Skillet Apple Crisp

The topping crunches on the first bite and underneath is nothing but soft, spiced apples in buttery sauce. This Skillet Apple Crisp is one of those desserts that makes the whole house smell like fall. Cast iron is the right tool because it holds steady heat from edge to center, so the oat topping crisps evenly while the apples cook down into something close to pie filling. Ready in under an hour with simple pantry ingredients, this is a dessert the whole family will love.

If you enjoy cast iron desserts, you will also love my Cast Iron Cinnamon Apples and my Dutch Oven Apple Cake.

Why You'll Love Skillet Apple Crisp

• Cast Iron Gets the Topping Right: Even heat means the oat topping crisps up golden from center to edge. No soggy middle, no burnt edges.
• Two Apple Varieties for the Best Flavor: Granny Smith brings tartness and Honeycrisp brings sweetness. Together they taste like apple pie without the crust.
• Ready in Under an Hour: 15 minutes of prep and 40 minutes in the oven. Perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute company.
• Works Indoors or Over a Campfire: Includes camp oven instructions so you can make it at home or outside over charcoal.

What Is Apple Crisp?

Apple crisp is a classic American dessert -- sliced apples tossed with warm spices and sugar, baked under a crumbly oat topping with brown sugar and butter. The difference between crisp and crumble comes down to the oats. A crisp uses oats for that signature crunch. A crumble skips them and goes with a flour-based streusel.

Why cast iron? Because it distributes heat evenly, so the topping browns uniformly and every apple slice cooks at the same rate. Cast iron also holds that heat -- your apple crisp stays warm on the table while everyone goes back for seconds.

Skillet Apple Crisp Ingredients

• Apples: Four Granny Smiths and four Honeycrisps. Granny Smiths hold their shape and bring tartness. Honeycrisps are juicy and sweet, breaking down just enough to create that saucy base. Pink Lady, Fuji, and Gala are solid swaps.
• Oats: Old fashioned rolled oats are the backbone of the topping. Don't use instant -- they'll turn to mush.
• Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar adds a deeper molasses flavor to the topping. Light brown works but tastes milder. Granulated white sugar goes into the filling.
• Butter: Half a cup melted into the topping. For extra buttery crisp, slice a few pats of cold butter on top before it goes in the oven.
• Spices: Apple pie spice does the heavy lifting -- cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in one blend. Pumpkin pie spice works as a swap if that's what you have on hand.
• Flour: A tablespoon in the filling thickens the juices. The topping uses ¾ cup for structure.

See the recipe card below for exact amounts and full instructions.

Apple Crisp Variations

• Camp Oven Apple Crisp: Take this one outdoors. Same filling and topping, baked in a camp Dutch oven with 12 coals underneath and more on the lid. Check after 40 minutes with a lid lifter. Full camp oven instructions are in the recipe card.
• Caramel Apple Crisp: Drizzle ¼ cup of caramel sauce over the apples before adding the topping, then another drizzle after baking. Ridiculously good with vanilla ice cream.
• Berry-Apple Crisp: Replace two Honeycrisp apples with 2 cups of blueberries or blackberries. The berries add a tart pop that plays off the sweet topping. Try my Red, White, and Blue Berry Cobbler if you love that combination.
• Peach-Apple Crisp: Swap half the apples for sliced peaches (fresh or canned, drained). Great in summer when peaches are in season.
• Healthier Apple Crisp: Cut the sugar by a third, swap butter for coconut oil, and add 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed to the topping.

How to make Skillet Apple Crisp

1. Step 1: Prep the Apples. Preheat the oven to 350F. Core, peel, and slice all 8 apples into bite-size pieces. A peeler-corer tool makes quick work of this. Lemon juice keeps them from browning if you're working by hand.

2. Step 2: Season and Fill the Skillet. Toss the apples with granulated sugar, apple pie spice, flour, and salt. Press the coated apples into the cast iron skillet, smoothing them out as evenly as possible. Pack them in tight -- loose apples mean an uneven bake.

