Easy apple crisp recipe with a buttery oat topping, it’s the perfect shareable dessert, especially when served warm with ice cream on top.
Delicious and easy apple crisp recipe with buttery oat topping. For maximum flavor, saute the apples first to ensure each piece is tender and caramelized before hitting the oven.
When a piping hot apple crisp comes out of the oven, your kitchen will fill with amazing aromas. This sweet treat may not be as fancy as classic apple pie, but it’s just as tasty and easier to prepare. It’s one of my favorite fall desserts, especially when served warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.
The key to a great apple filling is ensuring the fruit is cooked thoroughly, preventing a runny sauce. I do this with my apple crumble as well. Undercooking commonly happens when raw apples are tossed with flour, then baked. The result cooks the topping faster, while the filling never softens, and the juices don’t thicken. The good news, this is easy to avoid by pre-cooking the apples.
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 3 pounds honeycrisp apples
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Crisp Topping
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- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
Instructions
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Heat the Oven – Set the oven rack to the center position. Heat to 375ºF (191ºC).
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Prepare the Apples – Peel, core, and cut the apples into ½-inch thick slices.
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Make the Filling – In a large bowl, stir to combine sliced apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
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Cook the Apple Filling – Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the butter and the apple mixture. Saute until crisp-tender, and most of the moisture is released, about 15 to 20 minutes.
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Prepare the Baking Dish – Lightly butter the bottom and sides of an 8 by 8-inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cooked apples inside the dish.
Crisp Topping
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Mix the Dry Ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
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Make the Topping – Cut cold butter into ¼-inch cubes and add to the flour mixture. Use fingers to break the butter into the dry ingredients, pressing together to create large pebble-shaped pieces of crumbly topping, about the size of a dime. Evenly sprinkle the topping over the apples.
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Bake the Crisp – Bake until the topping is golden brown and crisp, about 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
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To Serve – Serve warm with desired toppings.
