Preheat the oven to 350.

Cut the top and bottom of the apples so they sit flat. Scoop out the core of the apples with a sharp spoon or tablespoon to make cups. Reserve the apple pieces and discard seeds/core. Brush apple cups with butter and bake in the oven 20 minutes.

For the filling: Chop the 2 extra apples into small pieces. In a large saucepan, melt the butter, add chopped apples, oatmeal, brown sugar, raisins, pecans, spices and lemon juice. If a creamy filling is desired, add two large scoops of vanilla ice cream to the pan and cook down with the filling for around 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add filling to each apple cup and return to oven to cook for an additional 5-10 minutes (or until apples are soft and cooked through). Top with ice cream, pecans and caramel sauce.