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Applesauce crisp served with ice cream on a plate

Applesauce Crisp Recipe (With A Brown Butter Pecan Topping)

Markus and Bianca Kuchar
This applesauce crisp recipe is fast and easy - it skips the peeling, coring, and slicing that a classic apple crisp needs.
Just pour in your applesauce, add a buttery oat and toasted pecan topping, and let the oven do the rest.
Includes gluten-free and dairy-free variations.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cool-down time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, British, Canadian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 534 kcal

Equipment

stainless steel mixing bowl with flour
mixing bowl
Glass baking dish 9x9 inch
9x9 baking dish

Ingredients
  

Applesauce Filling

Brown Butter Pecan Topping

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoon butter for greasing the dish
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ cup pecans chopped, toasted (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x9-inch baking dish, including the corners.
    Butter the baking dish
  • Mix together the applesauce, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg until smooth. Whisk in the apple butter, if using. Pour into the prepared dish and set aside.
    Mixed applesauce crisp filling being poured from the mixing bowl into the baking tray.
  • Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until small brown flecks form on the bottom and it smells nutty, 5–7 minutes. Pour into a heatproof bowl to cool for about 10 minutes.
    Melted butter being browned in a pan, with the small brown flecks of browned milk solids showing.
  • Optional: while the butter cools, toast the chopped pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant.
    Roughly chopped pecan nuts being rosted in a stainless steel pan
  • Combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, toasted pecans, cinnamon, and cardamom in a bowl. Pour in the cooled brown butter and mix with a whisk or fork until coarse, clumpy crumbs form.
    Hand holding the crumbed mixed applesauce crisp topping ingredients
  • Scatter the topping evenly over the applesauce filling, breaking up any very large clumps but leaving some texture.
    The crumble topping being scattered by hand over the applesauce filling
  • Bake 30–35 minutes, until the topping is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
    Applesauce crisp in a baking tray fresh from the oven
  • Cool 10–15 minutes before serving, so the filling has time to set. Serve warm, on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
    Applesauce crisp served with ice cream on a plate

Notes

Using store-bought applesauce? It's often sweeter and more heavily spiced than homemade - taste the plain applesauce first, and expect to use about half the sugar and spices listed in the filling (or skip them entirely).
Baking dish size:  This recipe is written for a 9x9-inch dish. A larger 10-inch square dish will bake a bit shallower and faster; a smaller or deeper dish, like 7x10" or 8x8", will need a few extra minutes.
For detailed instructions, flavor variations, gluten-free/vegan variations, and serving suggestions, see the full article above at https://www.earthfoodandfire.com/applesauce-crisp-recipe/

Nutrition

Calories: 534kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 5gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 16mgPotassium: 258mgFiber: 5gSugar: 43gVitamin A: 664IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

Keyword apple crisp recipe, applesauce crisp recipe, applesauce crumble, fall recipes
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