Warm cinnamon apples were one of my favorite treats growing up. Granted, they were usually made with a generous amount of brown sugar—and sometimes topped with ice cream—but they always felt like a cozy blend of dessert and the holidays all in one.
I recently found myself wanting to rekindle that childhood comfort in a way that aligned with what I now know about nutrition. With a bit of recipe adjustment, it was simpler than I expected to make baked apples with a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approach. I replaced the refined sugar with natural sweetness and added warming spices with therapeutic properties. The result is just as delicious as the version I grew up enjoying, with the addition of medicinal benefits.
Warm foods support digestion
From a TCM perspective, the digestive system thrives on warmth. When we eat cold or raw foods, our bodies must work harder to warm them internally as we digest. But when food is already warm and cooked, we ease digestive strain because the food requires less energetic demand from the body.
If your digestive system is in need of extra support, you may notice symptoms such as bloating, decreased appetite, loose stools, or fatigue, especially after eating. In many cases, simply increasing warm meals and limiting cold/raw foods can noticeably ease those symptoms. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a salad; I just recommend pairing it with something warm—like cooked grains, soup, or a warm protein—to help balance the meal.
Why pair apples with warming spices
If you’re looking for a warm, nourishing food to support digestion, apples are one of the easiest and most effective places to start. Apples—especially when prepared with their nutrient-dense skin—offer a wide range of nutritional benefits, including:
- B vitamins
- Vitamin C
- Potassium
- Antioxidants like quercetin and catechin
- Pectin, a soluble fiber that functions as a prebiotic
When we bake apples, we combine their natural nutrient profile with the digestive support that warm foods already provide, making them easy for the body to process.
You can also take this one step further by adding warming spices like cinnamon (rou gui), ginger (gan jiang), and nutmeg (rou dou kou). These spices naturally pair with apples and are used in TCM as therapeutic herbs for their warming properties, which can support healthy digestion.
Breakfast baked apples recipe
This is the recipe I make for myself and often recommend to patients for a nourishing breakfast. As the weather has cooled, I’ve found myself eating one of these baked apples nearly every morning.
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
- 6 medium apples
- 1 cup apple cider (water works as well)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons honey (optional, for extra stickiness)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of salt
- Almond butter, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cut the apples in half and core the centers, or core them whole—leaving the bottoms intact so that the sauce can pool inside. Arrange the apples with the cored center facing up in a large baking dish.
- Make the glaze by whisking the cider, maple syrup, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat until the glaze begins to steam.¹
- Spoon some of the glaze into each apple. Pour the rest around the apples and cover tightly with a lid.
- Bake the apples for 35 to 45 minutes, basting halfway with the glaze in the baking dish, until the apples are tender but still holding their shape.²
- Let cool slightly. Serve warm with a drizzle of glaze and a spoonful of almond butter on top.
Notes
¹ You can warm the glaze on the stovetop or in the microwave—whichever method you prefer.
² Apples can go from firm to overly soft quickly. Check each one individually and remove them from the oven as soon as they’re fork-tender.
A gentle way to begin the day
In practice I’ve found your digestive system thrives with food, acupuncture, and herbal medicine all working together. I often recommend recipes like these baked apples as a low-effort, approachable place to begin. Hope you enjoy!
