A couple of apples can become a small dessert without committing you to a whole pie. These three ideas lean on warm cinnamon apples, a little butter and a few pantry ingredients: soft skillet apples, individual crumble cups and quick apple shortcakes.

Each recipe serves two. Choose the skillet version when you want the quickest warm bowl, the crumble when the oven is already part of the evening, or the shortcakes when a ready-baked biscuit can do some of the work.

Before you start

Peel and core the apples, then cut them into even pieces about one centimetre across. That size matters more than making every cube look identical. Smaller pieces soften more readily; very large chunks may stay firm after the outside has begun to collapse.

Set out the two serving dishes before cooking. For the crumble, use small ovenproof ramekins and put them on a baking tray so they are easy to move. For the shortcakes, have the biscuits split and the cream measured, but wait to assemble them until the apples are ready.

1. Skillet Cinnamon Apples

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and diced
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp water

Method

  1. Put the apples, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and water in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Stir as the butter melts.
  2. Cover and cook for 8–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apple pieces are tender. Add a small splash of water if the pan starts to look dry before the fruit softens.
  3. Uncover and stir for another minute or two if needed to reduce the juices to a light coating. Divide between two dishes and serve warm.

Cut the apples into even pieces, about 1 cm across, so they soften at a similar rate. The covered stage helps the fruit cook before the juices reduce. Check tenderness with a fork rather than relying only on the clock.

2. Apple Crumble Cups

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1 large apple, peeled, cored and diced
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp rolled oats
  • 1 tbsp cold butter, cubed
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Divide the diced apple between two small ovenproof ramekins, about 150–200 ml each.
  2. Rub the flour, oats, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together with your fingertips until they form coarse crumbs. Scatter evenly over the apples.
  3. Place the ramekins on a baking tray. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly golden and the apples are tender when pierced. Let stand briefly before serving.

The ramekins should be comfortably filled rather than heaped. Put them on a tray so they are easier to move together. If the topping colours before the fruit is tender, cover loosely with foil and keep checking the apples.

3. Warm Apple Shortcakes

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and diced
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 2 small ready-baked plain shortcake biscuits
  • 2 tbsp whipped cream

Method

  1. Put the apple, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and water in a small covered pan. Cook over medium-low heat for 8–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apple is tender.
  2. Split the ready-baked shortcakes. Spoon the warm apples over the bottom halves, add 1 tablespoon whipped cream to each, and replace the tops loosely.
  3. Serve immediately so the biscuits keep some texture and the cream does not sit against the warm fruit for long.

Use plain ready-baked shortcakes or American-style sweet biscuits for this quick version. The measured cream is a small finishing spoonful, not a thick layer. Assemble just before eating; the apple juices soften the biscuit as it stands.

Choose the finish you feel like

The skillet apples are soft and simple on their own. The crumble adds a crisp, oat-speckled top. The shortcake version gives you warm fruit, a tender biscuit and a small cool spoonful of cream. They share an apple-and-cinnamon starting point, but each has its own texture.

Apples do not all soften at the same speed. Use the time ranges as a starting point and test a piece with a fork. If a covered pan looks dry before the fruit is tender, add a small splash of water; if the apples are ready but the juices look thin, uncover and reduce them briefly. The aim is tender fruit with enough sauce to coat it, rather than a pan of syrup.

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