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Easy Homemade Caramel Apple Crisp with Oat Streusel

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This Perfect Caramel Apple Crisp with Oat Streusel Topping is the kind of recipe that becomes a staple. It’s simple enough for a Tuesday night but special enough for Thanksgiving dessert. The apples get soft and jammy, the caramel weaves through every layer, and that oat streusel stays perfectly crunchy on top.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 medium apples (about 2.5 pounds), peeled, cored, and sliced into ¼-inch thick pieces (recommend a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
  • ½ cup store-bought or homemade caramel sauce
  • Flaky sea salt for finishing (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Peel, core, and slice apples into ¼-inch thick pieces. Toss with granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces. Stir in nuts if using. Refrigerate streusel.
  4. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish. Spread apple mixture evenly in dish. Drizzle half of the caramel sauce over apples.
  5. Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over apples. Drizzle remaining caramel sauce over streusel.
  6. Place dish on a baking sheet. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until filling is bubbling and streusel is deep golden brown. If browning too quickly, tent with foil for last 10 minutes.
  7. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.

Notes

Don’t skip the flour in the apple mixture—it thickens the juices. Cold butter is essential for a crispy streusel. Let the crisp rest for 15 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set. For a gluten-free version, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour and certified gluten-free oats. For a dairy-free version, use vegan butter and dairy-free caramel sauce.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple crisp, caramel apple crisp, oat streusel, fall dessert, easy apple crisp, homemade apple crisp

Find it online: https://cookluma.com/easy-homemade-caramel-apple-crisp-with-oat-streusel/