Apple Crisp
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This apple crisp recipe is the ultimate comfort food dessert. Loaded with sliced apples, cinnamon, and topped with a sweet oatmeal crumble. Once you pull it from the hot oven drizzle a homemade caramel sauce over the top. The ultimate apple dessert.
This apple crisp is perfect for a fall dessert, summer cookout, or weeknight dessert. Learn how to make apple crisp for your next occasion.
I used green Granny Smith apples so it has a tart component paired with the oat topping. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and grab a spoon and dive in.
Make sure to check out this apple fritter breakfast cake, or try out this apple cinnamon quinoa. Or try out this date caramel dip recipe as well.
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Granny Smith Apples – These apples are tart and will help to balance out the sweetness in this crisp.
- Granulated Sugar and Brown Sugar – The two sugars really help to create sweetness and a depth of flavor.
- Cinnamon – The cinnamon is a warm depth of flavor that really enhances the crisp.
- Old Fashioned Oats – What I love about old-fashioned oats is that you will have a chew to the crisp topping.
- All-Purpose Flour – This is our go-to baking flour.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – Make sure both are not expired. These ingredients don’t get used a ton.
- Unsalted Butter – You can use salted butter if you would like.
- Heavy Cream – The heavy cream is going to help give you a rich and thickness to the caramel sauce.
How to make Apple Crisp
For the full ingredient amount and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees
2. Peel the apples as it will help prevent the apple crisp from being so chewy.
3. Next you will core the apples and cut the pieces into slices. I used an apple slicer and then sliced each wedge into half again. Place apples at the bottom of the baking dish.
4. Next you will grab a medium-sized bowl and add sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
4. Pour the cinnamon mixture over the apples trying to coat all the apples.
5. Next evenly pour the water over the apples. Try and spread the water out through all the apples if you can.
6. Next you will work on the crumble topping. Add the ingredients into a bowl.
7. With a pastry cutter use it to chop up the butter and mix it with the crumble ingredients. Once the butter is mixed, add in the oats.
8. Sprinkle the crumble crisp topping over the apples and spread out evenly.
9. Bake as directed, and once done remove and allow the crisp to cool slightly. It will have a nice golden brown top and the sides will bubble.
10. For the caramel sauce you will add in the sugar and butter in a pan and heat over medium heat.
11. Let the mixture cook for 3-5 minutes. The sugar will begin to break down and create a nice golden color. Stir constantly or it will burn.
12. Slowly pour in the heavy cream whisking. Then mix until it is combined well.
13. Pour the sauce into a jar and allow it to cool for about 20 minutes. As the sauce cools it will thicken.
14. Pour the sauce over the apple crisp when ready and serve and enjoy.
Recipe tips and variations
- Feel free to use any variety of baking apples for this recipe. You could even do a mix of two varieties of apples to add more levels of flavor and balance sweet and sour apples.
- The caramel sauce is optional, so don’t feel like you have to make it.
- Store the caramel sauce in the fridge in an airtight container. Then drizzle over the top of the crisp right before serving. Otherwise, the caramel can cause the topping to be soggy.
- You can eat this baked apple dessert cold or hot. The choice is yours if you want to warm it up or eat it chilled.
Storage and reheating tips
- Refrigerate: Store any apple crisp leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 days.
- Freeze: To freeze this baked apple dessert place it in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for 3-4 months.
- Reheat: To reheat the crisp you can use your oven or microwave. Heat in the oven at 350 degrees for 4-5 minutes. Or microwave for a minute or two, just long enough to get the crisp warm.
How to serve
Drizzle on some caramel sauce and a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. This easy baked apple recipe is perfect to be served up as a dessert after dinner or even take it to a party where you need a potluck dish.
Frequently asked questions
The difference between an apple crisp and an apple crumble is the topping. Crisps tend to have an oat-based topping. Where a crumble is more of a cake-like topping.
Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, and Gala apples are three very popular apple varieties that are used often. Depending on if you want a tart or sweeter crisp will depend on the type of apple to use.
The key is to make sure your apple slices are even in size. You can slice thinly into strips or dice up the apples into cubes. Both methods work for this crisp recipe. Evenly slicing allows the baked apples to cook evenly.
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Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- 7-8 medium sized granny smith apples
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup all purpose flour + 1 tbsp
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 stick unsalted butter room temperature
Caramel Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9×13-baking pan with non-stick spray.
- Start by peeling the apples. Next core the apples and cut them into thin slices. You can also use an apple slicer and then slice them in half.
- Spread the sliced apples along the bottom of the baking pan.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix the granulated sugar, 1 tbsp of the flour, and ground cinnamon. Then spread the mixture across the top of the apples. Pour in 1/2 cup of water all over the top.
- In the same bowl, mix the oats, 1 cup of flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the butter into the mixture to create crumbles. Sprinkle the topping all over the top of the apples.
- Bake for 45 minutes until the top is nice and golden brown.
Caramel Instructions
- NOTE: Start by ensuring the butter and heavy cream are 100% at room temperature; you can even heat the heavy cream in the microwave for a few seconds. This recipe will NOT come together if either the butter or cream are even slightly cold.
- Pour the granulated sugar into a saucepan and heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Continuously stir the sugar. After about 3-5 minutes, the sugar will start to crumble, turn darker in color, and then it will melt into a liquid and turn a brown color. Keep stirring the sugar until all of the sugar has been melted. Remove from the heat.
- Immediately place the butter into the saucepan and mix until well combined with the sugar. Slowly pour the heavy cream into the saucepan and continuously stir until everything comes together. The mixture will still be thin at this point.
- Pour the caramel into a jar and allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes until desired thickness has been reached.
- Pour all over the apple crisp, and enjoy!
- Store in the fridge, slightly warm in the microwave before using.
Nutrition
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Hi, just wondering if adding the water is absolutely necessary. It’s also the first time I’ve seen it for a crisp recipe so mostly curious. Still gonna try it out because it looks so good 🙂
It helps soften the apples a bit more, but you can try omitting 🙂