Cast Iron Cinnamon Apples is a delicious side dish to your favorite meal or as a dessert over vanilla ice cream, on a stack of warm French toast, or for a savory option some grilled pork chops. Also could be the base of apple pie filling. This dish is especially delicious when you can use just off the tree apples during apple season in the fall.
Looking for more recipes with apples? Try our Dutch Oven Apple Cake or Skillet Apple Crisp or make a Caramel Apple Dump Cake at your next camping adventure.

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Are some apples better for cooking?
Absolutely! The different apple varieties are used for three different purposes. Those three purposes include eating, juicing and, the one I will be doing in this recipe, cooking. My favorite apples for this recipe are honey crisp and Granny Smith apples. What I really love is that this recipe doesn't use white sugar. The apples are sweet enough to make this really yummy.
How do you tell if an apple is a cooking apple?
Some apples are sweet while others are tart. Some variety of apples may be crisp while other varieties may have a softer texture. My preference is to use both tart and sweet apples when I cook with them. Cooking apples are generally larger and can be more tart than apples that are bred for eating. Enter the Granny Smith Apple and the Gala Apple varieties. The combination of these fresh apples blend a fantastic tart and sweet flavor together for a delicious side dish.
What's in Cast Iron Cinnamon Apples?
- apple slices
- butter
- ground cinnamon
- cardamom
- apple cider vinegar
There are several ways to prepare apples including: using the slow cooker, baking, and in pies to name a few. I, personally, really enjoy making this delicious side dish in a cast-iron skillet.
Also, you can't go wrong with a recipe when it calls for you to melt butter. Am I right?
This is one of my favorite recipes and reminds me of ordering the apples at Cracker Barrel when I was a kid a long time ago.
Here are the steps for how to make Skillet Cinnamon Apples.
Step 1 Peel and slice the Granny Smith and Gala apples. Set aside. Heat a 10" cast iron skillet on medium heat
Step 2 Combine the butter, brown sugar, cardamom, apple cider vinegar and cinnamon. Add to skillet and cook until melted together.
Step 3 Fold apples into the mixture. Stir apples occasionally to fully coat them in the mixture.
Step 4 Heat apples until they are slightly soft. This should take approximately 10-15 minutes.
Other Cast Iron Apple Recipes
If you tried this Cast Iron Cinnamon Apples or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Get the Recipe
Skillet Cinnamon Apples
Equipment
- 10" cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cardamom
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 granny smith apples
- 3 gala apples
Instructions
- Peel and slice granny smith and gala apples. Set aside.
- Heat a 10" cast iron skillet on medium heat.
- Combine butter, brown sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar and add to skillet until melted together.
- Fold apples into the mixture.
- Stir apples occasionally to fully coat in mixture.
- Heat apples until apples are slightly soften. 10-15 minutes.
Nutrition
Dutch Oven Daddy is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Jill
I had some apples that I needed to use and am so glad to have found your recipe. I enjoy cardamom so I really appreciated that addition. Served these apples over pancakes and we all loved them.
Vidya Narayan
These were a huge hit with the family and the house smells amazing. Thanks for a great recipe.
Kristen
These apples turned out wonderful! I served them over ice cream and they were a real hit.
Megs
This recipe is super easy and those apples are sensational! Deliciously addictive!
Beth
This recipe is quick, easy, and delicious! It doesn't hurt that my home smells amazing too!
Linmarie
Made Half per recipe (only one person) Excellent outcome. Apples tender, great cinnamon flavor. Will make again soon. Will also use as apple handpie filling.
Thanks for such an easy & delicious recipe.
Sally
I had several gala apples sitting around and was so thankful to stumble upon this recipe. I didnโt have cardamom and only had galaโs available, but it still turned out great! Recommend pairing with vanilla ice cream once they cool a bit. For sure a new family favorite.
Ned Adams
Oh thats great Sally! Great use of what you had in your house. Thank you so much for the kind works. So glad your family loved it.
deb c
Oh my....the cardamon and apple cider vinegar add a whole new taste. I could have eaten the entire skillet myself in one sitting! Thanks!!!!