Brown Butter Baked Apples with Hazelnuts

Sweet orchard apples are filled with toasted Northwest hazelnuts, brown sugar, and warm cinnamon, then baked until tender and fragrant for a warm and cozy dessert.

Ingredients:
4 medium baking apples
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
½ cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup apple cider or water

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish or another small baking dish that will hold the apples snugly. Using an apple corer or small paring knife, remove the cores from the apples, leaving the bottoms intact to hold the filling. Widen each opening slightly to create room for the hazelnut mixture. Place the apples upright in the prepared baking dish.

2. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter foams and the milk solids turn golden brown, about 3–5 minutes. Remove from the heat as soon as it smells nutty and fragrant. Stir in the vanilla.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the toasted hazelnuts, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Pour in 3 tablespoons of the browned butter, including the flavorful browned bits, and stir until the mixture is evenly moistened.

4. Fill the apples: Spoon the hazelnut mixture into the hollowed apples, packing it gently and mounding a little filling on top. Drizzle the remaining browned butter over the apples. Dot the tops with the remaining tablespoon of regular butter.

5. Pour the apple cider or water into the bottom of the baking dish. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15–25 minutes, until the apples are tender when pierced with a knife but still hold their shape. Let the apples rest for 5 minutes. Spoon some of the warm pan juices over each apple and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.