Step 1

Arrange a rack in the lower-middle position of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

Step 2

Remove the core of the apples, cutting to within a half-inch of the bottom of the apple and creating a well roughly 3/4-inch wide. This is easy to do with an apple corer, but can also be done with a melon baller, grapefruit spoon, or a paring knife.

Step 3

Place the brown sugar, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and any extras in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Divide this mixture between the apples, packing the wells firmly.

Step 4

Arrange the apples in a baking dish (like an 8x8-inch Pyrex dish), and top each one with a pat of butter. Pour the water into the bottom of the dish and cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Step 5

Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the apples are soft and the brown sugar has melted into a syrup, 20 to 30 minutes more. You can test the apples by poking a paring knife through the oatmeal mixture and into the interior of the apple; it should slide into the apple easily with no resistance. The skin on the apples will also become wrinkled and soft by the end of cooking. Serve with a scoop of ice cream, crème fraîche, or whipped cream.