Apple Yogurt
Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
Let’s welcome your new snack staple – Apple Yogurt! This easy apple yogurt blends up quickly and perfectly for breakfast, a healthy snack, or a dessert. It works well for baby-led weaning, babies who are practicing spoon-feeding, toddlers, and kids. For ages 6+ months.
Easy Apple Yogurt
Got a surplus of apples on your hands? Looking for an easy and extremely delicious snack for the entire family?
Then we have just the thing for you!
Apple Yogurt 🍎 – simmered spiced apples swirled into creamy yogurt.. what else could you ask for?
Plus, this apple yogurt is lower in sugar and has no added preservatives or flavors compared to most store-bought yogurt.
If you are looking for more easy and healthy yogurt recipes for your little one, then be sure to check out my Blueberry Yogurt, Strawberry Yogurt, Fruit-Filled Yogurt Parfait, DIY Yogurt Tubes, or these delicious Yogurt Pancakes or Muffins. You can also find more recipes and information in my best-selling cookbook Little Foodies: Recipes for Babies and Toddlers with Taste.
Featured Yogurt Video
Reasons to Love this Apple Yogurt
- Adds a fun twist to plain yogurt
- Easy to make – only 3 ingredients
- Perfect for baby-led weaning, traditional spoon-feeding, toddlers, and big kids
- Good source of protein, fats, probiotics, and fiber
- Customizable – make this recipe as is, or blend together a combination of fruits in your pantry or freezer, like apple + strawberry for even more flavor
- Lower in sugar and no added preservatives
- Freezer friendly
Ingredients
- Yogurt: plain whole milk yogurt is best, either regular or Greek style. For a dairy-free version, you can do any plain plant-based yogurt you prefer – almond, cashew, oat, etc.
- Apples: this recipe uses a sweeter type, such as Pink Lady or McIntosh, but any variety of apple will work
- Cinnamon: in my opinion is a must with simmered apples, but you could also use a pinch of nutmeg, cloves, or a dash of vanilla extract.
- Maple Syrup: optional – for toddlers and kids, you could also use honey (for babies over 1) or agave nectar.
Recipe Tip: For other flavor and spice ideas, try cardamon, clove, or ginger.
Benefits of Apple Yogurt
Yogurt has many health benefits for babies, toddlers, adults, and everyone in between. It provides many of the nutrients our bodies need for different functions in every stage of life. And apples have a whole list of health benefits as well. As they say, an apple a day keeps the doctor away!
- Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, needed for bone growth and development, one cup has almost half of the recommended daily value for adults.
- If yogurt contains live active cultures, these are probiotics, which are helpful for a healthy gut and digestion.
- Whole milk yogurt, recommended for kids 2 and under, has fats necessary for brain development.
- Apples are a good source of fiber, which benefits heart health and digestion. The pectin in apples is a prebiotic, which is the food probiotics, or good bacteria in the gut, feed on. The soluble fiber apples contain help with cholesterol levels.
Best Types of Apples to Use
I prefer to use a sweeter apple such as Pink Lady or McIntosh, but really can you use any apple you prefer or have on hand.
Here are some great apple options:
- Pink Lady
- Gala
- Honeycrisp
- Fuji
- McIntosh
- Jazz
- Golden Delicious
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add the apples, cinnamon, and water and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10-14 minutes or until fork tender. Let cool slightly.
- Taste apples and add maple syrup if needed. You are using the apples to sweeten plain yogurt so you do want a slightly sweeter apple base.
- Add the apples to a blender or food processor and pulse for a chunky puree or blend on high for 30-60 seconds for a smooth puree.
- Stir into yogurt and enjoy!
Time-Saving Tip: while we love making this recipe using simmered apples, if you are short on time, you can simply use store-bought apple sauce for this recipe. Look for a brand without any added sugar.
TOPPINGS
While this yogurt is amazing by itself, toppings and yogurt are always a good idea. Here are some of our favorite toppings to add:
- hemp seeds
- granola
- drizzle of honey (over 1 year of age)
- chopped berries
- sliced bananas
- sprinkle of ground flax seeds
What Yogurt is Best
When choosing yogurt for your baby and toddler, look for a whole milk yogurt that contains a variety of live active cultures. Yogurt that’s plain or has no added sugar and is organic is also preferable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this apple yogurt is a great source of vitamin C, probiotics, protein, and fat. In addition, this homemade apple yogurt contains less sugar and no added preservatives or flavors, compared to traditional store-bought yogurt.
The best yogurt is whole milk (full fat), plain or unsweetened, and those with live active cultures. Adequate fat from whole milk yogurt is essential for brain development in babies and toddlers.
Storage
Store this apple yogurt in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the apple puree for up to 4 months. We recommend freezing the puree in a silicone baby food freezer tray or an ice cube tray for easy portion sizes. Simply take out the amount you want to thaw and add to yogurt whenever you want.
Feeding Tips
- Mix the puree with Greek yogurt for easier eating – Greek yogurt is slightly thicker than standard yogurt, which can be helpful for babies starting solids because it sticks a little more to spoons and fingers.
- Pre-loading a spoon is a great way to help your baby be more successful in the early stages of self-feeding. Simply dip a spoon like the NumNum GOOtensil or ChooMee Starter Spoon into the yogurt so that it sticks to the utensil and allow baby to grab the spoon.
- Make it worth your time – this recipe can easily be doubled to make enough for the whole family and to freeze for later!
- Dress it up – for toddlers and kids, try topping this apple yogurt with hemp seeds, granola, a drizzle of honey or peanut butter, or chopped berries.
Get the recipe: Creamy 20-Minute Apple Yogurt
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain whole milk yogurt
- 4 large apples, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp water
- 2-3 tbsp maple syrup, optional and if needed
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add the apples, cinnamon, and water and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10-14 minutes or until fork tender. Let cool slightly. Taste the apples and see if you need to add in the maple syrup. Since you are using the apples to slightly sweeten the yogurt you do want the apples on the sweeter side.
- Add the apples to a blender or food processor and pulse for a chunky puree or blend on high for 30-60 seconds for a smooth puree.
- Stir into yogurt and enjoy!
Notes
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