Cast Iron Skillet Apple Crisp

Another October means another trip to the orchard, bringing home more apples than I know what to do with. Paige has become pretty into our seasonal fruit picking trips (and I get pretty into dressing her for the occasion). She did surprisingly well this summer collecting blueberries and peaches, not eating a single berry until we got back to the car. I can’t say the same about apple picking this year but I think the mid-outing snack bought us some time (toddler moms know what I mean).

Every year I have intentions of making a homemade apple pie but pies are labor intensive and I never carve out the time to make the crust, so instead, I turn to the trusty apple crisp. This is my go to apple dessert and recipe but this is the first time I made it in my cast iron skillet and let me tell you, game changer. I don’t know what took me so long to make this simple recipe upgrade. Personally, I think everything tastes better when cooked in cast iron, and using one in this apple crisp will save you a few pans – so less dishes to clean up after baking.

I used a 12 inch cast iron skillet and, full disclosure, I really eye balled my measurements. Below is a good guide to get you started but you may need a little more or a little less topping depending on the size of your pan and the amount of apples you use. But don’t worry, it’s hard to mess this one up!

Cast Iron Skillet Apple Crisp

Topping Ingredients

3/4 cup flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, cubed (room temperature)

Filling Ingredients

5 large apples – peeled, cored and evenly sliced
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5 tablespoons water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Peel, core and slice apples. Set aside
Using a medium sized bowl, prepare topping by first combining all dry ingredients then adding in the cubed butter. Use your hands to work in the butter to create pea size crumbles. Set topping aside.
Over medium/low heat, melt the butter for your filling in your cast iron skillet.
Turn off heat and pour apples into the melted butter, mix to coat.
Add dry ingredients to the apples; flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix to coat.
Stir in remaining wet ingredients; water and lemon juice. Mix
Pour topping on top of the apple mixture in your cast iron pan, press down with fingers.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Best served warm with vanilla ice cream!