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Cozy Salted Caramel Apple Crisp with Oat Crumble

Salted Caramel Apple Crisp - featured image
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This isn’t your average apple crisp. A deeply amber salted caramel sauce, a crunchy oat and pecan crumble, and perfectly balanced apples come together for a dessert that’s cozy enough for a Tuesday night and impressive enough for company.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 cups (about 6–7 medium) apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (15g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of ground cloves
  • 1 cup (90g) old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (60g) chopped pecans
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Instructions

  1. Make the Salted Caramel Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, spread the 1 cup of sugar in an even layer. Watch it like a hawk—don’t stir it yet. As the edges start to melt, gently swirl the pan (don’t stir) to encourage even melting. This takes about 5-7 minutes. You’re looking for a deep amber color, like the color of a maple leaf in October. As soon as it hits that color, add the butter pieces and whisk vigorously. The mixture will bubble up furiously—that’s normal. Keep whisking unti…
  2. Prep the Apples: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Peel, core, and slice your apples into 1/4-inch thick slices. In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves. Let them sit for 5 minutes while you make the topping.
  3. Make the Oat Crumble: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup oats, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the cold butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Don’t overwork it—those little butter chunks are what create flaky, crunchy clusters. If the butter starts to feel warm, pop t…
  4. Assemble the Crisp: Spread the apple mixture evenly in your 9×13-inch baking dish. Drizzle about 1/3 cup of the salted caramel sauce over the apples—you want to coat them, not drown them. Reserve the rest for serving. Sprinkle the oat crumble evenly over the top, covering all the apples. Don’t press it down; let it sit loosely for maximum crunch.
  5. Bake: Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling up around the edges. If the topping is browning too quickly (around 25 minutes), tent the dish loosely with foil for the remaining time. Let it cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Don’t skip the lemon juice—it brightens the fruit and balances the sweetness. Toast your oats and pecans for extra crunch. Watch the caramel carefully; it can go from perfect to burnt in about 30 seconds. Room temperature cream is essential for smooth caramel. Let the crisp rest for 15 minutes after baking to allow the filling to set.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple crisp, salted caramel, oat crumble, fall dessert, apple dessert, caramel apple crisp, easy apple crisp

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