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Applesauce Crisp is a cozy twist on a classic fall dessert – with Granny Smith apple slices, an applesauce filling, and a buttery brown sugar crunchy oat topping – it’s a classic apple fruit crisp with the delicious addition of applesauce!
Do you love baking with applesauce? 🍎🍏 Be sure and try another family favorite applesauce recipe like Applesauce Bread, Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins, One Bowl Applesauce Muffins, and Applesauce Coffee Cake.
Applesauce Apple Crisp Recipe
As if a homemade apple crisp wasn’t good enough? This applesauce crisp combines an apple crisp + applesauce which gives the crisp a creamy, sweet filling – think similar to an apple pie filling – but in a warm apple crisp recipe that bakes up in one pan.
Fresh apples and applesauce bake together in a rich, cinnamon-spiced filling topped with a buttery oat crumble that turns out perfectly golden. It tastes like everything you love about apple pie with a lot less work!
It’s an easy apple crisp with a slight twist to it because it has juicy apples that are tart & sweet, combined with the creamy texture of applesauce. This is one of my family’s favorite apple recipes to make during apple season – or anytime of year.
Why You’ll Love This Applesauce Crisp
- 🍏 Simple Ingredients : This recipe uses simple, basic pantry staple baking ingredients to make it. Plus it’s the best recipe to use up that jar of applesauce in your pantry.
- 🍏 Warm and Cozy : Cinnamon and brown sugar make every bite taste like fall.
- 🍏 Perfect Texture : Creamy, cinnamon-spiced applesauce pair perfectly with the tangy crisp apple slices, and the buttery oatmeal crumble topping.
Simple Ingredients Needed
Applesauce Crisp Ingredients
- Granny Smith Apples
- Applesauce : I prefer using sweetened applesauce for this recipe, but unsweetened applesauce can be used if wanted.
- Light Brown Sugar
- Lemon Juice : I use fresh squeezed lemon juice for the best, brightest flavor but bottled lemon juice works in a pinch.
- Cornstarch
- Ground Cinnamon
Topping Ingredients
- Old-Fashioned Oats : Use regular whole old-fashioned oats for the best texture in the crisp topping. Instant or quick oats have a much finer and smaller texture/size, which won’t hold up to the cook time.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Light Brown Sugar
- Ground Cinnamon
- Salted Butter : Melted
How To Make The Best Apple Crisp with Applesauce (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the peeled sliced apples, applesauce, light brown sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and ground cinnamon. Stir until evenly mixed together and then transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the old-fashioned oats, flour, light brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture is crumbly and resembles wet sand with large chunks.
Sprinkle the oat crumble topping mixture evenly over top of the apples inside the baking pan.
Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Serve the applesauce crisp warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
How To Serve Applesauce Crisp
Serve the applesauce crisp while it is still warm and pair it with a scoop of sweet vanilla ice cream (my family loves vanilla bean ice cream), or freshly whipped cream.
If wanted, add a drizzle of caramel sauce to give it more of that apple caramel flavor.
How To Store and Reheat Leftovers
Leftovers should be stored in a covered airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 2 to 3 days.
To reheat, place individual portions in the microwave for 30-40 seconds at a time until heated through. The applesauce crisp is actually really good eaten chilled from the fridge, as is.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Add Nuts?
Yes, if you want to add nuts to the dish then you can. Mix them into the crumble oat topping or you can add them into the applesauce and apple filling. I think nuts are best in the crumble topping. Nuts such as chopped pecans or walnuts would be the best options.
How Do I Know For Sure That It Is Done Cooking?
When it is golden brown across the top and the applesauce filling is bubbling up around the edges. If you would like to double check, you can stick a knife or fork through the apples in the dish, and if they are fork tender, then the crisp is done.
Should I Cover The Applesauce Crisp While Baking?
There is no need to cover the crisp while baking unless you notice the topping starting to brown, but the dish is not yet done cooking. At which point, loosely lay a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the baking dish. I have never had to cover the dish while baking – you only want to do this if the topping is burning or getting overly browned but the apples are not done yet. The reason for not covering the dish is because it will make the crisp topping become soggy.
What Are The Best Apples To Use?
Granny Smith apples are the best apples to use for an apple crisp. They are tart, firm, and hold up well to the cook time without becoming mushy. if using another variety of apple, make sure it’s a more tart apple such as Pink Lady apples or Braeburn apples.
More Apple Desserts To Try
- Snickerdoodle Apple Cobbler
- Caramel Apple Pizza (Sugar Cookie Crust)
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars (Streusel Crisp Topping)
- Easy Apple Dumplings Recipe (With Crescent Rolls)
- Caramel Apple Fruit Dip (Cream Cheese, Toffee, Caramel)
- Easy Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cinnamon Streusel Baked Apples Recipe
- Crockpot Apple Crisp (Canned Apple Pie Filling with Oatmeal)
- Oatmeal Cookie Apple Crumble
Applesauce Crisp
Ingredients
Applesauce Filling
- 6 Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, sliced thin)
- 2 cups applesauce (I use sweetened)
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Oat Crumble Topping
- 1 cup whole old-fashioned oats
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the peeled sliced apples, applesauce, light brown sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and ground cinnamon. Stir until evenly mixed together and then transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.6 Granny Smith apples, 2 cups applesauce, ½ cup packed light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the old-fashioned oats, flour, light brown sugar, and cinnamon.1 cup whole old-fashioned oats, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Stir in the melted butter until the mixture is crumbly and resembles wet sand with large chunks.½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
- Sprinkle the oat crumble topping mixture evenly over top of the apples inside the baking pan.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
- Serve the applesauce crisp warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Nutrition
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