Caramel Apple Crisp is an easy Fall dessert that tastes just like caramel apples! It is made with just 7 ingredients, and has a golden brown crisp topping and crust, sweet apples, and melted gooey caramel candy.
When the leaves are falling and things slow down. It's the time of year to make cozy dinners, sip hot cider drinks, and go apple picking with the whole family. Be sure to serve this apple dessert with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream...
Caramel Apple Crisp Recipe
For an easy, fast dessert this is the best apple crisp and great for all cooks at all levels! And the melted caramel twist adds that extra chewy sweetness. It's the best way to use up a few leftover apples before they are too ripe.
What is nice about this baked dessert is that it can be made ahead, is really good with several types of classic apple varieties. And the best part is you can put it together in 15 minutes with a 45-minute bake time. So in about an hour, you have the ultimate Fall dessert...
Caramel Apple Crisp Dessert Ingredients
- Honeycrisp apples
- candy caramels (unwrap each caramel, and cut in four pieces)
- oats
- all-purpose flour
- brown sugar (light or dark)
- cinnamon
- butter
- vanilla ice cream optional
Baking Instructions
Prepare The Caramels & Apples
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Next, unwrap the caramels, and cut each one into 4 small pieces. Set aside. Reserve ¼ cup of cut caramel pieces for the top of the crisp.
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3. Wash the apples. I really like Honeycrisp for this recipe. They have the right texture and sweetness. Next, I like to remove the seeds/core using a handled corer slicer or a good serrated knife.
Cut into ½" small pieces. Set aside in a medium bowl.
4. Squeeze on some lemon juice if you are not baking right away to keep them from browning.
Assemble The Crisp
5. Soften 2 cubes (1 cup) of butter in the microwave for 1 minute on low heat.
6. In a large bowl, mix the butter with dry ingredients. Add melted butter, cinnamon, oats, flour, and brown sugar. Combine mixture until crumbly using a spatula or a pastry blender until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
7. Spray a large 9 x 13 glass baking dish, 9 x 13-inch pan, or large cast iron skillet with non-stick spray.
8. Sprinkle 3 cups of the crumbled oat mixture into the bottom of the dish evenly, pressing with a measuring cup.
9. Next, layer ½ apples, and ½ caramel pieces, and sprinkle 2 more cups of the crumbled crisp mixture on top.
PRO TIP: You can prep this easy apple crisp ahead by a few hours or even overnight-just coat your apple pieces with lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap to chill in the fridge. Bring to room temperature for 1 hour, remove the wrap, and then bake!
10. Repeat the last layer with the other ½ apples and sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture on top and decorate with the rest of the caramel pieces on top of the apples.
Baking The Dessert
11. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container, and reheated in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
Variations
Lots of Caramel Sauce: There are a lot of recipes out there where you put dollops of gooey caramel sauce (or salted caramel sauce) on top. Heck, you can even make your own homemade caramel sauce and then give your crisp a caramel drizzle instead of using unwrapped caramel candies. Either works, but I love the little bits of chewy caramel in every bite!
Other Fruit Crisp Flavors: For a little different option of baked fruit dessert, try a peach crisp + candied ginger, or strawberries and rhubarb + a honey drizzle, or mixed berries + a buttery crumble topping!
What are the best apples for apple crisp?
One of the best things to do in the Fall is head out to your local apple orchard. Pick your own crisp kind of apple you love, and sip cider afterward... it's heaven!
Other good choices at your grocery store for the apple mixture for this recipe are both tart and sweet apples like Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Granny Smith Apples (green apples), Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, and Jonathan/Jonagold. These are all good firm varieties that will give you the best results and are great options.
Avoid baking with Red Delicious, Fuji, or Gala apples, they just don't hold up to the heat of cooking and baking.
It all comes down to the crust and topping. A crumble does not use oatmeal in the crust or topping!
Caramel Sauce is made with granulated white sugar + butter + heavy cream + sea salt
Butterscotch is made with brown sugar + melted butter
Dulce de leche is made with regular milk + granulated white sugar + baking soda
More Baking Apple Recipes
These are some of my favorite recipes for a delicious dessert to serve for a family dinner, a special occasion, or the holidays.
My family heirloom recipe for Apple Crumble Pie made with homemade Pie Filling, a "foolproof" crust, and a crumble topping makes this one scrumptious recipe. Some people also call this a Dutch or French Apple Pie, and it is one of America's favorite desserts.
An easy Apple Pie Filling using crisp fresh apples and warm spices that can be made ahead and is freezer-friendly. A Classic apple pie recipe is one of the most popular American recipes of all time. And there is nothing better in the Fall season, than baking your favorite dessert like a warm pie or apple turnovers with flaky crusts in the oven!
Bake a delicious traditional Apple Crisp with a sweet crust, caramelized filling apple mixture, and a streusel crumb topping. Top with vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of caramel sauce. Serve this easy dessert after a nice family dinner, and it is fancy enough for the holidays or other special occasions!
More Apple Appetizer Recipes
Salted Caramel Apple Dip has crisp green apples, salted caramel sauce, and crushed Health bars. A beloved recipe and pot-luck party hit for Thanksgiving, Halloween, and all through Autumn. As people dig in for another bite, they will ask you for this recipe...I promise.
If you like caramel apples, then you will love these Caramel Apple Brie Appetizers, a scrumptious combination of creamy brie, the crunch of macadamia nuts, and tart-sweet dried cranberries. It is addictive...
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Easy Caramel Apple Crisp Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 cups Honeycrisp apples 5 large or 6-7 small
- 11 ounces caramels unwrap each caramel, cut into four pieces or buy Caramel bits
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks, melted
- vanilla ice cream optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Unwrap caramels, and cut each one into 4 small pieces. Set aside.
- Wash apples, and remove seeds/core using an apple corer slicer or knife. Cut into ½" small pieces, place into a bowl, and squeeze some lemon juice on the pieces if you are not baking right away to keep them from browning. Set aside.
- Soften 2 cubes (1 cup) of butter in the microwave for 1 minute on low heat.
- In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Combine melted butter, cinnamon, oats, flour, and brown sugar. Combine mixture until crumbly using a spatula or a pastry blender until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Spray a large 9 x 13 glass baking dish, pan or large deep cast iron skillet with non-stick spray.
- Sprinkle 3 cups of the crumble mixture into the bottom of the dish evenly. Press the crust flat with a measuring cup to the edges.
- Next, layer ½ apples, and ½ cut pieces of caramels, and sprinkle 3 more cups of the crumbled crisp mixture on top.
- Repeat the last layer with the other ½ apples, sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture on top. Decorate with the rest of the caramel pieces on top of the apples.
- Bake 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
- Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
My absolute favorite combination of Granny Smith and honey crisp apples. What a unique way to make apple crisp! Such amazing flavors and simple to make. Though, I personally prefer apples peeled, so I peeled them.
This is the best I’ve ever made! A keeper for sure!
Hey, thanks so much Lisa! It's fun to bring this one back...so glad readers love it!
This looks so delicious! The caramel! What an easy add to make this dessert even more decadent!
Those chewy caramels are so scrumptious on top!