3. Step 3: Mix the Dry Topping. In a separate bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

4. Step 4: Add the Butter. Pour the melted butter over the dry mixture and stir until everything is moistened and crumbly. If you prefer a chunkier topping, use a pastry cutter to work in cold butter instead.

5. Step 5: Assemble and Bake. Spoon the topping over the apples, filling every nook and cranny. For extra butter, lay a few pats on top. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling around the edges.

6. Step 6: Rest and Serve. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then serve straight from the skillet with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Expert Tips for the Best Apple Crisp

• Mix your apple varieties. All Granny Smith is too tart. All Honeycrisp is too soft. The mix gives you the best balance.
• Don't skip the flour in the filling. That tablespoon thickens the juices so you get a saucy, not soupy, base.
• Press the apples down firmly. Loose apples create air pockets where the topping sinks in and gets soggy.
• Watch for the bubble. It's done when apple juices bubble up around the edges. If the top browns first, tent with foil for the last 10 minutes.

What to Serve with Apple Crisp

• Classic: Vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. This is the way.
• Fall Dessert Spread: Pair with hot apple cider. If you enjoy fall desserts, you will also love my Caramel Apple Dump Cake and Dutch Oven Apple Cake.
• Thanksgiving: Make the day before and reheat at 350F for 15 minutes. The topping re-crisps in the oven. Check out my Thanksgiving recipes for the full spread.

Recipe FAQs

Other Related Cast Iron Dessert Recipes

Looking for more seasonal recipes? Browse our complete collection of comforting fall favorite cast iron recipes.

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5 from 19 votes

Skillet Apple Crisp

This Skillet Apple Crisp is baked in a cast iron skillet with a crunchy oat topping over spiced Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples. Ready in under an hour and perfect for fall, Thanksgiving, or any night you want a warm dessert the whole family will love.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 428kcal

Author: Ned Adams

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• ▢
  12" Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

Filling

• ▢ 4 Granny Smith apples
• ▢ 4 Honey Crisp apples
• ▢ ½ cup sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

Topping

• ▢ 1 ½ cups oats old fashion rolled oats
• ▢ ¾ cup flour
• ▢ ¾ cup brown sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ½ cup butter unsalted, melted

US Standard - Metric

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Instructions

Indoor Oven

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Core, peel, and slice apples into bite size pieces. Using an apple-core-peeler tool will make quick work of this process, then slice the rings into quarters and place them in a large bowl.
• Toss the apples with the salt, apple pie spice blend, a tablespoon of flour, and granulated white sugar.
• Once the apples have been coated press them into a cast iron skillet, smoothing it out as much as possible.
• Add brown sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a medium bowl and mix it all together.
• Slowly pour the melted butter and moisten the oat mixture. Alternatively, using a pastry cutter, a solid stick of butter can be incorporated into the oat mixture.
• Spoon the buttery oats over the apples in the skillet, filling any nooks and crannies. If an extra buttery crisp is desired, place slices of butter all over the top of the crisp.
• Bake the apple crisp uncovered for 40 minutes or until topping has browned and apples have soften. The cooking time may take less time or longer depending on how thick or thin the apple slices were cut.
• Once baked, remove from the oven and serve immediately, as it is best served warm.

Outdoor Camp Oven

• Heat coals in a charcoal chimney. Once hot, place 12 coals on bottom (camp table, fire pit, etc).
• Nestle camp oven on top of the coals.
• Apple crisp directions (see above.)
• Cover with the camp oven lid.Place heated coals over the entire lid.
• Check for doneness by using a lid lifter, if not done, cook up to an additional 15 minutes.
• When done, remove from coals and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.

Notes

• Use a mix of tart and sweet apples for the best flavor. All one variety makes the filling one-dimensional.
• Old fashioned rolled oats are required. Instant oats will make the topping mushy.
• Dark brown sugar gives a deeper molasses flavor; light brown sugar works but is milder.
• Pumpkin pie spice can be substituted for apple pie spice.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Reheat at 350F for 15 minutes to re-crisp the topping.
• Use a trivet or hot pad when serving. The cast iron skillet will be extremely hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 297mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 454IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg

Dutch Oven Daddy is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

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