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Fall and Winter Baked Fruit (No Added Sugar!)

This healthy baked fruit dish is delicious and very easy to make. It fills your home with the wonderful aroma of cinnamon and baked apples and makes dealing with the grey, cold weather so much easier.

Overhead shot of mixed baked fruit in a baking dish. A wooden spatula is in the fruit.

This fruit bake is made without added sugar and is only lightly sweetened with raisins.

If you love hot fruit but don’t like it when it swims in sugary syrup, then this recipe is for you.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Here are four reasons why this recipe is a keeper:

  • This is a great recipe for beginners. Making a batch of roasted fruits is seriously very easy!
  • This baked fruit recipe is naturally vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar free.
  • Roasting fresh fruits is a great way to add dietary fiber to your diet.
  • This delicious dessert is made with beautiful fall and winter fruits and is perfect for the holiday season.

Ingredient Notes

This fruit bake is made using fruits available in fall and winter, such as apples, pairs, and persimmons.

Here is an overview of all the ingredients you’ll need:

  • Apples – You can use any type of apples for this dish. However, soft apple varieties such as McIntosh might fall apart during baking, so I prefer to use firm apples such as Gala or Golden Delicious.
  • Pears – Although baked apples are more popular, baked pears are also absolutely delicious. I love baking Bosc pears, but other varieties will also work.
  • Persimmons – Persimmons aren’t often baked, which is a pity because they taste fantastic. However, it’s very important to choose the right type of persimmons for baking. Make sure to use non-astringent persimmons, which are still firm when ripe such as Fuyu persimmons or Vanilla persimmons imported from Spain.
  • Lemon – Since you’ll be using lemon zest, choose an organic lemon or wash it thoroughly before zesting it. Zest the lemon first. Then slice it in half and squeeze out the juice.
  • Cinnamon – This popular spice goes well with baked fruits. But you can also add other warming spices such as allspice, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, etc. You can also use pre-made apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.
  • Cranberries – This popular winter berry adds a tart note to the dish and balances the sweetness of fruits and raisins.
  • Raisins – In this recipe, raisins are used as a natural sweetener. You can also add other dried fruits and/or berries, such as blueberries, chopped dates, prunes, or apricots.
  • Coconut oil – Extra virgin coconut oil helps to create delicious syrup that helps to caramelize the fruit.

How to Bake Fall and Winter Fruits

These healthy baked fruits are quick and easy to make and will be ready in just four easy steps:

Step 1. Prepare the fruits.

Core the apples and pears. Remove the top leafy part from the persimmons. Slice the fruits into uniform pieces. If some of the fruits are softer than others, cut them into bigger pieces than the firmer fruits because softer fruits will cook faster.

Spread the sliced fruits on the shallow baking dish in an even layer.

Apple, pear, and persimmon slices in a baking dish.

Step 2. Add the lemon juice, zest, and cinnamon.

Zest the lemon. Squeeze out the lemon juice and pour it evenly over the fruits. Sprinkle the lemon zest and cinnamon over the fruits as well.

Fruit slices in a baking dish sprinkled with lemon zest and cinnamon.

Step 3. Add the rest of the ingredients.

Add the raisins and cranberries. Melt the coconut oil and pour it over the fruits.

Fruit slices, cranberries, and raisins in a baking dish.

Step 4. Bake and serve.

Bake the fruits at 350F for about 35 to 45 minutes until the fruits are soft. The time will depend on the size of the pieces and the ripeness of the fruits.

Toss the fruits before serving to make sure they are evenly covered in the pan juices. Always serve warm.

Roasted Fruit in a baking dish.

Recipe Video

Here is the recipe video to help you make it:

 

Variations

This recipe is very versatile because you can use the ingredients interchangeably. For example, if you don’t have persimmons, you can bake only apples and pears, or if you don’t have apples, you can bake pears and persimmons, etc.

You can also use orange zest and juice or lime zest and juice instead of lemon.

How to Make These Fall and Winter Baked Fruits Sweeter

These roasted fruits are made without any added sugar and are only slightly sweetened with raisins.

I think baked fruit is usually sweet enough, but if you are just switching to eating less sugar or have a family member who thinks that the fruits aren’t sweet, here are a few ways you can make them sweeter:

  • serve them with a scoop of ice cream;
  • drizzle some honey or maple syrup on top of the fruits;
  • use very ripe pairs;
  • add more raisins;
  • skip the cranberries.

How to Serve Baked Fruit

Hot fruit will make a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas breakfast, and brunch.

It’s delicious on its own, and you can also serve it as a dessert with ice cream.

I often make a batch, keep it in the fridge, and add it to my morning oatmeal, pancakes, or waffles. You can also have it as a snack with some nuts, nut butter, Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese.

Close up of the baked fruit slices with cranberries and raisins.

Can I Make it in Advance?

If you are making this baked fruit dessert for a dinner party, you can prepare it a day in advance. Here is how to do it:

  1. Bake the fruits according to the instructions.
  2. After the fruits are done baking, let them cool in the baking dish. Then cover with aluminum foil making sure the foil doesn’t touch the fruits.
  3. Keep the fruits in the fridge or another cool place overnight. Then take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350F and reheat the fruits for about 10 to 15 minutes.

If you are making it as meal prep for yourself, store the baked fruits in the fridge in a glass container with a tight lid. Reheat as needed.

How to Reheat This Baked Fruit Dessert

As I mentioned above, you can reheat it in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F and reheat the fruits for about 10 to 15 minutes. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave.

More Roasted Fruit Recipes

If you like roasted fruit desserts, check out these recipes:

Fall and Winter Baked Fruit

Fall and Winter Baked Fruit

Yield: 6 portions
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

This hot fall and winter baked fruit makes a perfect healthy dessert for Thanksgiving and Christmas. But don't wait for a special occasion to make it! It's delicious served with oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, or as a snack.

Ingredients

  • 2 apples, cored and sliced
  • 2 pears, cored and sliced
  • 2 persimmons, sliced
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the fruits on a baking dish in an even layer.
  2. Pour the lemon juice over the fruits. Evenly, sprinkle the lemon zest and cinnamon.
  3. Add the raisins and cranberries. Pour the melted coconut oil over the fruit.
  4. Bake the fruits for about 35 to 45 minutes. The time needed will depend on the size of the fruit slices and the ripeness of the fruit. Toss the fruits before serving.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1/6 of recipe
Amount Per Serving Calories 190Total Fat 4.9gSaturated Fat 3.8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1.1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 5.3mgCarbohydrates 39.9gFiber 6.6gSugar 27.8gProtein 1.2g

Nutrition facts provided on this website are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a qualified health care provider for personalized diet advice and make sure that each of the ingredients is allowed in your diet.

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