Last updated on October 15th, 2025.
This apple compote is different than all others, sliced apples and cinnamon, cooked in reduced sweet caramelized syrup. The apples get a unique, deep and complex caramel like flavor.
If there’s one apple recipe you should try, any time of year, it’s this easy, delicious apple compote (and of course my Jewish Apple Cake too). It’s not your usual fruit compote. I adapted my mom’s candied carrots recipe, a Moroccan Jewish holiday classic, swapping carrots for apples. Because we first cook the sugar syrup, the caramelization process begins so the apples end up cooking in a sweet caramel syrup. The apples soak up the caramelized sugar and cinnamon for a deep, rich flavor and a soft-yet-crisp texture you’ll keep coming back for.
This recipe is perfect for topping pancakes, ice cream, or filling your cakes, and pastries like this Caramelized Apple Babka.
Ingredients
The complete recipe including measurements is at the bottom of this post on this recipe card. Below is a recap of the key ingredients and their rule in the recipe.
- Apples. A combination of sweet and tart apples are the best option. Because we are cooking the apple for over twenty minutes and with a large amount of sugar, the best apples to use are firm and sour apples like Granny Smith apples and Honey Crisp apples.
- Lemon juice from one lemon. The lemon is super important not only to balance the sweetness but also to maintain the firmness of the apples. You can learn more about this in my cookbook “Baking Science”.
- Sugar. I used regular granulated sugar (white sugar), and not brown sugar, because I want this recipe to have a caramelized apple flavor without being overpowered by the molasses coming from brown sugar.
- Cinnamon and cinnamon sticks. Of course you can add other warm spices like clove, nutmeg, and even cardamom. You can also add a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Make It
Below are step by step images, I also included all the tips and other cues to pay attention to for best results.
- Use a deep pan, it is the best way to make sure the water will not evaporate too soon.
- The shape and size of the apples is up to you, the thinned you slice then, the more candy like they will become and the the thinner the mixture will get during cooking.
- Cook the apple over low heat, and stir as you go. You should notice some bubbles and thin, slow steam coming out, but not a lot. If you notice a lot of bubble and thick steam, reduce the stove’s heat.
- Do not over cook, even if it seems that the mixture is too thin. It will thicken as it cooks. Over cooked compote will thicken the syrup, it will be too sticky and bitter to eat.
Yields
This recipe yields approximately 4 cups of apple compote, depending on the size of the apples and the final consistency of the compote. This amount is enough to serve 6-18 people as a topping or side dish.
Storage
Store the compote at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Or refrigerate for up to four weeks. To reheat, warm the compote in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave until heated through. Do not warm for more than 2 minutes, or else the sugar will become too sticky and bitter.
Caramelized Apple Compote (On Stovetop)
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Sugar (400g)
- 1/2 Cup Water (120ml)
- 4 Medium Apples peeled, cored and sliced (500g)
- Juice of one lemon
- 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
- 2 Sticks Cinnamon
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, measure the sugar and pour the water over it.
- Cook over medium-high until it reaches a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toass the apple slices with the lemon juice and ground cinnamon.
- Add the apple sliced to the sugar water, and cook on low covered for 20 minutes.
- Uncover, add the cinnamon sticks and cook for additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, serve, or transfer to an air-tight container.
Notes
- Store at room temperature for up to two weeks in an air tight container or a mason jar.
- Refrigerate for up to three weeks.
- This recipe yields four cups, and is good to serve 6-8 people depending on the serving sizes.
- Use sour apples like granny smith or honey crisp.
- Do not over cook the compote, or else the sugar will caramelized too much and become sticky and bitter.
