Baked Apple Tornado Recipe

Stir up a little fun the fall with this Baked Apple Tornado recipe! This spiral apple drizzled with caramel is a delicious twist on the classic baked apple.

I’ve seen recipes for Potato Tornados and thought why should potatoes have all the fun. So, I decided to make an apple version, just in time for fall baking. Like my Bloomin’ Baked Apple, this Baked Apple Tornado is a fun way to enjoy baked apples.

To make this baked apple tornado, I searched my local grocery store for the smallest apples I could find. The ones I ended up using are called SweetTango, but feel free to use whichever apples you prefer.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to products for making this recipe. If you use those links, I may earn a commission. Learn more here.

Where is the Baked Apple Tornado recipe? In this post, I will share step-by-step instructions with photos for how to make the apple tornado, as well as answering FAQs about the recipe and sharing a short video showing the recipe in motion. But you can go directly to the recipes by scrolling down to the bottom of the post.

 

How To Make A Baked Apple Tornado

Step One: Cutting The Apple

Start by removing the core of an apple and cutting in a spiral shape. I used my apple peeler, slicer, and corer with the peeling device disabled.

If you don’t have one of these handy kitchen tools, you try to slice the apple by hand or use another spiral slicer, but keep in the mind the cooking time will change depending on the thickness of the apple slices.

Bonus Tip: Kids LOVE using the apple peeler, slicer, and corer, so let them give a whirl! When my kids were younger, they would pull it out when they wanted to eat apples. The same ‘ole apples seem totally different when sliced this way.

Step Two: Skewer

Hold the apple together and carefully push a kabob skewer through all of the slices of the apple. Gently separate the slices using your fingers to slide them slightly apart without breaking them.

Step Three: Cinnamon Sugar

Sprinkle one side of the apple tornado with the cinnamon and sugar. Turn over the skewer to make sure all sides are covered.

Step Four: Bake

Place the skewer on a loaf pan, balancing so the apples are hanging over the pan. For about 20 minutes, bake the tornados at 400°  If baking several apple tornados, you can line the skewers up across the long sides of the pan.

Step Five: Plate and Serve

Now that the apples have softened, carefully remove the skewer. Using your fingers, arrange the apple tornado on a plate. Top it with whipped cream and drizzle with caramel sauce. This Baked Apple Tornado is so much fun for fall! It’s like a deconstructed apple pie…without the crust.

Baked Apple Tornado FAQs

1. What would be a healthier version of this recipe? 

For a lighter version, you could try using a sugar substitute, sugar-free caramel and fat-free whipped cream. Another option is that you could bake the apples with only cinnamon sprinkled on top.

2. Can I use a wooden skewer instead of a metal one? Yes, that will work as well just make sure its long enough to fit across the loaf pan for baking.

3. What kind of apple should be used for this? I use crispy apples that won’t turn mushy while baking. I used Sweet Tango but you could also use Granny Smith, Empire or Honeycrisp apples.

4. Can I make this ahead of time? I think it would be better to make this right before serving because the apple will be crispiest. If you cut them ahead of time they could get brown.

Hungry For More? Try These Apple Recipes For Fall:

Bloomin’ Baked Apples

taste like apple pie with an ooey, gooey caramel center! This is an easy dessert recipe for fall and it’s made with Honeycrisp apples.

This Caramel Apple Fruit Pizza is a delicious fall dessert with a sugar cookie crust, cream cheese frosting, toasted pecans and a drizzle of caramel.

Caramel Apple Pretzel Salad is a delicious way to enjoy a taste of fall with crunchy apples, candied pretzels, and sweet caramel sauce.

This easy Caramel Apple Nachos recipe with crispy cinnamon sugar tortilla chips, caramel, whipped cream, and fresh apples is the most delicious fall dessert!