Baked Apple with Cinnamon and Cottage Cheese – Dessert That Thinks It’s Breakfast

 have a confession: I have a sweet tooth, but I also like to pretend I’m healthy. Enter my all-time favorite trick: Baked Apple with Cinnamon and Cottage Cheese. It’s basically dessert dressed up in yoga pants. Fancy enough to feel special, easy enough that even I can’t mess it up.

Whenever I make this, my kitchen smells like a bakery in slow motion, and I end up hovering over the oven like a hawk—because that first warm bite is magical.

Ingredients:

• 2 large apples (choose ones that aren’t secretly mush bombs)

• ½ cup cottage cheese

• 1 tsp cinnamon (the more, the merrier)

• 1–2 tsp honey or maple syrup

• Optional: a sprinkle of chopped nuts or raisins

How I Make It (Without Burning Anything… Usually)

1. Apple Prep
   I core the apples like a surgeon—or at least try to. The goal is a hollow center ready to be stuffed.

2. Stuffing the Goodness
   I mix the cottage cheese, cinnamon, and honey in a little bowl. Then I generously shove it into the apple cavities. It’s messy, but that’s part of the fun.

3. Bake Time
   I place the stuffed apples in a baking dish, cover loosely with foil (so they don’t throw a tantrum in the oven), and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20–25 minutes. When the apples are soft but still holding their shape, my kitchen smells like heaven.

4. Optional Crunch
   If I’m feeling extra, I sprinkle some chopped nuts or raisins on top before serving—because life is too short to skip the crunch.

Why I Love It

It’s warm, it’s sweet, and it’s guilt-free enough that I sometimes eat two for breakfast. The creamy cottage cheese pairs perfectly with the soft baked apple, and the cinnamon? Let’s just say it’s the fairy dust that makes everything magical.

Seriously, this dessert is my little victory over boring snacks. It’s healthy, cozy, and makes me feel like a dessert wizard—no wand required.