As Fall approaches and the temperature begins to drop, apple pie always comes to mind. However, making a really good pie crust certainly has some complicated obstacles, so making an apple crisp is an equally exciting easier option. What’s even even better about apple crisp is that both the filling and crumb topping can pre-made and stored in the refrigerator until ready to be used.
Me picking apples as a kid in Rhode Island, circa 1985.
For any baked apple recipe, I will forever recommend using Honeycrisp apples due to their high juice content, cider-like sweet flavor, and crisp texture. Instead of turning to mush like many other apple varieties, they’re really sturdy and retain their shape nicely when baked. And while many recipes mix in green Grannysmith apples for a tart balance of flavor, for this apple crisp I achieve the same goal with cranberries instead.
Honeycrisp apples from United Brothers Fruit Market in Astoria, Queens
Cranberry Apple Crisp filling, including Honeycrisp apples, cranberries, and Mexican cinnamon (see below).
The next important decision to make with apple crisp is the type of butter you use. European style butter is extremely successful for baking because of its higher fat content. More fat yields a lighter texture and richer flavor in the crumb of your apple crisp. Other “American” butters can be okay in a pinch if that’s only what’s available, but they contain more water which produces baked goods that are more dense.
Make sure your European butter is at at room temperature.
Grinding Mexican Cinnamon
The use of Mexican cinnamon is what also sets this apple crisp recipe apart from the rest. You can read about how to locate it in my Shopping Guide, but basically Mexican cinnamon has a super warm, sweet flavor and aroma which is oh-so comforting in baked goods. Long story short, the two types of cinnamon that exist globally are Ceylon and Cassia. Mexican cinnamon is Ceylon, and once you try it you won’t go back to using the spicier Cassia cinnamon sticks available at most mainstream grocery stores.
To grind your cinnamon, use a coffee grinder reserved just for spices, or simply use a mortar and pestle like I have done below. Then, use a fine mesh sieve to separate the powder from the bark remnants. To clean/deodorize your grinder or mortar and pestle, all you have to do is grind up some rice to absorb the flavors. I learned this trick from America’s Test Kitchen.
When grinding in a mortar and pestle, it is super important to break up the cinnamon (or anything else you’re grinding) into smaller similar-sized pieces first. This is the easiest way to yield an even powder after sifting.
Sift your ground cinnamon with a fine mesh strainer.
Visual Instructions, step by step
Cranberry Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- 3 Honeycrisp apples
- 1 tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon Mexican cinnamon, divided
- 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
- juice of 1 lemon (optional)
- 3/4 cup halved cranberries
- 1/8 tsp + 1/8 tsp teaspoon granulated salt, divided
- 4 ounces unsalted European style butter, softened at room temperature (not melted)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel and core apples. Cut lengthwise into quarter sections. Cut each section lengthwise into thirds to create 12 sections per apple. Slice each section crosswise into quarters and assemble in a medium bowl. Cut cranberries in half lengthwise.
- Toss apples and cranberries, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Feel free to squeeze in a little lemon juice to prevent oxidation. It also lifts the flavor a bit. Set aside.
- Using a pastry cutter, cream butter until lighter in color and texture. Gradually incorporate remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, vanilla, then brown sugar and cream together until consistency is even and resembles wet sand.
- Use the pastry cutter to cut in the flour, oats, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon of salt into mixture until dry ingredients are evenly moistened and semi-lumpy with coarse crumbs. It helps to use your hands to break up any large lumps.
- Fill a cast iron skillet (or 9 x 9-inch square pan) with the apple and cranberry mixture, making sure to include the juices extracted from the apple mixture sitting at the bottom. Sprinkle crumbs evenly until apples and cranberries are almost fully concealed, making sure not to stir crumbs into the apples.
- Bake this for about 1 hour in a 350 degree oven, or until the crumb start to turn slightly golden brown.
- Allow your Cranberry Apple Crisp to cool for about 45 minutes, so the natural pectin in the apple can set. It will eventually firm up. Coming right out of the oven, it will be a bit soupy, which is is normal.
Yield: 10 servings
