If you love a baked apple dessert, then this baked apple crisp with easy crumble topping, will really blow you away! It’s a fall-spiced homemade apple crisp with a cheddar oatmeal streusel, blending sweet with savory. In a word… heavenly.
Originally published in 2013, this post has updated for photography. You’re welcome.
Despite the fact that South Florida seldom drops into temperatures that require so much as a long sleeve shirt, if you’re a resident, there is still an intrinsic yearning to experience a change of seasons. In fact, on those rare occasions when we do shake off the humidity and “dip” into blue-jean weather, we (the hot, sweaty natives) milk it for all its worth! It hasn’t happened yet this season, so my reliable back up — is seasonal cooking. Dishes that make me feel like I should be wearing a sweater, like this baked apple dessert. It’s essentially a homemade apple crisp, on steroids. And this baked apple crisp with easy crumble topping is ready in about an hour.
Ingredients for easy crumble topping:
- Cold Unsalted Butter
- All Purpose Flour
- Brown Sugar
- Rolled Oats
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Chopped Pecans
How to make crumble topping for apple crisp
Your hands are the most effective tool for making this homemade apple crisp.
- Combine the first 4 ingredients through the oatmeal in a bowl.
- Toss the ingredients together to combine with your clean hands, then use your fingers to press the butter into the ingredients — mashing a bit. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
- Add the cheddar cheese and chopped pecans to the flour mixture and continue to work the ingredients with your hands.
- The streusel should look sandy and crumbly. Set aside.
Assembling Homemade Apple Crisp
- In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss until fruit is evenly coated.
- Add the dried cranberries and toss to combine. Set aside.
- Transfer the apple mixture to a shallow baking dish.
- Sprinkle the streusel mixture generously over the apples.
- Bake the homemade apple crisp until apples are bubbly and oatmeal streusel is golden.
The cheddar oatmeal streusel has such a great yin/yan of salty and sweet. The cheddar isn’t overpowering, but it does temper the sweet cinnamon apple filling, in a good way. Even if fall hasn’t gotten into its full groove where you are this baked apple dessert with oatmeal streusel will remind you of the season.
Serving options for the easy apple crisp
Honestly, I like this baked apple crisp and the easy crumble topping all by itself, however, my family isn’t satisfied until it gets some type of embellishment.
- My daughter is partial to a scoop of vanilla ice cream — and I won’t lie — that’s good.
- But a drizzle of cold cream over the homemade apple crisp is also delicious — and kind of reminds me of a bowl of baked oatmeal — with a helluva lot of fruit!
- If you’re serving for company — you can really dress it up with a rum-spiked whipped cream by using a hand mixer to whipping heavy whipping cream to just before soft peaks, adding a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar and whipping to soft peaks, then adding a tablespoon of dark rum and continuing to whip until soft and pillowy.
This is a fall dessert that will make your eyes roll back in your head in sweet satisfaction!
More baked apple desserts you might like:
Baked Apple Crisp with Easy Crumble Topping
ingredients
FOR BAKED APPLE CRISP:
- 6 medium apples I used a combination of granny smith and gala, peeled & sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice zested and juiced
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
FOR EASY CRUMBLE TOPPING:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter well chilled, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup rolled oats you can use the quick cooking or the old fashioned
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese I used white cheddar, shredded
- 1/2 cup pecans roughly chopped
instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8x8 inch casserole dish with vegetable spray and set aside.
FOR EASY CRUMBLE TOPPING
- In a medium bowl, combine cold butter, flour, brown sugar and oatmeal. Work with your hands to combine until crumbly. Add cheddar cheese and pecans. Work the mixture with your fingers to combine ingredients evenly. Set aside.
FOR BAKED APPLE CRISP:
- In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss until fruit is evenly coated. Add the dried cranberries and toss to combine.Set aside.
- Transfer apple mixture to the baking dish. A syrup will have formed in the apples, that's really good -- so drizzle it over the apples. Generously distribute the easy crumble topping over the apples.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until apples are bubbling and streusel is golden. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.
SERVE WITH:
- This Baked Apple Crisp with Easy Crumble Topping is delicious on its own, but try it with a bit of half and half or cream drizzled over the top for a rustic presentation. A dollop of rum-spiked whipped cream or scoop of vanilla are also crowd pleasers.
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This is an absolutely fantastic recipe! I’ll be making this many, many more times this fall! Thank you!
Cheddar cheese in apple crisp topping? OMG I have to try this! Sounds sooo good Lisa. Looks delicious too. I wish for a bowl right now.
Yummm, I love how gorgeous and easy this recipe is! There’s nothing better than a warm crisp a la mode in the fall and winter months. This one’s a keeper!
I love desserts like this, and have used oats in the toping many times (love the texture it gives) but have never tried cheese so might have to give this a try next time. Looks delicious!
This apple crisp sounds so good.. Especially with the cheddar cheese in the crumb topping. I need to try that.. Cause everyone knows cheese and apples belong together.
They absolutely DO!
You had me at cheddar cheese. And I love the addition of cranberries, definitely giving this a try!
The cheddar cheese is a nice, savory twist. It doesn’t last long with my crowd!
Yum! I always use cranberries in apple crisp – so good! I’ve never seen cheese in the topping before – how unique! Gotta try that next time!!
Let me know how you like it, Lauren!
Yum! Can’t wait to make and enjoy!