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Healthy-ish Brown Butter Apple Crisp with Oat Crumble

healthy-ish brown butter apple crisp - featured image
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This healthy-ish apple crisp features brown butter for a nutty depth and a generous oat crumble topping. It’s a quick, easy dessert that converts even the biggest apple crisp skeptics.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (about 5–6 cups)
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Brown the butter: Place 1/2 cup unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt completely, then swirl occasionally until it foams, subsides, and brown specks appear (about 5-7 minutes). Pour into a heatproof bowl to stop cooking and let cool slightly.
  3. Prep the apples: Peel, core, and slice apples about 1/4-inch thick. Place in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Make the filling: To the apples, add maple syrup, brown sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Toss until evenly coated. Let sit while making the topping.
  5. Make the oat crumble: In a medium mixing bowl, combine rolled oats, flour, chopped pecans (if using), brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the slightly cooled brown butter over the dry ingredients and stir until evenly moistened and clumpy.
  6. Assemble the crisp: Pour apple mixture into a greased 9×9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle oat crumble evenly over the top without pressing down.
  7. Bake: Place dish on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, until topping is golden brown and apple juices bubble around the edges. If browning too quickly, tent with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  8. Cool: Let crisp cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Don’t skip the brown butter—it adds irreplaceable nutty flavor. Use a mix of apple varieties (like Honeycrisp and Granny Smith) for best texture and flavor. Let apples macerate for 10 minutes after tossing with sugar and spices. Bake on a sheet pan to catch drips. Cool completely before refrigerating to avoid soggy topping.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple crisp, brown butter, oat crumble, healthy-ish, fall dessert, easy apple crisp

Find it online: https://piperplate.com/healthy-ish-brown-butter-apple-crisp-with-oat-crumble/