How to Make a Healthy, Simple, and Delicious Skillet Apple Crisp

This recipe for Apple Crisp is healthy and delicious. It starts with slightly sweetened cinnamon-spiced apples for the base and is topped with a lightened streusel. Your family will love this cozy fall dessert!

When the first chilly days of Fall arrive and apple season is in full swing, I love to make an apple crisp. Over the years, I have tried different apple crisp recipes, but this is my favorite. It is a delicious, cozy dessert that makes the house smell wonderful!

Apple crisp is the perfect ending to almost any meal. Try it with Austrian Beef Goulash, Fast Roasted Chicken, or Italian Meat Sauce on Roasted Spaghetti Squash!

Why is this recipe healthy?

• It is made with whole grain oats and whole wheat flour; both are excellent sources of fiber.
• There is less sugar in it than in many apple crisp recipes.
• The amount of butter is minimal to lower the amount of fat.
• Nuts are a great source of protein, fiber, and healthy fat.

If you are in a decadent mood, top the warm crisp with vanilla or dulce de leche (my favorite) ice cream.  Whipped heavy cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce would also be a tasty topping.  However, it is delicious without a topping. I hope you like it as much as we do!

Why make an apple crisp?

1. Apple crisps are easier to make than a pie or crostata. No crust to make or roll out! Yay!
2. You use everyday ingredients that you probably already have at home.
3. Because the apple crisp is made with a minimal amount of butter and increased whole grains, it is healthier than apple pie.

What is the difference between an apple cobbler, crisp, and crumble?

A cobbler is made with a biscuit or cake batter baked on top of the fruit filling. A crisp and crumble are both streusel toppings; however, a crisp contains oats, whereas a crumble does not. All three are delicious and popular desserts to make in the fall.

Ingredients

• Apples-Choose sweet and tart apples that hold up during cooking. Read below for tips on the best variety of apples to use in a crisp.
• Brown Sugar-The molasses in the brown sugar adds a layer of flavor to the crisp. In a pinch, substitute white sugar with ½ teaspoon molasses.
• Orange juice-Prevents the apples from browning.
• Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats-These oats are thicker, have a better streusel texture, and hold their shape better. Quick oats are thinner, so the streusel topping will not be as crispy.
• Whole Wheat Flour-The flour and juice from the apples thicken, creating a delicious syrup that coats the apples.
• Walnuts-Nuts add a nice crunch and flavor to the streusel topping. If you do not have walnuts, pecans will work. Be sure not to chop them too fine.
• Unsalted Butter-Fat adds richness and flavor. Melted butter also allows the topping to come together easier.
• Ground Cinnamon-This spice adds terrific flavor to the crisp and aroma in your house while it is baking. Apples and cinnamon just together!
• Kosher salt for flavor.

Instructions

Combine apples, orange juice, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of whole wheat flour, and cinnamon. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to allow the juices to form.

Combine oats, whole wheat flour, nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

Add melted butter to the streusel mixture. Stir to combine.

Cube 1 tablespoon butter and place it in the bottom of the cast-iron or oven-proof skillet.

Top the butter with the apple mixture.

Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the apples.

Bake in a 350° F oven for 30-40 minutes or until lightly brown on top and the apple juices are bubbly.

Top with your favorite ice cream, and enjoy! My personal favorites are homemade vanilla or salted caramel ice cream.

What are the best apples to use?

Granny Smith and Honey Crisp are two popular apple varieties for apple crisps. These varieties have a sweet-tart flavor and crisp texture and hold up well during baking. Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Jonagold, Pink Lady, and McIntosh are other apples that work well in a crisp. You can use one variety or mix them for added depth of flavor. My personal favorite is to use Honey Crisp and Jonagold apples.

Most importantly, the apples you use need to hold up to cooking so they do not become mushy. Also, they need a balance of sweet and tart flavors.

Pro Tips for the Best Apple Crisp

• Cooking apples yield the best texture.
• Apples that are sweet and tart in flavor are the best apples to use in crisps.
• Slice the apples into even thin slices or the same chunks so they can cook uniformly.
• The apples should be at room temperature so they bake at the same rate as the topping. Otherwise, the topping may brown too quickly, and the apples may be undercooked.
• First, combine the filling ingredients (apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and orange juice) and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. Resting allows the sugar to pull some of the liquid from the apples creating a syrup that will thicken during baking resulting in tender glaze-coated apples.

Frequently Asked Questions

Variations

Healthy Apple Crisp is delicious using only apples. However, if you are looking for other tasty variations, try one or combine any of the following.

• Add ¼ cup of dried cranberries or raisins to the apple mixture.
• Try substituting Bosc or Anjou pears for half the apples to create an apple-pear crisp. The flavor combination is perfect.
• Add ½ cup rough chopped walnuts or pecans to the apples for added crunch.

Leftover Apple Crisp

Store leftover crisp at room temperature for one day or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Warm individual portions of crisp in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. For more portions, warm the crisp covered in a 350° F oven for 10-15 minutes.

I hope you try this recipe! Please rate it and comment below. I love hearing from you! ❤️

📋 Recipe

How to Make a Healthy, Simple, and Delicious Skillet Apple Crisp

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review

• Author: Gitta Grether-Sweeney
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 4 people 1x

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Description

This Healthy Apple Crisp recipe made with whole-grain flour and oats, less sugar, and butter is the perfect Fall dessert.   If you want to indulge, top it with a scoop of ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce. 

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Filling

• 4 cups apples (3-4 medium apples), peeled (or unpeeled), cored, and sliced ½ inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar or maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, diced into ¼ inch cubes

Topping

• ¼ cup light or dark brown sugar
• ⅓ cup whole wheat flour
• ⅓ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick or instant)
• ⅓ cup roughly chopped walnuts
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees.

Make the Filling

1. In a medium bowl, combine apples, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour, and orange juice.
2. Stir to coat apples evenly.  Set aside for 5 minutes while making the topping.  

Make the Topping

1. In a medium bowl, place ¼ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup whole wheat flour, oats, nuts, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir until combined.
2. Add the melted butter and stir the mixture until the ingredients are moistened.  You should not see any dry ingredients. 

Assemble the Apple Crisp

1. Distribute 1 tablespoon of diced butter in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet, 8-inch oven-proof skillet, or 8-inch baking pan.
2. Distribute the apple filling evenly on top of the butter. 
3. Distribute the topping evenly over the apples.  
4. Place pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is slightly brown and the filling is bubbling.  
5. Let the crisp cool slightly. 
6. If you wish, top the crisp with a scoop of vanilla or dulce de leche ice cream,  whipped topping, frozen yogurt, plain greek yogurt, or drizzle with caramel sauce.   The apple crisp is also delicious without it.

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Notes

1.   Cooking apples yield the best texture.
2.   Apples that are sweet and tart in flavor are best for a crisp.
3.   Slice the apples into thin slices so they can cook evenly.
4.   The apples should be at room temperature, so they bake at the same rate as the topping. Otherwise, the topping may brown too quickly, and the apples are undercooked.
5.   Combine the filling ingredients (apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and orange juice) first and let them rest 5-10 minutes. Resting allows the sugar to pull some of the liquid from the apples creating a syrup that will thicken during baking resulting in tender glaze-coated apples.

* Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutrition

• Serving Size: Serving
• Calories: 394
• Sugar: 34.8 g
• Sodium: 8.1 mg
• Fat: 18.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 56.4 g
• Protein: 4.7 g
• Cholesterol: 30.5 mg

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