Bratapfel (German Baked Apples)

Nov 7, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Custards puddings creams Vanilla: Beans Easy

Whole tart apples, cored and stuffed with marzipan, raisins, slivered almonds and cinnamon, baked until the flesh is meltingly soft and the skins wrinkle. Served warm in a pool of vanilla sauce, they are a fixture of German Christmas markets and Advent evenings. Makes 4 servings in about 1 hr 10 min.

Prep 25 min

Cook 40 min

Cooling 5 min

Total 1 hr 10 min

Servings 4

Diet Gluten free

Ingredients

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servings

1 ¾ lb (800 g)tart baking apples, 4 medium (such as Boskoop, Braeburn or Jonagold), washed
2 tbsp (25 g)unsalted butter, softened, plus a little for the dish
⅓ cup (80 ml)apple juice
7 tbsp (50 g)almond paste or marzipan, finely chopped
3 ½ tbsp (30 g)raisins
3 ½ tbsp (25 g)slivered almonds, blanched
1 tbsp (15 g)light brown sugar
½ tsp (1 g)ground cinnamon, about 1/2 tsp
1 ¼ cups (300 ml)whole milk
1vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 (36 g)egg yolks
2 ½ tbsp (30 g)granulated sugar
1 ¾ tsp (5 g)cornstarch

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter the baking dish.
Core the tart baking apples with an apple corer or small knife, leaving them whole, and widen the hole to about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Score the skin once around the middle so it does not burst.
For the filling, mix the almond paste, raisins, slivered almonds, light brown sugar and ground cinnamon with 15 g of the butter until it clumps together.
Stand the apples in the dish, press the filling firmly into the holes, and top each with a piece of the remaining butter. Pour the apple juice into the dish around them.
Bake until the apples are soft right through when pierced with a skewer and the skins are wrinkled, 30 to 40 minutes depending on size. Baste once halfway with the juices.
While the apples bake, make the vanilla sauce: scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the whole milk, add the pod and heat until steaming, about 4 minutes, then remove the pod.
Whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar and cornstarch in a bowl, slowly whisk in the hot milk and return it to the pan. Stir over medium-low heat until it thickens enough to coat a spoon and reaches 160 to 170°F (71 to 77°C), 4 to 6 minutes; do not boil hard.
Let the apples rest 5 minutes, then serve warm in shallow bowls with the vanilla sauce and a spoonful of the pan juices.

Tips

Choose firm, tart apples that hold their shape; very soft eating apples collapse in the oven.
Check the apples from 25 minutes on, since small apples cook faster and can split.
Make the filling a day ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator.
Cook the egg-yolk vanilla sauce to at least 160°F (71°C).

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make bratapfel (german baked apples)?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 40 minutes of cooking, plus 5 minutes to rest. The recipe makes 4 servings.

How should I store bratapfel (german baked apples)?

Best served warm the day they are baked; refrigerate leftover apples and sauce separately for up to 2 days and rewarm the apples at 325°F (165°C) for 10 to 15 minutes.

Can I make bratapfel (german baked apples) ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise. Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Serve it with spiced black tea or mulled cider.

Variations

Rum-raisin filling: soak the raisins in 1 tbsp (15 ml) dark rum for 30 minutes before mixing the filling.
Nut swap: use 25 g chopped walnuts or hazelnuts in place of the almonds.
Marzipan-free version: leave out the almond paste and add 1 tbsp (20 g) honey and 15 g more almonds to bind the filling.
With ice cream: serve each apple with 1/2 cup (70 g) vanilla ice cream instead of the vanilla sauce; skip the sauce cooking time.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 4 servings this recipe makes.

399 Calories / serving

16.4g Fat

61.9g Carbs

7.2g Protein

48.2g Sugar

Whole recipe (4 servings): ~1596 cal · 66g fat · 248g carbs · 29g protein · 193g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.