An out-of-this-world crunchy streusel topping with spiced apples swimming in a sweet sauce, Caramel Apple Crisp is a must-make fall dessert recipe!
Fall is my most favorite season of the year. Though we’ve had a wonderful summer, I’m so looking forward to cooler temperatures, boot weather and an excuse to wear sweaters again. I love walking outside and having my cheeks get a little pink from just enough cold in the mornings.
I love the changing, falling leaves.
I love that I don’t have to water my lawn or mow it anymore. I love trips to the pumpkin patch and scenic drives up the canyon. I can’t get enough of the cinnamon and pumpkin spice desserts!
I love soups and warm bread for dinner every night. Give me all the comfort food!
There’s just so much to love about this season!
Autumn time brings back so many memories of my growing up days. We used to have an apple tree on our property. We kids would monitor them closely every day and wait, very impatiently, until they turned that gorgeous red so we could pick them and enjoy them. They were like candy!
I don’t know that we were ever able to make apple pie with the harvest, because they disappeared in a hurry.
Maybe even more than apple pie, I love apple crisp. It’s much easier to make and that crunchy cinnamon, oatmeal and nut topping just can’t be beat! Throw in a layer of caramel and I’m pretty sure I’ve died and gone to heaven!
Caramel apples have always been a favorite fall treat of mine, so I thought it would be fun to make this traditional dessert a little less traditional and a lot more interesting with the addition of caramel bits. You know those packaged tiny caramel balls? They’re genius. I love using them in my baking because they melt wonderfully and the texture of them stays nice, even after the dessert has set out of the oven.
The caramel flavor is not super overpowering or prominent, but you can definitely still tell that it’s there…just how I like it.
I like to slice my apples nice and thin because I’m impatient and don’t like to wait forever for my dessert to cook.
The juices that are emitted from the apples, that combine with the scrumptious spice mixture, are nothing short of incredible!
This is a family recipe that I remember my mom making a few times while growing up, but definitely not enough!
Caramel Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- Apple Mixture:
- 4 large apples peeled, cores removed, and sliced thin (I like to use Granny Smith)
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. flour
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- dash of salt
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice divided
- 1/2 c. caramel bits
- Streusel Topping:
- 1/2 c. butter melted
- 3/4 c. brown sugar
- 1/2 c. flour
- 3/4 c. old fashioned oats
- 1/2 c. walnuts or pecans chopped
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk together sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and dash of salt to make the apple coating and toss apples in it. Make sure the mixture is completely coating the apples and that none remains on the bottom of the bowl.
- Arrange 1/2 of apple mixture in the bottom of a greased 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. lemon juice. Sprinkle caramel bits over the apples. Top with remaining apples and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.
- Make topping by melting butter (in microwave) and stirring in brown sugar, flour, oats, nuts and a pinch of salt. Make sure all the ingredients are incorporated well. Sprinkle over the top of the apples.
- Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes, or just until the apple mixture is bubbling, apples are soft, and the topping is nicely crisp, but not too brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.
There are not many desserts that I crave more than a good apple crisp, especially when it’s cool outside. I love to top mine with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a generous dollop of whipped cream, right out of the oven. It’s extra delicious when the melty ice cream or whipped cream oozes into the crumb topping and apples. The combination is absolutely dreamy!
What are your favorite fall desserts and fall activities? I’d love to hear!
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