Fall into a Baked Apple

It's fall! I cannot believe it. I love fall. Cozy beds, cups of hot cocoa, colorful leaves. So, in tribute to the fall, I've come up with a new tradition: baked apples. They are absolutely divine. The epitome of fall, if I do say so.

If you were at the last ward SUNDAE activity, you might have tried one. I wasn't able to be there because I was at my grandparents, but I helped my roommates prepare this recipe. I've heard a couple requests for the recipe, so here you go! I figure it's a pretty healthy recipe (you can even tweak it to make it low-fat, or low-sugar):

Baked Apples with Granola

1 1/2 cups low-fat granola
1/3 cup raisins or craisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup
6 medium to large Granny Smith apples
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup apple cider
(opt: 8 oz. vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon honey)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Place granola, raisins, cinnamon and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl and combine well.
3. Scoop out the core from the top of each apple. Cut a small slice off the bottom so that it sits flat, but do not cut into the core opening.
4. Stuff each apple with 1/4 cup of the granola mixture (it usually isn't that much; maybe we just don't make the core opening too big) and dot with 1/2 tablespoon butter (I usually put a small slice; on the ones for the ward we didn't use any butter). Place in a shallow baking dish and pour apple cider around the apples. Bake the apples, basting occasionally, for about 1 hour, or until fork-tender and caramelized.
(Opt) 5. Mix together yogurt and honey; drizzle over or serve with baked apples. Makes 6 servings.

Bon Appetit!