Assembled in a skillet in just 15 minutes, this apple pecan crisp is reminiscent of apple pie, minus the hassle of crimping all those edges! The buttery streusel topping is studded with toasted pecans and flavored with plenty of cinnamon. Making apple crisp in a skillet is so easy to throw together for a low-fuss dessert any time of year!
“Made this for dessert after the apple cider pork from your recipes. Delicious! Serve[d] with some good vanilla ice cream. Loved this! Easy and flavorful!” – Elizabeth (So Much Food reader)
Table of contents
Why Make Apple Crisp in a Skillet?
If you’ve only made apple crisp in a glass baking dish up until this point, you might be wondering what the big fuss is when it comes to baking in a cast iron skillet.
It’s the caramelization factor, my friends! Metal conducts heat better than glass, so the apple filling cooks more evenly and the edges turn slightly gooey and caramel-y.
The topping traps the steam rising from the apples, keeping the filling super moist while the oats and pecans crisp up — true to this dessert’s name.
This apple pecan crisp is so much faster and easier to make than a traditional apple pie, but it boasts many of the same flavors and textures. Consider serving this as your Thanksgiving dessert this year to save yourself some time!
The Main Ingredients You’ll Need
Jenny’s Tip: Using the correct amount of sugar in the pecan topping makes it nice and crispy, so don’t cut down on the sugar!
- Apples. Choose an apple that will still have texture after cooking, so skip the Red and Golden Delicious. Opt for Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp depending on your preferences (or a mix of several varieties).
- Cornstarch. The secret ingredient that helps thicken the apple filling without making it gluey or gummy like flour tends to do.
- Sugar. Brown sugar goes into the apple filling and a mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar goes into the topping. Brown sugar has a rich, caramel-like flavor, so don’t skip it!
- Flour. The flour helps bulk up the pecan crisp topping. You could use oat flour to make this gluten-free.
- Oats. Opt for old-fashioned oats vs instant (too powdery) or steel-cut (too chewy).
- Cinnamon. I love adding a little cinnamon to the filling, it really makes the apples taste great.
- Butter. Butter helps the topping hold together and get crispy!
- Nuts. I love adding pecans to the crisp topping, but you can totally omit them or swap in walnuts or almonds.
Helpful Cooking Tools
How to Make Skillet Apple Crisp with a Pecan Topping
Jenny’s Tip: I love using apples in the fall, but you can swap in your favorite fruits, including strawberries, cherries, stone fruits, and pears.
- Make the pecan topping. I always make my streusel topping first and then refrigerate it while I get my filling together. The melted butter solidifies and helps the crisp clump together. This way your topping doesn’t over-bake before your filling cooks!
- Make the apple filling. My trick to ensuring the apple slices get evenly coated in the sugars and spices is to first whisk together the dry ingredients, then toss with the apples before adding the wet ingredients.
- Bring it all together. Add the filling to the cast iron skillet, then sprinkle generously with the pecan crisp topping. For the absolute best skillet apple crisp, you want to bake it uncovered until the filling is bubbling and the top is crispy and golden brown.
Don’t Have a Cast Iron Skillet? That’s Okay!
You can also make this apple pecan crisp in a regular 9×13-inch baking dish, but you might need to increase the bake time slightly since glass / Pyrex doesn’t conduct heat as well as cast iron. Otherwise the recipe will remain exactly the same.
If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Apple Desserts to Make This Fall
- Apple Pear Crisp
- Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake
- Puff Pastry Apple Strudel
- Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Apple Crumb Cake
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Skillet Apple Pecan Crisp Recipe
Ingredients
Oat Pecan Topping
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick, (4 oz) unsalted butter, melted
Apple Filling
- 2 1/2 lbs apples, about 5-6, peeled and cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- To make the topping: In a medium mixing bowl combine oats, flour, sugar, pecans, cinnamon and salt. Toss until well combined. Add the melted butter and toss until well distributed and clumpy. Refrigerate for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- To make the filling: In a small bowl, whisk together both sugars and the cornstarch until well combined. Place the apple wedges in a large mixing bowl and toss with the sugar/cornstarch mixture. Add the vanilla, cream and melted butter and toss until everything is well mixed.
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer apples to a skillet large enough to hold the filling and topping. Remove the topping from the fridge and evenly distribute over the top of the apples. Put the skillet in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
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Made this for dessert after the applecider pork from your recipes. Delicious! Serve with some good vanilla ice cream. Loved this! Easy and flavorful!