Skillet Apple Crisp with Salted Caramel & Vanilla Ice Cream Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before starting, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set a rack in the middle. Take the butter out of the fridge and cut it into small cubes, then return it to the fridge until needed. Peel and slice the apples, and have all your ingredients measured and ready.

If using a 10-inch cast iron skillet, rub it with softened butter – this prevents sticking and adds flavor. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, a 9-inch pie pan or a 2-quart baking dish works, though baking time may vary slightly. Let the salted caramel sauce come to room temperature or warm it gently for easy drizzling.

Instructions

Prep and Assemble

1. 1Prepare the Skillet and Apples
   Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Rub the inside of a 10-inch cast iron skillet with the softened butter. In the skillet, toss the sliced apples with the brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon until evenly coated.
   Look for The apples are glossy and evenly coated with the sugar and spice mixture.
   Tip Use a large bowl if the skillet isn't deep enough to toss comfortably, then transfer the mixture back to the skillet.
2. 2Make the Oat Streusel
   In a separate bowl, combine the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and sea salt. Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture forms chunky, pea-sized buttery clusters.
   Look for The streusel holds together when squeezed, with visible pieces of butter.
   Tip Keep the butter cold; if it warms up, chill the bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes before continuing.

The apples are coated in a glossy, cinnamon-scented mixture, and the streusel is a pile of buttery, pea-sized crumbs that hold together when squeezed. The oven is hot, and the skillet is buttered and ready.

Bake to Golden Perfection

3. 3Top and Bake the Crisp
   Scatter the oat streusel evenly over the apples in the skillet. Bake for 35 minutes, until the topping is deep golden brown and the apple juices are bubbling thickly around the edges.
   Look for The top is golden and crisp, and the filling is visibly bubbling at the rim.
   Tip If the topping browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

After 35 minutes, the kitchen smells of baked apples and caramelizing butter. The topping is deep golden brown, and you can see thick bubbles of apple juice breaking through around the edges. The surface is crisp to the touch.

Finish and Serve

4. 4Serve with Ice Cream and Caramel
   Let the crisp cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack (no longer than 2 hours before refrigerating any leftovers). Spoon into bowls and top each serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a generous drizzle of salted caramel sauce.
   Look for The ice cream melts into the warm apples and caramel.
   Tip Scoop the ice cream just before serving so it doesn't melt completely into the crisp.

The crisp has rested for 5 minutes, the ice cream is softening slightly, and the salted caramel is ready to drizzle. Each serving shows a crunchy topping, tender apples, and a melting scoop of vanilla.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is using warm butter for the streusel, which results in a dense, greasy topping instead of a crunchy one. Keep the butter cold and work quickly.

Another is overmixing the streusel – you want pea-sized clumps, not a uniform paste. Also, don’t skip the lemon juice; it balances the sweetness and helps the apples stay firm.

Avoid slicing apples too thinly, as they can turn to mush. Lastly, if the topping browns too fast, tent the skillet loosely with foil for the remaining bake time, but don’t leave it covered for too long or the topping will steam and lose its crunch.

How to tell it’s done

The crisp is done when the topping is a deep golden brown and the apple juices are visibly bubbling thickly around the edges of the skillet. The bubbles should be slow and syrupy, not watery. If you insert a knife into the center, it should meet little resistance, but the apples should still hold their shape.

The internal temperature of the filling should be at least 165°F (74°C) to ensure everything is heated through, though the apples will be tender and the topping crisp. Let the crisp rest for 5 minutes before serving so the juices set slightly – this makes it easier to scoop and prevents a runny mess.