Tender apples with bacon streusel topping make this the best apple crisp around! Add some ice cream and caramel on top for a killer dessert!
Why We Love an Easy Apple Crisp
- Who doesn’t love apples and bacon together?! This Bacon Apple Crisp is a dessert combination no one can resist.
- This is a great easy dessert that’s pretty much fool-proof. It’s great for the holidays or as a yummy weeknight treat during apple season.
- If you have a cast iron skillet, this is a one pan-two bowl recipe that’s great for budding cooks.
- The best part is you can add your favorite toppings to really take this apple crisp over the top!
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make a Bacon Apple Crisp
PRODUCE: You can’t make an apple crisp without apples. Choose your favorite type – I have some suggestions below. You’ll need 6 apples or about 2 pounds. We’re also using some lemon lest to give the filling a little pop of brightness.
PANTRY ITEMS: Both the topping and filling in this dessert use all-purpose flour and dark brown sugar. For the filling, you need to grab some ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. For the topping, you’ll also need sugar, rolled oats (instant or old-fashioned), and butter.
BACON: The best part of this dessert! Use your favorite brand of bacon. Center cut is always a great option, but skip the thick-cut strips for this recipe. You want it to incorporate seamlessly into the topping.
What is apple crisp topping made of?
A “crisp” dessert topping is a combination of flour, rolled oats, sugar, and cold butter that’s been cut into the mixture. You can add other spices like cinnamon or nutmeg depending on the fruit you’re using. It’s essentially a streusel topping with rolled oats in it and is delicious in a cherry crisp, strawberry crisp, or any fruit-filled dessert you can think of.
How to Make an Apple Crisp with Bacon
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Pour the chopped apples into a large bowl and set them aside for now. In another mixing bowl, stir together the flour, dark brown sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt for the filling. Pour the mixture over the apples and toss to coat them. Then let the apples macerate while you cook the bacon.
STEP 2 Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon pieces until they’re crispy and then transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease from the pan. Pour the apples into the skillet and spread them into an even layer.
STEP 3 In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, rolled oat, sugar, and dark brown sugar for the topping. Then cut in the cold butter with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture has a sand texture. Stir in half the bacon and sprinkle the topping all over the apples.
STEP 4 Bake the apple crisp for 40-45 minutes, until the filling is bubbling, the apples are tender, and the topping is golden brown. Carefully take the skillet out of the oven and let everything cool for 10 minutes. Portion the crisp into bowls and add the remaining bacon on top.
Tips & Tricks
- If you don’t have a cast iron skillet available, you can use a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish to bake the apple crisp. Cook the bacon in a skillet and pour 1 tablespoon of bacon grease into the baking dish before spreading it around the pan. Then proceed as directed.
- I like to crumble up the bacon that goes into the topping a bit more than just the chopped-up pieces. This makes sure there’s more bacon in every bite.
- If you don’t have salted butter on hand, add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the topping mixture. I’m all for keeping one type of butter in the fridge.
- We love topping this bacon apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and then drizzling it with bourbon caramel sauce. It’s also delicious as is with bacon sprinkled on top.
Best Apple Crisp Recipe FAQ
What are the best apples for apple crisp?
As with apple pies and other apple desserts, Granny Smith apples are my go-to option. They have a great texture once baked and don’t dissolve into the dessert.
Other great options for an apple crisp include Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Braeburn. You can even use a combination of apples if you like.
Does an apple crisp need to be refrigerated?
No, you don’t have to store an apple crisp in the fridge. It’s perfectly fine at room temperature. That being said you’ll only get 1-2 days on the counter covered with plastic wrap. If you want it to last longer, pop your apple crisp in the fridge (covered) for 3-4 days.
Can you freeze an apple crisp?
You can! Bake the apple crisp as directed in a baking dish instead of a cast iron skillet. Let the crisp cool to room temperature and then cover it tightly with plastic wrap and then foil. Now you can pop it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat your apple crisp, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, unwrap the baking dish, and bake until it’s warmed through, about 20-25 minutes.
Other Recipes You May like
- Old-Fashioned Applesauce Oatmeal Cake
- Apple Pecan Bread Pudding
- Apple Bacon Oat Bars
- Apple Pie Oreo Truffles
- Caramel Apple Dump Cake
- Air Fryer Apple Pie Bites
Bacon Apple Crisp
Equipment
Ingredients
Filling
- 6 cups apples peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping
- 4 strips bacon chopped
- ¾ cup rolled oats (instant or old fashioned)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup cold salted butter cut into small pieces (see note)
- Bourbon Caramel Sauce for serving
- Vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Add the apples to a large mixing bowl and set it aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ingredients – flour, dark brown sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour the cinnamon mixture over the apple and toss to combine. Set aside to macerate while you cook the bacon.
- Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. (see note) Cook the bacon pieces until crispy, about 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the skillet.
- Pour the apples into the skillet and spread into an even later. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the instant oats, flour, sugar, and dark brown sugar to make the topping. Cut in the cold butter with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture has a sand-like texture (like a pie crust).
- Mix half of the cooked bacon into the streusel topping and then sprinkle it all evenly over the apples.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the filling is bubbling, the apples are tender, and the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Portion the apple crisp into bowls and sprinkle with the reserved bacon. Top with vanilla ice cream and/or bourbon caramel sauce if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- If you don’t have a cast iron skillet available, you can use a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish to bake the apple crisp. Cook the bacon in a skillet and pour 1 tablespoon of bacon grease into the baking dish before spreading it around the pan. Then proceed as directed.
- If you don’t have salted butter on hand, add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the topping mixture.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
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