

Cheesecake Baked Apples

Baked Apples are such a fun dessert.  It’s the perfect amount of heightened sweetness from the caramelizing that happens during the baking process. To make it even more fun and kid-friendly, we combined cheesecake filling, a caramel apple sauce, and crumb topping to make the most indulgently delicious, Caramel Apple Cheesecake Baked Apples. Let me say that again in case you didn’t have a chance to really comprehend.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Baked Apples

They are really as amazing at they sound too.  Listen, if you know our family, you know that Andrew is really picky.  While he loves apples, he’s not a fan at all of cooked fruit. Yall…he loveeedddd this. Better yet though, the kids loved it. We used pink lady apples for this recipe because they are crisp and sweet. However, feel free to use the variety of apples that you love the most.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Baked Apples

How long does it take to bake an apple in the oven?

Typically, the average sized apple may need 30-40 minutes to bake apples in the oven. If you use smaller apples they can be ready 20-25 minutes. Obviously, if you use very large apples, you are going to need to let them cook longer. You want the outside of the apples to start to wilt and focus on the topping getting golden brown.

how long do apples bake in the oven

How do you make Healthy Baked Apples?

If you are looking for a healthier alternative to this recipe for your littles, you can simply cook the cored apple pieces with some coconut oil, apple pie spice, and chopped nuts of your choice and then fill the apples. Bake the same amount of time.

stuffed baked apples

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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Baked Apples
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 

These Caramel Apple Cheesecake Baked Apples are the perfect dessert! Whether you need a fun dessert after dinner or a more intimate dessert, they meet all expectations. 

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dessert
Servings: 6 apples
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 6 sweet apples (we like pink lady)
  • lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened and divided
  • 1/8 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • Caramel Apple Sauce
Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, using a pastry knife (or your hands), combine flour, 1/2 stick butter, and brown sugar. 

  2. Work mixture until course crumbles are formed. Set aside. 

  3. In a medium bowl, Beat together remaining butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. 

  4. Carefully scoop out the insides to the apple, not going too close to the bottom. Remove any seeds. 

  5. Brush insides of apple with lemon juice to prevent browning. 

  6. Make Caramel Apple Sauce according to instructions and also adding in the insides of the apples. Proceed making recipe as normal. 

  7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

  8. Inside the apples, add a small scoop of cheesecake mixture. 

  9. Then, layer, a small scoop of caramel apple sauce, another small scoop of cheesecake mixture. And then top with scoop of streusel topping.  

  10. Place apple in a large muffin tin so apples don't roll around. 

  11. Repeat with remaining apples.

  12. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until apples appear to be slightly wilted. 

  13. Serve alongside remaining caramel apple sauce. 

Pin these Caramel Apple Cheesecake Baked Apples for later:

baked apples for dessert

Apple Cookies Four Ways

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Looking for a quick and simple snack for warm weather days? You’ll want to make these apple cookies! 

The girls are constantly go, go, go. With the weather warming up, we are already finding ourselves outside more. They are running around, playing frisbee, and seeing who can go faster down the slide.  Storm loves to swing, while Serenity is constantly pushing herself to learn the monkey bars. While they are running around and playing, they stop and notice the yellow dandelions in the yard. I use this as a learning experience to teach them the life cycle of a dandelion. Explaining to them how it goes from vibrant yellow to a white puffy flower and every time that they blow on that flower they create a new yellow flower. Serenity’s mind was blown. When we came inside and I found some cool time-lapse videos online of the process. It was amazing!

It was also time for a snack.

In the summertime, I love letting them explore with food. We take toppings outside to the table and let them go to town on creating their own unique flavor combinations. It’s really crazy to see the unique flavors the come up with on their own.  Ones that you wouldn’t think necessarily go together, yet they do.

One of their new favorite things to make are these apple cookies.

YES! APPLE COOKIES! 

Watch us make them!

It’s such a simple and quick snack to make and they get to be the creators of their own imagination. Plus, telling your kids it’s a “cookie” if guaranteed to at least get them to try it. It almost feels funny calling this a recipe because there isn’t much too it, but that makes it even better for you!

First, core and slice your favorite apples (granny smith works great for these!). Then, spread a “butter” and add toppings.  We’ve spread peanut butter, cookie butter, chocolate hazelnut butter, almond butter, caramel, and more. Toppings we’ve done include all types of nuts and dried fruits, chia seeds, pretzels, chocolate chips, and more. The possibilities are really endless. Here’s four of our favorite combinations-

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Apple Cookies Four Ways
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 apple per person
  • Spreadable option - peanut butter hazelnut spread, almond butter, cookie butter, caramel, etc
  • Toppings - nuts dried fruit, pretzels, chocolate chips, chia seeds
Instructions
  1. Core and slice apples.
  2. Spread desired "butter" on top of each apple slice.
  3. Add toppings. (Great creative!)
  4. Eat & enjoy!


