Warm Skillet Apple Crisp with Buttery Oat Topping

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A one-dish apple crisp built the way good restaurant versions are: a deliberate two-apple mix so some slices hold their shape while others melt into sauce, a cornstarch toss that turns the juices into glossy caramel instead of a watery puddle, and a thick oat-brown-sugar topping baked until it crackles. Serve it hot from the skillet with vanilla ice cream melting into the cracks.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb Granny Smith apples (about 3 large), peeled, cored, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1.5 lb Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious apples (about 3 large), peeled, cored, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

• 1 pint vanilla ice cream
• flaky sea salt, for finishing (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center. Set a rimmed baking sheet on the rack below to catch drips. Butter a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9x9-inch baking dish.
2. Make the topping first so it can chill: in a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp salt. Add the 1/2 cup cold cubed butter and rub it into the dry mix with your fingertips for 2–3 minutes, until you have damp, gravelly clumps ranging from pea-size to almond-size — stop while some butter pieces are still visible. Stir in the nuts if using, then refrigerate.
3. Peel, quarter and core the apples, then cut them into slices a generous 1/2 inch thick. Thick slices are the point: thin ones collapse into applesauce. Use both varieties — the Granny Smiths stay in distinct tart pieces while the Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious break down and thicken the sauce.
4. In a large bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk the 1/2 cup brown sugar, cornstarch, 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/4 tsp salt until no cornstarch lumps remain, then sprinkle it over the apples and toss thoroughly for a full minute so every slice is coated. Whisking the cornstarch with the sugar first is what keeps the finished filling glossy instead of gluey or thin.
5. Let the apples sit 10 minutes, tossing once. They'll release juice that dissolves the sugar and hydrates the cornstarch — pour every drop of that syrup into the pan with the fruit.
6. Pile the apples and syrup into the prepared skillet, pressing them into an even, snug layer (they should mound above the rim; they'll sink as they bake). Dot the surface with the 2 tbsp cubed butter.
7. Squeeze the chilled topping into large clumps with your hand, then scatter it over the apples in an even blanket, all the way to the edges. Leave the clumps intact — don't pat it smooth.
8. Bake 50–60 minutes, until the topping is deep golden brown and the juices bubble thickly up around the edges rather than running thin. If the topping browns before the fruit is bubbling, tent loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes. A paring knife should slide into an apple slice with no resistance.
9. Rest the crisp on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes — this is when the cornstarch sets and the filling goes from soupy to spoonable. Serve warm, in bowls, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a few flakes of sea salt over the top.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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