Dutch Oven Apple Crisp Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you know when apple crisp is done? ›

Bake the apple crisp until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown and crisp, about 45 minutes. Serve the crisps warm with vanilla bean ice cream or fresh whipped cream, if desired.

Why is Apple Crisp not crispy? Don't forget to evenly distribute the butter with the topping. That melted butter helps crisp everything up on top for the perfect texture and flavor!

To avoid the crispy topping of the apple crisp from getting soggy always keep it covered with aluminum foil or cover of the baking dish.

Under the simple butter-sugar-flour-and-oat topping is the apple filling scented with cinnamon. Our test kitchen says baking apples, like Rome or Cortland, are the best varieties to use for apple crisp, but Empire, Gala, or Braeburn apples are also good in this recipe.

You don't want to overcook your apples at this point. They're going into the oven after all. And it's way more satisfying to eat when they're not completely soft, but still have a little bite.

In an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, the apples should be perfectly baked after 40-45 minutes (20 minutes covered with foil, 20-25 minutes uncovered). You'll know they're ready to remove from the oven when the sugar is caramelized and the apples are tender.

A pastry chef friend shared the technique. Instead of sprinkling the raw crumbs on top of the fruit, where they absorb the juices and turn a little mushy on their undersides, he spread them out in a pan and baked them separately, until crisp and cookielike.

Softer apples like Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, or Macintosh break down too much in the heat of the oven, basically turning into applesauce. So avoid those, and opt for a variety that's firm and crisp like Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp. They'll turn velvety soft while still retaining their shape.

Baking: Start baking the apple crisp covered with foil. This allows the apples to soften without any risk of the topping over-browning. After about 20 minutes, remove the foil and let the crisp finish cooking uncovered. Once the juices are bubbling, the topping is golden brown, and the apples are tender, it is done!

Flour: All-purpose flour thickens the apple filling and is the base of the topping.

Can I cut apples the night before for apple crisp? ›

I prefer slicing the apples the day I plan to bake the crisp as they start to oxidize once they're sliced and turn brown in color. Add a little extra fresh lemon juice to help prevent the apples from turning super brown. Prepare the entire apple crisp, cover well, and refrigerate the night before baking.

The lemon juice will keep the apples from turning brown. Set your prepared apple crisp aside on the counter until ready to bake. Put the apple crisp in the oven to bake just as you are serving dinner. And by the time dinner is over, this warm syrupy dessert will be ready.

Apple Crumble is synonymous with Apple Crisp in the U.K. and Australia, but in Canada and the U.S., it is a slightly different dish. Like an apple crisp, an apple crumble is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping. But unlike the crisp, the crumble topping rarely includes oats or nuts.

About 3/4 of an average sliced or cubed apple equates to a single cup. However, it really depends on the size of your apple and how you'll be cutting it.

As mellow as sweet apples come, Gala apples are known for their sweet, vanilla aroma and soft bite. Bittersweet and soft fleshed, the Red Delicious is a classic apple with mild crispiness. The Golden Delicious sits at the bottom of the crunch list with soft skin and mellow, yellow apple flavors.

Set on a baking tray and put in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden and the apples feel very soft when you insert a small, sharp knife. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Bake until the fruit juices are bubbling around the edges of the pan and the topping is firm to the touch, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the crumble. Let the crumble cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Not adding a thickener

Fruit is naturally watery, and when it bakes, that liquid cooks out and mixes with your sugar and spices to create a delicious sauce. However, you don't want your apple crisp weeping everywhere. Just toss in a little cornstarch or tapioca starch with your fruit before baking.