Caramel Apple Cider Milkshake

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caramel-apple-cider-milkshake

Growing up, fall wasn’t that exciting for me. It meant that it was getting cold and time to go back to school. The only thing exciting about fall was it meant that the Apple Butter Festival was around the corner. Apple Cider was my favorite drink (still is) and I always looked forward to that part of the year. Fast forward to adulthood with kids, and summer is exhausting and hot. I now look forward to the cooler air, where we can get outside and actually enjoy time without sweating profusely.

Just because it’s getting cooler though, don’t mean you can’t enjoy frozen treats. It’s the best of both worlds! You get amazingly delicious flavor combinations in season mixed with frozen deliciousness. Thus, we created this Caramel Apple Cider Milkshake. It’s all sorts of awesome and you need it in your life immediately.

Watch us make it!

We blended caramel crunch ice cream from Target with apple cider, topped with whipped cream and homemade caramel sauce and voila! Caramel Apple Cider Milkshake. Because why not!? It’s amazing.

caramel-apple-cider-milkshake

Now excuse me while I go consumer all the leftover apple cider.

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Caramel Apple Cider Milkshake
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 3 scoops of caramel ice cream
  • 1/4 cup apple cider
  • Whipped Topping
  • Caramel Sauce
  • Cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Blend together ice cream and apple cider.
  2. Pour into a chilled glass.
  3. Top with whipped topping, caramel sauce, and cinnamon.
  4. Serve immediately.

_caramel-apple-cider-milkshake-recipe

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Paw Print Cupcakes – Applesauce Cupcakes with Applesauce Frosting

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These fun Secret Life of Pets inspired Paw Print Cupcakes are delicious by themselves but also a healthy alternative to traditional cupcake recipe. Try these Applesauce Cupcakes with Applesauce Frosting today!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Mott’s®. The opinions and text are all mine. #SecretLifeOfMotts

Applesauce-cupcakes

“The Secret Life of Pets © 2016 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.”

As a parent, I am constantly trying to make the best decisions for our girls and our family as a whole. Whether that decision is the type of toothpaste or body wash we use, staying up to date on car seat safety, or deciding on schooling, there is always a decision to be made. One decision we are faced with every single day though is what food we will allow in our homes and in our children’s bodies.

Skibbles, our toddler, is at the age where she really only wants sweets, snacks, and chicken nuggets. I know it is a phase that most children go through and it would be one that is easy to give in to every day. Not having to deal with the tantrums would be so much easier. However, being a parent isn’t about being easy, is it?  My goal is to create a balance and provide the most nutritious, yet fun, lifestyle I can for both our girls.

One way I do that is by making smart snacking choices for our girls. When I make things from scratch at home, I can make them cupcakes or cookies, and still know that I’m providing them nutrition. I love making applesauce cupcakes using Mott’s® Applesauce. It’s really the best of both worlds.  As a mom, I feel great about what I’m feeding her, even if she thinks it’s a treat. That’s real joy isn’t it?

motts applesauce pouches

“The Secret Life of Pets © 2016 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.”

While I grew up loving the individual Mott’s Applesauce Cups, our girls love the new Mott’s Applesauce Pouches that are available. Having these pouches and cups in our house allows our girls to make smarter snack choices, as well as developing a healthy habit of making the nutritious choice in the future when Andrew and I aren’t always around.

motts rebate

“The Secret Life of Pets © 2016 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.”

Mott’s is currently offering special packaging in partnership with the adorable The Secret Life of Pets movie. Right now you can purchase three and/or purchase five Mott’s products for free children’s tickets and $8 movie vouchers.

motts applesauce secret life of pets

“The Secret Life of Pets © 2016 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.”

  • Purchase any 3 Mott’s Juices or Applesauce to Receive a Free Child’s Ticket* (Mott’s on pack offer) for The Secret Life of Pets (*$9 child admission, restrictions apply)
  • Purchase any 5 Mott’s Juices or Applesauce to Receive an additional $8 movie voucher
  • Note: Offers can be stacked – Purchases of 5 are eligible to receive the Free Child’s Ticket as well as the $8 movie voucher
motts at target

“The Secret Life of Pets © 2016 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.”

You’ll definitely want to make sure that you head to Target to pick up your Mott’s Apple Juice and Mott’s Applesauce products, just like we did, for these great Cartwheel offers!

