Jump to Recipe
5 from 2 reviews
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see mydisclosure policy.
Cozy and deliciousskillet apple crispis perfect for apple season! In just 25 minutes, you can have this crowd-favorite dessert assembled and ready to pop in the oven. Topped with brown sugar oatmeal crumble, this easy apple crisp is baked in a cast iron skillet to ensure a tender apple filling and crisp topping. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!
Apple crisp is my family’s signature fall dessert (and so much easier than baking apple pie!). My grandmother (Grammy) baked apple crisp with Fuji and Pippin apples from her trees for decades, and I remember my mom baking pans of apple crisp every fall.
These wise women taught me the three rules of apple crisp: Never skimp on the crumble topping, always serve warm, and enjoy any leftover crisp for breakfast the next day (the best with coffee!).
I’m adding my own twist to my family’s signature recipe. Dark brown sugar adds extra notes of caramel to the crumble topping and a splash of pure almond extract brings out the sweetness of the fresh apples.
No matter how you make it, the heart of homemade apple crisp is always the same: An effortless dessert that brings everyone to the table, expectant and ready to dig in.
Love baking with apples?Find more inspiration in my full collection ofapple dessert recipes!
Essential Ingredients
- Rolled oats–I use and recommend old fashioned oats in the crumble topping. Rolled oats give the topping a much better texture than quick-cooking oats.
- Flour–Use all-purpose flour in the topping.
- Brown sugar–Dark brown sugar adds extra caramel notes to the crumble topping. If you don’t have dark brown sugar on hand, light brown sugar works well too.
- Cinnamon–Adds warm spice flavor to the topping and apple filling.
- Salt–For flavor.
- Butter–Use cold, cubed unsalted butter in the topping.
- Granulated sugar–Adds sweetness to the cinnamon-spiced apple filling. If your apples are especially sweet and flavorful, you can reduce the granulated sugar to 1/2 cup (100 grams).
- Arrowroot starch–A natural thickener that creates a smooth, shiny sauce. You can also use cornstarch.
- Apples–Use a mix of your favorite baking apples for the best crisp. I found gorgeous SnapDragon apples (related to Honeycrisp apples) and mixed those with Granny Smith apples for nice flavor balance.
- Almond extract–Pure almond extract pairs wonderfully with the apples. You can also flavor the apple filling with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, or up to 2 tablespoons of amaretto (Italian liqueur), bourbon, or dark rum.
How to Make Apple Crisp, Step by Step
Make crumble topping:Combine rolled oats, all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together.
Cut in cold cubed butter with a pastry cutter until completely incorporated and large crumbs form.
Chill crumble topping for 15 minutes in the freezer (briefly freezing the topping prevents it from melting in the oven). You can also make the topping 1-2 days in advance and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make apple filling:Whisk together granulated sugar, arrowroot starch (or cornstarch), salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Add apples and almond extract (or other flavoring) to the bowl. Toss with a spatula to combine.
Spoon apple filling into buttered cast iron skillet (or buttered baking dish – see note in the recipe card). Sprinkle chilled crumb topping over apple mixture.
Place skillet onpreheated baking sheet(to catch any drips!) and bake for 55 to 60 minutes at 350°F, until the crumble topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling.
Serving Suggestions
Cool crisp on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes (1 hour is even better) before serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
We also love topping warm bowls of crisp with salted caramel sauce or homemade butterscotch topping. Enjoy!
Favorite apple dessert recipes:
- Apple Cider Bundt Cake
- Caramel Apple Puff Pastry Tarts
- Easy Caramel Apple Bars
- Spiced Apple Fritter Bread
Did you try this Apple Crisp Recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating below!
Skillet Apple Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal Crumble
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
- Author: Laura Kasavan
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 10-inch crisp
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Save Recipe
Description
A cozy and delicious skillet apple crisp is perfect for apple season! With a tender apple filling and buttery oatmeal brown sugar crumble topping, you’ll love this easy apple crisp recipe baked in a cast iron skillet.
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup (84 g) rolled oats
- 1/2 cup (70 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 g) dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (112 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
Apple Filling
- 2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp (24 g) arrowroot starch or cornstarch
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 7 cups (840 g) peeled and diced apples
- 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
Instructions
- Place a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil in the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly grease a seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet.
- Make crumble topping: Combine oats, flour, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until well combined and large crumbs form. Chill in the freezer until ready to use.
- Make apple filling: Whisk together sugar, arrowroot starch, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add sliced apples and almond extract. Toss gently to combine. Spoon apple filling into prepared skillet and sprinkle evenly with crumble topping.
- Bake crisp: Place baking dish on preheated baking sheet and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until golden brown and filling is bubbling. Cool crisp on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving (cooling for 1 hour is best).
- Store leftover crisp tightly covered (or in an airtight container) in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Reheat in a warm oven (350°F) for 15 to 20 minutes, until heated through.
Notes
Skillet: Bake this crisp in a 9 or 10-inch skillet. For ease, you can also use a 9 or 10-inch ceramic baking dish.
Make ahead: Crisp topping can be made 1-2 days in advance and stored tightly covered in the refrigerator until ready to use. The apple filling can be made 1 day ahead and stored overnight in the refrigerator in a glass bowl. If you’d like to assemble the entire crisp ahead of time, I recommend using a ceramic baking dish (as cast iron may rust in the refrigerator).
Gluten free apple crisp: Make a gluten-free version of this apple crisp by substituting gluten-free oats and gluten-free flour in the topping.
Apples:You’ll need about 6 large apples for the filling. I used SnapDragon apples (related to Honeycrisp) and Granny Smith. Pink Lady and Braeburn apples are also great baking apples.
Flavor variations: Flavor the apple filling with 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or up to 2 tablespoons of amaretto (Italian liqueur), bourbon, or dark rum.
AppleFallThanksgiving
Meet Laura
Hi, I'm Laura and I'm so happy you're here! Welcome to Tutti Dolci Baking Recipes, a baking blog celebrating all things sweet! I share approachable baking recipes and elevated classic desserts for every home baker. My goal is to inspire you to bake from scratch with kitchen-tested recipes you can count on.
More about me
You'll also love:
Pies and Tarts
The Best Homemade Blueberry Pie
Pies and Tarts
Easy Fresh Strawberry Crisp
Pies and Tarts
