Double Decker Apple Crisp

This is my world-famous recipe for Double Decker Apple Crisp. (Well, it WILL be globally-known after you try it.) The apple slices are baked between layers of streusel, which gives a glorious crispness above and below the soft middle. A better dessert for an autumn dinner party doesn’t exist! Here’s the simple step-by-step:

Double Decker Apple Crisp

First, select 6 baking-type apples (about 3 pounds). I used locally-grown ‘Honey Crisp.’ You might prefer ‘Golden Delicious’ or ‘Granny Smith.’

Peel, core, and cut the apples into quarter-inch slices. I use my peeling-coring-slicing machine to tackle this job.

Throw the apple slices into a large bowl, and toss them with 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice…

4 tablespoons melted butter…

And 1/2 cup sugar blended with 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, add 1/2 cup all-purpose flour…

3/4 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark as you please)…

And 6 tablespoons cold, diced butter.

Pulse the machine until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Then add 1 cup old-fashioned roll oats, and pulse a few times just to break up the oats a little.

Now generously butter a cake pan that is 9 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep.

Add half the streusel mixture to the pan…

Add the apples slices and all of their juices (don’t worry if the apples mound — they’ll shrink as they bake)…

And top the apples with the remaining streusel.

Cover the pan with a lid or a sheet of aluminum foil, and bake until the apple juices begin to bubble — about 25 minutes.

Then uncover the pan, and bake until the streusel is brown and crisp — about 45 minutes more.

Just wait until you sink your teeth into the crunchy top, the soft, fragrant middle, and the crunchy base of this Double Decker Apple Crisp. The dessert is delicious hot or warm, and with or without such accompaniments as ice cream, whipped cream, or sour cream.

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Here’s the printable:

Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Double Decker Apple Crisp

Apple slices baked between two layers of crisp streusel. Delicious and easy.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr 10 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: autumn, easy, apples,

Servings: 8

Equipment

• A generously buttered 9 x 2 inch round cake pan

Ingredients

For the apples:

• 6 baking apples (about 3 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar blended with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For the streusel:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons cold, diced butter
• 1 cup "old-fashioned" rolled oats

Instructions

The apple mixture:

• Center the oven rack; preheat oven to 350°F. Peel, core, and cut the apples into 1/4-inch slices. Put the slices in a large bowl, and toss them with the lemon juice, melted butter, and the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Set aside.

The streusel:

• Tip the flour, brown sugar, and diced butter into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the mixture into it resembles coarse meal. Add the oats, and pulse just to break up the oats a little.

Assembling the dessert:

• Pour half the streusel mixture into the prepared cake pan. Add all of the apples and their juices, and top with the remaining streusel.

Baking the dessert:

• Cover the pan with a lid or with a sheet of aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven until the juices begin to bubble -- about 25 minutes. Then uncover the pan, and bake until the streusel crisps and browns -- about 45 minutes more.

Serving:

• Serve hot or warm, and with or without ice cream, whipped cream, or sour cream. Leftover crisp -- if there is any -- is delicious for breakfast.