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Apple Crisp Baked Apples

Apple crisp baked apples are filled with a buttery cinnamon-caramel cavity and topped with a golden oat crumble. Bake until the apple centers are tender and the crumble turns crisp, then serve warm with melting vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apples
  • 6 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Braeburn) Choose firm apples that hold shape while baking.
Crisp filling and topping
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp cinnamon Use for crisp and also for the apple cavity filling.
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.33 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed Keep cold for clumpy crumble.
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar (for apple cavities)
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon (for apple cavities)
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces (for apple cavities)
  • 0.25 cup apple cider or water (for baking dish)
  • 0.5 vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for serving Serve warm with apples.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prepare the baking dish
  1. Preheat oven to 375F, and pour apple cider or water into the bottom of a baking dish so it creates baking moisture. You should see a thin layer of liquid pooling in the dish.
Core and fill the apple cavities
  1. Core apples from the top, leaving the bottom intact, to create a cavity about 1-1/2 inches wide. The apple should still have a solid base so the filling stays inside.
  2. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon for the cavity filling, then place a pinch into each apple followed by a piece of butter. The cavities should look partially filled and buttery after this step.
Make the oat crumble
  1. In a bowl, combine rolled oats, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir until evenly speckled before adding butter.
  2. Cut cold butter into the oat mixture until clumpy, using fingertips or a pastry cutter. The crumble should hold together in small clusters rather than becoming smooth.
Assemble and bake
  1. Pack crumble into and over the top of each apple, building a generous mound. The tops should be well-covered so they bake up golden.
  2. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 375F until the apples are tender and the crumble is golden. Look for bubbling juices at the edges and crisp, browned oat clusters.
Serve
  1. Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. The ice cream should melt slightly onto the warm apples.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the butter cold for a clumpier oat crumble that bakes up crisp; if it feels greasy, chill the crumble 10 minutes before topping. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through (5-10 minutes). Freezing is not recommended for best oat-crisp texture. For a dairy-light swap, use plant-based butter sticks for both the crumble and cavity pieces and serve with dairy-free vanilla ice cream.