Deep-Dish Apple Crisp With Oatmeal Topping
This sweet and easy apple crisp recipe with a cinnamon brown sugar oatmeal topping has all the deliciousness of apple pie -- with a lot less work.
Servings: 1 deep-dish 9" apple crisp
Ingredients
For the Crisp Topping (Crumble or Streusel)
- 1 cup light brown or dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 stick (1/2 cup; 1/4 pound) cold, unsalted butter, diced
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup rolled oats (not quick oats)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Apple Crisp and to Finish
- 7 or 8 medium apples, such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith
- 3/4 cup sugar (maybe more depending on the tartness of the apples)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F, and lightly grease a deep-dish 9" or standard 10" pie plate.
For the Crisp Streusel Topping
- In a mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to mix.
- Add the diced, cold butter. Work the butter into the sugar-flour mixture with your fingers until the texture resembles coarse, damp sand. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Apples and to Finish the Apple Crisp
- Peel the apples and cut them into wedges. Put the apple slices in a large mixing bowl as you go. PRO TIP: Here's how to cut apples for apple pie or crisp. Using a sharp knife on a cutting board, place each apple right-side up so that the stem faces upward. Slice the apple on either side of the core, creating two halves. Place the remaining apple on the cutting board, and cut the remaining flesh on either side of the core. Discard the core. Cut the two apple halves into thirds or so, creating wedges. It doesn't have to be perfect.
- Combine the sliced apples with the sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
- Pour the apples into the deep-dish 9" pie pan, or a standard 10" pan. Press the apples lightly to settle them evenly into the pie plate and eliminate any large air pockets.
- Use a large spoon or your hand to cover the apples completely with the crisp topping. Use it all up; you want it to be a substantial layer. Do not worry if some of the crumble falls into gaps in the apples.
- Bake the apple crisp for 45 minutes to 1 hour on the center rack of the oven, until the apples are bubbly and the crisp is a golden brown. PRO TIP: Many apple pies are baked at 425°F. But this bakes at 400°F to slow browning, due to the high sugar content of the oatmeal topping. If your crisp starts too brown too much before the apples are cooked, lightly tent the top of the crisp with foil. PRO TIP #2: Place a rimmed baking sheet or aluminum foil beneath the crisp as it bakes to catch any juices that bubble over.
- Let the finished apple crisp cool, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.