Classic Apple Crisp
Nothing says fall like a Classic Apple Crisp, which is why when recently invited to a dinner party I volunteered to bring dessert. I started my apple crisp journey by reading a series of articles comparing various chef’s versions. My deep dive led to the Classic Apple Crisp by King Arthur Baking but after scrolling through the comments I decided to make a few minor tweaks of my own.
At the recommendation of King Arthur, I used a combination of apples, choosing Honey Crisp and Granny Smith at the local farmer’s market. And I couldn’t ignore a baker’s suggestion of adding a couple of tablespoons of Fireball whiskey to the mix. This is completely optional and wasn’t very noticeable but I’d like to think that it contributed to the underlying cinnamon warmth.
The resulting recipe delivered exactly what was promised, a perfectly pleasing “classic” apple crisp, in the truest sense of the word. There was a very respectable apple to crumble ratio; a nice consistency that wasn’t too goopy, yet most certainly not dry; and no guest appearance by any surprise fruit. I served the crumble with Talenti Vanilla Caramel Swirl Gelato (why are those Talenti containers so difficult to open?) and it was a real crowd pleaser. Enjoy!
Classic Apple Crisp
Ingredients
Filling
- 3 1/2 lbs apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4" thick to yield around 10 cups I used Honey Crisp and Granny Smith varieties
- 1/4 c apple cider or juice
- 3/4 c brown sugar
- 2 Tbls butter, melted
- 2 Tbls Fireball whiskey, brandy, rum optional
- 1 1/2 tsp Apple Pie Spice or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ginger
- 3 Tbls flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
Topping
- 1 1/2 c flour
- 1 c oats
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/3 c brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, cold; cut in pats 16 Tbls
- 1 c diced pecans or walnuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9" x 13" rectangular casserole pan.
- Toss the sliced apples with the remaining filling ingredients, and spread them evenly in the pan.
- To make the topping, whisk together the flour, oats, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder.
- Add the cold butter, working it in to make an unevenly crumbly mixture. Stir in the nuts, if you're using them.
- Spread the topping over the apples in the pan.
- Set the pan on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet to catch any potential drips.
- Bake the apple crisp for about 60 minutes, till it's bubbling and the top is golden brown.
- Remove the apple crisp from the oven, and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. If you serve the apple crisp hot/warm, it may be quite soft. If you wait till it's completely cool, it'll firm up nicely.