Easy Cinnamon Apple Compote Recipe

Closeup of a jar of cooked apple compote with spices and a spoon.

5 from 1 vote

Easy Cinnamon Apple Compote Recipe

Apples, cinnamon, spices and vanilla makes this a tasty compote to top breakfast oats, yogurt, vanilla ice cream or along side pork roast. Heat it up the microwave for a minute, it's great warm, like apple pie.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Servings: to 8 (yield about 1 ¾ cups)

Calories: 94kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Equipment

Ingredients

1 large lemon divided use
1 ½ pounds apples 3-4, I use honeycrisp
2 tablespoons maple syrup or sugar-free maple syrup see sweetening notes below.
1 tablespoon light brown sugar or monk fruit see sweetening notes below.
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon allspice
2 pinches ground clove optional
3-4 tablespoons water as needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla paste

Instructions

Fill a medium bowl half full with cold water and squeeze in half a lemon. Peel, core, and chop apples into ½-inch chunks. As you go, add the pieces to the lemon water to stop browning. When done, drain the apples through a sieve.
To a medium pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of water, maple syrup, sugar, and spices. Stir until smooth. Add the drained apples tossing in the spice mixture. Cook stirring occasionally until liquid is mostly reduced, compote is thickened, and apples are softened to your preference, about 15 minutes.
If needed, add another tablespoon of water or lemon juice as apples are cooking. Taste and see. A little lemon juice lifts the flavor. Watch your heat level and turn down if needed. Stir in the vanilla at then end. Serve warm or cool completely.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.

Notes

Sweetening Options:

How much and what you use to sweeten apple compote is up to you. Many recipes have a lot of brown sugar, but the sugar adds up, so here are options.

To reduce sugar, use sugar-free keto maple syrup make with monk fruit (it is terrific), the sugar-free honey made with monk-fruit, or the granular brown monk fruit. Both really reduce the grams of sugar so mostly what you are left with is the natural sugar in the apples.

You can also mix the options. I have not calculated all of the ways you can make it to reduce sugar. When making this recipe I use the sugar-free maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar or the brown monk fruit.

Nutrition