After you head to Target and pick up your products you’ll want to head into the kitchen to make these Paw Print Cupcakes aka Applesauce Cupcakes with Applesauce Frosting. Not only are they absolutely amazing (and a more nutritious option) but they are perfect to celebrate with before or after you go see the movie!

how to make paw print cupcakes

“The Secret Life of Pets © 2016 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.”

applesauce cupcakes recipe

“The Secret Life of Pets © 2016 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.”

paw print cupcakes

“The Secret Life of Pets © 2016 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.”

Here’s the recipe!

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Print
Paw Print Cupcakes (Applesauce Cupcakes with Applesauce Frosting)
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
22 mins
Total Time
32 mins
 

These fun Secret Life of Pets inspired Paw Print Cupcakes are delicious by themselves but also a healthy alternative to traditional cupcake recipe. Try these Applesauce Cupcakes with Applesauce Frosting today!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 385 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup Mott’s Apple White Grape Juice
  • 1/2 cup Mott’s Applesauce
For the frosting
  • 8 oz 1 package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup Mott’s Applesauce
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
For the paw prints
Instructions
For the cupcakes
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a small bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar.
  4. Add in egg and vanilla and beat until just combined.
  5. Add applesauce and apple juice and beat until combined.
  6. Slowly add the dry ingredients until combined.
  7. Fill paper lined cupcake 3/4 of the way full.
  8. Bake from 20-22 mins or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
For the frosting
  1. Blend the cream cheese and butter until no lumps are left.
  2. Add in the applesauce, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg.
  3. Blend until combined.
  4. Add the powdered sugar and blend until everything is well combined.
  5. Using a piping bag, pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake.
  6. Refrigerate or discard any leftover icing.
For the paw prints
  1. Cut each mini peanut butter cup in half. Using the wider half place in the center of the frosting.
  2. Above the cup, place four regular size chocolate chips, flat side up, in a crescent shape above the peanut butter cup.
Nutrition Facts
Paw Print Cupcakes (Applesauce Cupcakes with Applesauce Frosting)
Amount Per Serving (1 cupcake)
Calories 385 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Cholesterol 57mg19%
Sodium 325mg14%
Potassium 154mg4%
Carbohydrates 49g16%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 34g38%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 510IU10%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 113mg11%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

These make great “muffins” sans the frosting and paw prints if you want a healthier alternative too!

Applesauce-cupcakes-recipe

“The Secret Life of Pets © 2016 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.”

Check out this site for more information about the special offers and recipe ideas. Then, head to Target to grab your Mott’s products today to make these and get geared up for The Secret Life of Pets. Make sure to submit your rebate for tickets and savings to enjoy the movie!

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

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*Disclosure: Affiliate links may be contained in this post. We receive a small commission for purchases and thank you for helping us continue to run our site.

 
apple cinnamon pancakes

We love pancakes.  LOVE them.  And I’m not talking about pancakes from a box, but homemade pancakes.  And I’ll admit…I’m currently obsessed with these apple cinnamon pancakes. About 3 years ago I started making pancakes from scratch and I’ve never bought a box since then.  They are so stinkin’ easy to make and it’s great knowing exactly what ingredients are going into our food.  A friend of mine a few months ago told me that she put apples and cinnamon into her pancakes and I tried it one day.  Instantly, I was hooked.  I love the idea of a whole fruit going directly into the pancakes and it makes them taste amazing.  Skibbles gobbles them up very quickly.  One day she even ate 5 of the silver dollar sized ones.  For a toddler that doesn’t each much, this was huge!

The real test was when I first gave these apple cinnamon pancakes to Andrew and he said he loved them.  He typically only wants me to make our Strawberry Cheesecake pancakes, so I knew I hit the jackpot when I got both him and Skibbles on board with these.

You must try them for yourself!

Ingredients: 
1 1/4 cups Organic All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon 
1/4 cup organic sugar
1 1/4 cups milk (organic/grass fed preferred)
1 egg
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 whole apple, peeled, cored, and shredded
Homemade Whipping Topping – Get recipe HERE

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place oven safe dish inside to hold finished pancakes.
In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients and lightly stir around.  The add in the wet ingredients.  Using a whisk, add the remaining ingredients and stir just until well combined.  Heat a medium skillet with some coconut oil over medium low heat.  Add 1/4 – 1/2 cup of pancake batter at a time to your skillet. Wait until bubbles begin to form, then flip.  Cook another 2-3 minutes and remove to warmed plate in oven.  Repeat until you have no more pancake batter left.  Eat and enjoy.  For silver dollar pancakes, use a tablespoon of batter for each pancake. 

 

What is your favorite type of pancake?


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