I Just Found My New Go-to Apple Crisp Recipe (It’s Ridiculously Good)

When it comes to baked goods, I trust the baking ingredient purveyor King Arthur Baking Company’s website and cookbooks to provide a solid recipe that will deliver great results. So I naturally turned to them in my quest to find the best apple crisp recipe. Because apple crisp is typically a pretty simple dessert to make, I was surprised by the relatively long ingredient list for King Arthur’s classic apple crisp recipe.

Upon further inspection I saw that a few of the more unique ingredients were listed as optional, but in the pursuit of finding the best crisp recipe out there, I wanted to include all the bells and whistles. Does a splash of rum come through once the crisp is baked? Is it worth making homemade boiled cider for a mere two tablespoons to be included in the recipe? Is baking powder really necessary in the topping? I had to find out. 

Get the recipe: King Arthur Baking Company’s Classic Apple Crisp

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter a 9×9-inch square baking dish. Peel, core, and slice the apples and transfer to a bowl. Add the apple juice, cider, or rum; brown sugar; melted butter; boiled cider (if using); apple pie spice; flour; and salt and stir to combine. Transfer the apple mixture to the baking dish and smooth in an even layer.

In a separate bowl, add the flour, oats, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder and stir to combine. Add the butter and use your hands to combine until crumbly. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread the topping in an even layer over the filling. Bake until bubbling with a golden-brown topping, about 1 hour. 

When I think about what I want from an apple crisp in terms of texture, flavor, and aesthetics, King Arthur’s recipe delivers on all fronts. I’ve had a lot of success with King Arthur recipes over the years. They’re well-tested, thoughtful, and generally easy to put together. This recipe is no different. The optional ingredients, such as liquor (I used Apple Jack) and nuts, are well worth adding. (I opted not to include the boiled cider, which didn’t seem worth making or buying for just two tablespoons, but if you have it on hand, give it a try.) There was an incredible depth of flavor throughout the filling, and the topping had just the right amount of crunch. This crisp tasted classic enough that you could serve it to Grandma and she’d be thrilled, but interesting enough to make at a dinner party for your friends. It’s truly the best apple crisp recipe I’ve ever made or had. I’ve made it three times since testing it and every single person I’ve served it to has asked for the recipe.

1. Adjust sugar accordingly: This recipe gives a range from 1/4 cup to 3/4 cup of sugar depending on the sweetness of your apples. I opted for 1/2 cup, which tasted like the perfect amount to me. Even if your apples are on the tart side, I wouldn’t go too crazy with adding more sugar than that. 
2. Go big or go home: What makes this recipe a standout is all the optional add-ins. If you want this recipe to live up to its full potential, I would recommend including them. 

Rating: 10/10