Caramel Apple Pecan Crisp
Sweet caramel apples are baked under a buttery pecan crumble, resulting in this cozy caramel apple pecan crisp. Topped with more caramel and vanilla ice cream, this crisp is best enjoyed warm for the ultimate gooey-ness.
This recipe simply came out of laziness. What I mean by that is, I had so many apples but did not feel like making pie dough, so an apple pie was a no-go. Crisps are easier to make and just as tasty. This one especially, with gooey caramel apples & an oaty, buttery, toasted pecan crisp.
The apple layers are mixed with caramel (can be homemade or store-bought!) and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for a warm & cozy flavor. The crisp layer has texture from oats and chopped pecans, and is mixed with cold butter for the best crumbly topping.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
See the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient list.
- The salted caramel can be homemade (in the recipe card) or you can use store-bought!
- We need both salted and unsalted butter in this recipe if you are choosing to make the salted caramel from scratch. Otherwise, you only need unsalted butter for the crisp!
- Chopped pecans are added to the crisp for added crunch & flavor. This can be substituted with other nuts as well!
- Apples are the star ingredient here – I liked to use a mixture of sour (granny smith) & sweet apples (gala, honeycrisp, etc.).
Step by step instructions
See the recipe card at the end of this post for the full recipe instructions.
STEP 1: Make the salted caramel. Homemade salted caramel is absolutely delicious and worth trying! However, store-bought caramel works just as well (and definitely makes less dishes). The full salted caramel recipe is in the recipe card below.
STEP 2: Prepare the apple filling. Toss the peeled & sliced apples together with the caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and flour until evenly coated. Layer the apples in your pan and set aside.
STEP 3: Make the pecan crumble. Whisk together the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and chopped pecans. Add the cold and cubed butter and, using a pastry cutter or your hands, cut the butter into the mixture until in pea-sized pieces.
STEP 4: Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F, then, without opening the oven door, decrease the temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for another ~30-35 minutes until the crisp is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes. Top with ice cream & the remaining caramel and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
I like to use a mix of sour & sweet apples! Granny Smith apples with Honeycrisp, Gala, etc., would be delicious!
Apples come in all shapes and sizes – I happened to use close to 10 apples (because I had tiny ones). But the peeled & sliced apples should be around 550 grams.
A baking pan or casserole dish that is on the larger side should be used for this recipe. I find that an average pie pan would be too small. A 13×9 inch pan can also be used.
Absolutely! While I highly suggest attempting to make caramel from scratch, you can absolutely use store-bought to save yourself some time & dishes.
Baking in grams
I rely on gram measurements when testing recipes because they offer the highest level of accuracy (and less cleanup!). Unlike volume measurements, which can vary, grams provide a reliable and consistent standard. I carefully test all of my recipes using this kitchen scale, therefore I cannot guarantee the outcome when using volume measurements. However, volume measurements are available in the recipe card.
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Caramel Apple Pecan Crisp
Ingredients
Salted Caramel
- 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 85 grams (6 tablespoons) salted butter, room temperature, cubed
- 120 grams (½ cup) heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Apple Layer
- 550 grams peeled & sliced apples, cut into 1/8 to 1/4 inch pieces
- 215 grams (¾ cup) salted caramel
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 25 grams (3 tablespoons) all purpose flour
Crisp Layer
- 80 grams (1 cup) old fashioned rolled oats
- 125 grams (1 cup) all purpose flour
- 150 grams (¾ cup) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 90 grams (¾ cup) coarsely chopped pecans
- 141 grams (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter
Instructions
Salted Caramel
- If making homemade salted caramel, add the sugar to a saucepan over low-medium heat and continuously stir the sugar around the pan. It will clump up before it melts into a smooth amber/caramel color.200 grams granulated sugar
- Once the sugar is completely melted, add the cubed butter to the pan. Be cautious as the mixture will bubble up. Whisk vigorously until the butter is melted and mixed with the liquid sugar. Let the mixture bubble for 30-60 seconds while stirring occasionally.85 grams salted butter
- Slowly & carefully stream in the heavy cream while whisking constantly until the heavy cream is combined (the mixture will bubble up again). Allow the caramel to boil for 30-60 seconds while whisking occasionally.120 grams heavy cream
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and salt. Pour in a heat proof bowl let cool while you prepare the crisp.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Apple Crisp
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F & lightly grease a baking pan with butter. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss the peeled & sliced apples together with the caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and flour until evenly coated. Layer the apples in the pan and set aside.550 grams peeled & sliced apples, 215 grams salted caramel, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, 25 grams all purpose flour
- Separately, whisk together the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and chopped pecans. Add the cold and cubed butter and, using a pastry cutter or your hands, cut the butter into the mixture until in pea-sized pieces.80 grams old fashioned rolled oats, 125 grams all purpose flour, 150 grams light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 90 grams coarsely chopped pecans, 141 grams unsalted butter
- Layer the crisp topping on top of the apples in the baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F, then, without opening the oven door, decrease the temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for another ~30-35 minutes until the crisp is golden brown. If you notice the top turning too brown, tent the pan with tin foil.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Top with ice cream & the remaining caramel & enjoy!
