Grilled Apples a La Mode

Grilled apples make the best summer dessert! Grill them with sugar and spices until tender, then serve them with “a la mode” with melty vanilla ice cream.

Here’s one of the best desserts out there: grilled apples! It’s carefree, easy, and a la mode (which makes everything better). Thinly slice those apples and throw them in a foil packet with sugar and spices. The grill turns them tender and velvety, with subtle nuance of smoke. Top with melty vanilla ice cream, and well: it doesn’t get any better than this! It’s easy to make up a packet and cook it while prepping the rest of a grilled dinner. When you’re ready for dessert: pop open the packet and get out some forks!

Ingredients for grilled apples

Grilled apples don’t need much to taste incredible: just sugar and spices! These apples are just sweet enough, because they’re designed to be covered in melty ice cream. Here’s what you need to make grilled apples:

Apples: The best grilled apples are good baking apples: firm tart-sweet varieties like Honey Crisp, Jonathon, Granny Smith, Gala, Fuji, etc
Brown sugar and white sugar: Or substitute any type of sugar you like (coconut sugar, etc).
Cinnamon
Ginger
Nutmeg
Vanilla ice cream: This adds the final bit of sweetness. If you want to omit, add a touch more sugar to the apples if you like.

How to cut apples…the fast way!

For these grilled apples, you’ll need to cut them into 1/4-inch slices. You can leave the peel on (we did!), or remove it if you prefer desserts with peeled apples. Somehow, we only recently learned how to cut apples the fast way. Here’s the trick of how to quickly thinly slice apples: check out the video below!

Holding the core of the apple, use a large chef’s knife to slice off four sides of the apple, cutting as close to the core as possible.
Take one of the quarters and place it flat side down on the cutting board. Then cut it into thin slices.
Repeat with the remaining quarters!

How to slice apples

Tips on how to grill apples

Apples are easiest to grill in a foil packet. You’ll just need to know a few basic items: grill temperature and approximate timing. Memorize that and then make them on repeat all summer! Here’s what you need to know (or jump right to the recipe):

Preheat a grill to medium high heat: that’s 375 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut the apples into thin slices. See the video above!
Place them on foil and season with sugar and spices. Then add another sheet of foil on top, seal it, and poke holes for air to escape.
Grill over indirect heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until the apples are tender. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream! We like eating it right out of the packet.

More topping ideas!

What else can you use to top grilled apples? So many things. Take this to over-the-top grilled dessert status by adding any of the following:

Substitute ice cream for homemade whipped cream (or vegan whipped cream).
Try bourbon-infused whipped cream. (Yes!)
Drizzle with caramel sauce.
Sprinkle with maple pecan granola crumbles.
Add toasted almonds.
Top with glazed pecans or glazed walnuts.
Drizzle with balsamic reduction.
Top with a buttered rum sauce.
Add sprinkles (why not?).
Drizzle with a vanilla cream sauce.

Love grilled desserts? Also try our Grilled Pineapple: it also works a la mode! It’s great with some of the toppings above, and especially tasty with toasted coconut and fresh mint.

This grilled apples recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.