Apple Crisp w/ Oat and Pecan Crumble
Chef Nico’s apple crisp pairs cinnamon-spiced apples with a buttery oat crumble and chopped pecans. The filling stays tender while the loose, cold-butter topping bakes into golden clumps. It serves eight from a single baking dish, making it an easy dessert to portion at a fall dinner or holiday gathering.
Apple Crisp with Oat and Pecan Crumble
Warm cinnamon-spiced apples under a buttery oat and pecan crumble.
- Total Time1 hour 30 minutes, including 15 minutes resting
- Yield8 dessert portions 1x
Ingredients
- 3 lb baking apples, peeled and sliced (see notes)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (for filling)
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (for filling)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (for filling)
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt (for filling)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (for topping)
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (for topping)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (for topping)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (for topping)
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream, to serve
Instructions
- Prep the apples: Peel, core, and slice apples into even 1/2-inch pieces. Toss with filling brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla. Let sit 10 minutes while making the topping.
- Make the crumble: Combine oats, topping flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Work in cold butter with fingertips until pea-sized and small pebble-sized clumps form. Fold in pecans. Chill until ready to bake.
- Assemble: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread filling evenly, including its juices. Scatter crumble over apples without pressing it down.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 45–50 minutes, until topping is deep golden and juices bubble thickly at edges. Tent with foil if topping browns before apples soften.
- Rest and serve: Rest 15 minutes so juices thicken and filling sets. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Use firm baking apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn; mix tart and sweet varieties. Slice apples 1/2 inch thick. Use a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; for larger batches use additional dishes of the same size. Keep butter cold and leave topping loose. Rest 15 minutes before serving.
Use oven mitts; hot fruit filling holds heat. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and use within four days. Reheat until steaming hot. Contains dairy, wheat, and pecans. Omitting nuts alone does not address cross-contact for guests with allergies.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Desserts
Chef Nico's Tips
Choose firm baking apples. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Braeburn hold their shape better than softer varieties.
Mix tart and sweet. A blend adds more depth than a single variety.
Keep the butter cold. Cold butter creates the clumps that bake into a crisp topping.
Leave the topping loose. Pressing it down limits air circulation and encourages steaming.
Let the filling settle. The 15-minute rest helps the juices thicken before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm after the full 15-minute rest, with vanilla ice cream on the side. For a dessert buffet, use small bowls and let guests add their own scoop. A tart-and-sweet apple blend brings balance to a menu that includes rich mains and creamy sides.
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