Salted Caramel Apple Crisp
This Salted Caramel Apple Crisp combines the comforting familiarity of a classic apple crisp with the sophisticated depth of homemade salted caramel. With tart apples, warm spices, buttery crisp topping, and irresistible salted caramel, this dessert delivers impressive restaurant-quality results with surprising simplicity.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch Baking Dish
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Pastry cutter (optional)
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 6 large Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and sliced (about 8 cups); Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples work as alternatives
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Crisp Topping
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup heavy cream room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt such as Maldon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Slice your apples into uniform ¼-inch pieces. Toss the apple slices with lemon juice in a large bowl to prevent browning.
- Add the granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the apples. Gently toss until every slice is evenly coated with the spice mixture. Transfer the seasoned apples to your prepared baking dish and spread them into an even layer.
- In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using clean hands or a pastry cutter, work the cold butter cubes into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
- In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the sugar over medium heat. Resist stirring, instead gently swirling the pan occasionally until the sugar melts completely and turns a deep amber color (about 8-10 minutes).
- Immediately add the butter pieces (stand back as it will bubble vigorously) and whisk until fully incorporated. Remove from heat, carefully add the cream while continuing to whisk, and finally stir in 1 teaspoon of the sea salt.
- Drizzle about half of the caramel sauce over the seasoned apples, reserving the remainder for serving. Sprinkle the crisp topping evenly over the caramel-coated apples, gently pressing to create a consistent layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until the topping turns golden brown and the apple filling bubbles around the edges.
- Allow the crisp to cool for 15 minutes before serving. When ready to serve, drizzle each portion with the remaining salted caramel sauce and sprinkle with the remaining sea salt flakes.
Notes
Healthier Alternatives:
- Replace half the butter in the topping with coconut oil
- Substitute coconut sugar for brown sugar
- Use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose
- For gluten-free: use 1:1 gluten-free baking blend and certified gluten-free oats
- For dairy-free: use plant-based butter and coconut cream
- Vanilla bean ice cream
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream with cinnamon
- Greek yogurt
- Room temperature: Cover and keep for up to 2 days
- Refrigerator: Store covered for up to 5 days
- Freezer: Freeze individual portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months
Nutrition
Calories: 425kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 3gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gSodium: 325mgFiber: 4gSugar: 48g
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