*This post contains affiliate links and may earn commissions on recommended products. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

How to make a classic apple crisp even better? Drape the apples in a rich caramel sauce! The fall staple gets a sweet upgrade.

Two white bowls of apple crisp topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce sit on a gray surface next to a spoon and a striped cloth.

Want to save this recipe for later?

We'll email a link to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus, we'll send new recipes to your inbox weekly.

I had braces for a long time as a kid, and so even though I love the flavor of caramel apples, I’ve never recovered from the hassle of eating them.

Fortunately I get my caramel apple cravings taken care of in caramel apple muffins and now in this sweet and buttery caramel apple crisp. Crisp topping and a sweet, gooey apple mixture? Sign me up!

This is a great dessert to make for when the whole family is home. You might even want to swap out your holiday apple pie for crisp this year!

Key ingredients for apple crisp

This is just an overview. For full measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card, or use the button on the side.

jump to recipe

A flat lay of ingredients for baking: rolled oats, apples, pecans, cream, flour, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter, each labeled.

Because the crisp is a bit sweeter thanks to the caramel sauce, I recommend using apples that are on the more tart side. There are so many apple varieties to choose from it’s hard to pick one, but Pink Lady is a good option you can find easily. My favorite right now for baking is Enterprise!

The crisp topping features pecans, which are wonderful alongside apples. If you like, you can swap in walnuts for a milder flavor.

Make sure you’re using rolled oats, which are also labeled as “old fashioned oats,” rather than quick oats. As with any crisp recipe, you want that toothsome crunch in each bite, and quick oats are too chopped for them to work properly here.

Try apple pie spice in place of the cinnamon and nutmeg for more nuanced flavor.

A baking pan with fruit crisp and a wooden spatula, next to two bowls of crisp topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce, a spoon, and a striped cloth.

How to make this recipe

Peel, core, and slice your apples. If you have an all-in-one apple peeler ^* this will go quickly. I don’t worry too much about the apple slices browning from oxidation since we’ll be baking them, but you can put them in a bowl filled with 4 cups of water and 1/4 cup lemon juice to help prevent it.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly butter a 9×13-inch baking pan ^*.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir in brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Cook for a few minutes while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once smooth, whisk in the flour and cook for just 1 minute, until the sauce is thickened.

A white mixing bowl filled with sliced apples sits on a blue countertop next to metal measuring spoons and a dark striped cloth.

A saucepan filled with brown sauce sits on a blue-gray countertop, surrounded by a whisk, measuring spoons, and a striped cloth.

If you’ve soaked the apples, drain them and return to a large mixing bowl ^*. Pour the sauce over the apples, stirring to coat all of the slices. Scoop into the prepared baking pan.

Make the topping by stirring together the oats, flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl. Pour on the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture forms clusters.

Sprinkle the oat topping evenly over the apples and slide the baking dish into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apple juices are bubbly around the edges.

Rectangular baking dish filled with sliced apples coated in a light brown mixture, set on a green countertop next to a blue-striped cloth and metal measuring spoons.

White bowl with oat crumble mixture and a spatula on a green countertop, with measuring spoons and a striped cloth nearby.

Want to make the optional caramel sauce? Mix it up while the crisp is baking: Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook without stirring until the sugar dissolves and the syrup becomes amber brown. This will take 7-9 minutes. You may need to swirl the pan a little to encourage even browning, but resist the urge to whisk!

Once browned, remove from heat and whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time. Be careful! The sauce will bubble and you don’t want burns!

After incorporating the butter, pour in the cream while whisking until the sauce is smooth. If the caramel starts to seize, set the pan on low heat and whisk to smooth again.

Whisk in the vanilla and salt and let cool for 5-10 minutes before using.

Let the baked crisp cool for about 10 minutes to let the juices settle, then serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce drizzled over the top!

Rectangular baking dish filled with a golden-brown oat crumble sits on a green countertop next to a black-striped cloth and three nested measuring spoons.

Recipe tips

If you decide to omit the nuts from the oat crumble, make sure you add in at least half the amount of more rolled oats. This will help ensure your topping clumps properly without being too wet. You can always add a little more melted butter if the topping is too dry: it should form clusters easily without loose bits.

The caramel sauce will make the crisp a bit stickier, so make sure you grease the baking dish. Unlike with cakes, I don’t recommend parchment paper ^* here.

Cover and refrigerate any leftovers, and eat in 3-4 days. The crisp oat topping will become slightly less crunchy in fridge, but it will be no less delicious!

Have an extra apple remaining? Make my easy apple squares too.

Try this recipe using pears, or a mix of apple and pear!

A bowl of apple crisp topped with a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream, with a spoon resting inside the bowl.

You’re definitely going to want to make apple crisp after hitting the orchard. This recipe is sure to be your new favorite fall dessert!

Caramel Apple Crisp

This classic crisp gets an upgrade with a blanket of sweet caramel coating.

Author : Megan Myers

No ratings yet

Print Pin Recipe Review

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Calories per serving 505 kcal

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

For the filling:

8 cups cored, and sliced apples, about 6 medium apples
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the topping:

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the optional caramel sauce:

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Add the apples to a large bowl. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for approximately 1 minute, until slightly thickened.
8 cups cored, and sliced apples, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract ^*, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ^*, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ^*
Pour the caramel mixture over the apples and toss until evenly coated. Transfer the apples to the prepared baking dish and spread them into an even layer.
To make the topping, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture forms moist, crumbly clusters.
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the apples are tender and bubbling around the edges and the topping is golden brown.
While the crisp is baking, prepare the caramel sauce: Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup turns a deep amber color, about 7-9 minutes. Swirl the pan occasionally if needed to encourage even browning.
1 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup water
Remove the pan from the heat and carefully whisk in the butter, a few pieces at a time. Be careful; the mixture will bubble vigorously.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Slowly whisk in the warm heavy cream until smooth. If the caramel seizes slightly, return the saucepan to low heat and whisk until smooth.
1/2 cup heavy cream
Stir in the vanilla and salt. Let the caramel sauce cool for 5-10 minutes.
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Once the apple crisp has finished baking, let it cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and drizzled with caramel sauce.

Want to save this recipe for later?

We’ll email a link to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus, we’ll send new recipes to your inbox weekly.

Nutrition

Calories: 505 kcalCarbohydrates: 66 gProtein: 3 gFat: 27 gSaturated Fat: 15 gCholesterol: 62 mgSodium: 248 mgPotassium: 209 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 52 gIron: 1 mg

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.

Tried this recipe?Please leave a rating and comment below!