Cast Iron Apple Crisp with Oats

Cast iron apple crisp is to die for! Tender cinnamon baked apples bubbling in your oven with a oat crumble on top makes the best breakfast or dessert!

Skillet Apples

I don’t know about you but I love using this pan for all the things. If I am cooking on the stovetop whether sweet or a savory dish it creates an even cook and can be served as is with a trivet below. A rustic way but popular nowadays when you’re having a get together. Plop a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top for extra wow and yum.

I have made this many different ways. Our baked apples with brown sugar are similar but made in the oven. The same takes just one minute in a pressure cooker, scary but true. You can follow our Instant Pot apple crisp recipe for that version.

What can I make with a bunch of apples

This is the cast iron wok we used for this go around and worked so well. I LOVE this thing!! If you just went apple picking or just want a great fresh apple recipe, this is it! Of course there are other methods that soften this popular fruit, some are listed below

1. Homemade apple sauce is so much better than what you find in the jar. You can make applesauce spice cake with it too when done.
2. This smoked pork recipe  is great with slices on top of it
3. Apple butter is amazing and easier to make than you might think.
4. You can dehydrate apples in a machine or oven
5. Classic apple pie is a given
6. Apple monkey bread is such a great brunch or breakfast item
7. Pumpkin apple bread is amazing

Apple stuffing for Thanksgiving dinner is always a great one, or make caramel apples, unless you have lots of crowns like me. Nowadays that is a no go.

Cast iron apple crisp no oats

You can certainly skip the topping with oats entirely. As is without it you will still have a wonderful treat that is similar to a copycat Cracker Barrel baked apple dish.

1. This is the 9″ cast iron wok baking dish is what we used
   1. timing below appropriate for that size
2. Medium bowl
3. Apples – I like a mix of Fuji and Granny Smith apples
4. Brown sugar
5. Old Fashioned oats
6. Flour
   1. remember how to measure flour properly
   2. use this as a gluten free alternative
7. Melted butter
8. Sugar
9. Cinnamon, nutmeg and salt is optional
10. Apple cider or water

Optional add ins and ons

• Raisins
• Chopped nuts
• Ice cream
• Whipped cream
• Caramel sauce

Skillet Apple Crisp for Two

As you can see, this is an easy apple crisp with oats recipe. If you’re in need of a gluten free version you can omit this entirely and use the flour alternative above. Only want enough for two, you could cut this in half and use the same pan or a bit smaller.

1. Core, peel and dice apples on a cutting board.
2. The smaller they are the softer they will become. 1″x1″ to be is perfect, you don’t want them to become applesauce – mush.
3. Inside one bowl I combine my diced peeled and cored apples with the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt is optional. I don’t tend to add that to many desserts but it is preference I guess.
4. Once these are tossed and nicely coated with the ingredients listed below in the recipe card, I pour them into my cast iron wok.
5. If you have a large cast iron skillet that would work too.
6. Prepare crumble in a separate smaller bowl I make my crumble topping.
7. You can melt the butter in the microwave until soft, or use room temperature butter with a pastry cutter to combine.
8. Lay crisp ingredients on top of your skillet apple crisp. Cover with foil and put into a preheated oven at 400 for 40-45 minutes.

If you want the top to become golden brown then remove foil and bake for another 5-10 min. Scoop into bowls and serve with ice cream too on top if you want.

Fried Apple Slices

Like I stated above, if you’re using a traditional cast iron skillet instead of a wok the timing may be closer to 30 minutes. This is because the pan is shallower and the apples will become tender faster. You can slice instead of dice but that would further increase the timing to get them tender.

Preparing this initially doesn’t take a lot of time. Once you peel the apples you should be ready to bake in about 15 minutes. It only takes about 5 minutes once you take the foil off to brown on top too. Don’t take your eyes off of it because it gets perfect in no time at all and you don’t want it overdone.

How to keep apples from turning brown

1. Slice your apples. You can leave the skin on or off for this apple preserving process.
2. Put them in a bowl submerged in Sprite soda for 3 minutes, then drain.
   1. some use lemon juice but that drastically alters the taste of your fruit and I really don’t recommend it
3. Fill pint or gallon freezer bags with your apples and suck as much air out as humanly possible.
   1. I squeeze the air out, sip 90% closed, purse the spot that is open and use my lips to suck the remaining air out so it’s airtight. Better yet use a vacuum sealer!

Refrigerate and they should look the same tomorrow or within 3 days as when you sliced them.

Can you bake a cake in cast iron?

You may wonder about baking a cake in a cast-iron skillet until you’re reminded that traditional upside-down cakes are almost always prepared this way. To do your regular cake recipe in a skillet simply pour your prepared batter into a well-greased skillet and bake as directed. Love dutch oven recipes too?

You should try dutch oven corned beef and cabbage sometime, and our dutch oven stew.

Looking for other apple crisp recipes?

• You can make air fryer apple crisp too
• Whole baked apples are very similar
• Crockpot apple crisp is great for large crowds

Once you’re done, here’s some information on cast iron skillet care. You don’t wash these pans like everything else.  If you’re not done yet and want to try other fruits, give our cherry crisp and huckleberry cobbler a whirl next.