All it takes is 5 minutes and 6 ingredients, seven if you consider ice cream, to put this gorgeous caramel apple crisp together. There is nothing finer than a fresh, handmade apple crisp. And this recipe for Caramel Apple Crisp is not only simple to make but provides a delectable dessert for the holidays.
So I've had a craving for apple crisp for almost 6 weeks now. You'd think I would have gotten round to making it. But life has been BUSY!!! Well in between the pandemonium, it really was yesterday ( I worked 7am-3pm and 4:30pm-10:30pm) and made this in between that brief little break.
Now, I do recognize apple baking isn't really in "season" but for me apple baking is all year long! Cooked apples are one of my all time favorite delicacies, whether they are baked in a cake, covered with a crumble, inside a pie, on their own, inside a cookie.. you name it I like it! All types of baked fruit are the best, particularly this Peach Raspberry Galette Recipe.
While my grandmother has been here she chuckles at me, a normal person would take that hour and a half break and unwind. But me? No I prepare. And create a disaster to clear up, and stress myself out most of the time cuz I really don't have the time to bake, clean, photograph OH and write the recipe down.
Luckily this preparation is DEAD simple! I had salted caramel in the larder so I used salted but feel free to use plain ol' caramel. Melt some of the wrapped caramels with a little cream or use store bought ice cream caramel topping. Anyway you play it this will be wonderful.
Ingredients
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Cooking Apples. I like Granny Smith Apples for their acidity against the sweet caramel but you can also use Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, Jonagold, Fuji, Gala, Braeburn, Cortland apples.
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Caramel. You can use salted caramel sauce or conventional caramel sauce. And you can use homemade caramel sauce or store bought caramel sauce.
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Old-Fashioned Oats. Also known as Rolled Oats these oats lend the pleasant, chewy crunch to the garnish.
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All-purpose Flour. Make sure you measure your flour accurately.
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Brown Sugar. You can use pale brown sugar or dark brown sugar.
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Salted Butter. The butter gets mixed into the dry mixture, keep the butter cold and cut into small pieces. If you have only unsalted butter on hand just add a sprinkle of salt to the dry ingredients.
You can use any of your preferred spices like ground cinnamon or ground nutmeg.
Variations
- You can make this gluten free, just make sure your cereals are gluten free and trade out the all purpose flour for a one to one gluten free all purpose flour.
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Spray a 9X9 square baking dish with non-stick spray.
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Peel your apples and slice thin-medium sized segments. Place fruits directly inside the pan.
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Drizzle ¾ cup caramel on top of the apple slices and mix together so all apples are coated.
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In a medium basin combine together oats, flour, and brown sugar.
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Then use your clean palms to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until you get smaller clusters of crumble.
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Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly on top of apple filling. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown top. Serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
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Store remains in an air proof container for up to three days.
Step by Step Overview
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The base of this crisp only has three ingredients: apples, caramel, and salt. Top it with a classic oat topping, and simply bake. Here’s a comprehensive step-by-step video on how to do it.
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When the crisp comes out of the oven, it’s best to savor immediately, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a generous drizzle of caramel sauce. In all sincerity though, this is a dessert best savored a la mode. If you cannot have dairy, I’ve tried many of the coconut milk and almond milk vanilla ice creams and there are some excellent options.
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And again, if you don’t know how to make handmade caramel, it’s very feasible, I promise. I’ve got a complete post on Caramel Sauce and it contains all the tips and tricks for doing it. No thermometer necessary.
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If you want to try a different fruit, I adore this Blackberry Lavender Crumble.
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For more apple, try this Apple Cobbler, Caramel Apple Pound Cake and this Apple Pie Panini. Or Homemade Apple Sauce and Baked Apple Chips.
Read Also: Cooking Macaroni and Cheese Gnocchi
Making Ahead of Time and Reheating
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Can you make apple crisp ahead of time?Yes! You can prepare the crisp topping weeks ahead of time and just store it in a freezer safe hermetic container in the freezer. No need to defrost before using. Or you can prepare the whole apple crisp ahead of time, cover it and preserve it in the refrigerator for up to one day before baking.
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Can you refrigerate apple crisp?Once the apple crisp is prepared and chilled transfer to a freezer safe airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Thaw the apple cranberry crisp in the refrigerator overnight then reheat in the oven.
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How do you reheat leftovers? This apple crisp can be reheated in the microwave but for the best results preheat it in the oven. Place the crisp in an oven-safe dish and cover with aluminum foil and bake for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
Recipe FAQ
How do you store leftover Caramel Apple Crisp?
Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How do you reheat Apple Crisp?
For optimal results, reheat it in the oven (the microwave will make the topping runny). Try 350F for 20-30 minutes, until the fruit is frothing and the top is firm again.
Can you refrigerate Apple Crisp?
Yes, for up to 3 months. Make sure it’s enclosed in an opaque container, then re-bake it in a 350F oven for about 30 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden.
