Apple Crisp (Reduced Sugar)
By America's Test KitchenPublished on May 8, 2020
Time
1¾ hours, plus 20 minutes cooling
Yield
Serves 6
Sugar
41 grams (down from 61)
Ingredients
Topping
⅓ cup plus ¼ cup (3 ounces/85 grams) Sucanat 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ⅛ teaspoon salt ½ cup (2½ ounces/71 grams) all-purpose flour ½ cup (1½ ounces/43 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted and choppedFilling
3 pounds (1361 grams) apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into ½-inch wedges2 tablespoons Sucanat 2 teaspoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons cornstarch ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon ⅛ teaspoon saltBefore You Begin
You can learn more about Sucanat in this article. We recommend using Golden Delicious, Jonagold, or Braeburn apples in this recipe. Do not substitute quick oats, instant oats, or steel-cut oats in this recipe. Do not skip grinding the Sucanat in step 1 or the topping will taste dry and dusty.
Instructions
- Working in 2 batches, grind Sucanat in spice grinder until fine and powdery, about 1 minute. Whisk ground Sucanat, melted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in large bowl. Using rubber spatula, fold in flour, oats, and almonds until combined and mixture resembles thick, cohesive dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss apples, Sucanat, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt together in bowl. Transfer to 8-inch square baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and set on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until apples are juicy and tender, 1 hour 5 minutes to 1¼ hours, rotating sheet halfway through baking.
- Carefully stir fruit to redistribute juices, then crumble topping into ½-inch pieces (with some smaller loose bits) over top. Bake uncovered until fruit is bubbling and topping is deep golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer to wire rack and let crisp cool for 20 minutes before serving.
for the topping
for the filling
Time
1¾ hours, plus 20 minutes coolingYield
Serves 6Sugar
41 grams (down from 61)Ingredients
Topping
Filling
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Topping
Filling
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Topping
Filling
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Apple crisp should be a simple pleasure, but too often the topping is sandy or soggy and the filling ends up mushy and flavorless. We wanted a topping just as crisp and crunchy as its name implied, and a naturally sweetened filling that allowed the apples to shine. We started by tossing sliced apples with a small amount of Sucanat, as well as cornstarch to encourage the apples' exuded juices to thicken into a luxurious sauce. While many recipes call for baking the topping and filling together, we decided to first bake the apple filling covered, which allowed the apples to steam slightly and become tender. We added the topping at the end so that it wouldn't have enough time to get soggy. Chopped toasted almonds added extra crunch, and refrigerating the topping mixture while the apples baked ensured that it stayed together in cohesive chunks when baked.
Before You Begin
You can learn more about Sucanat in this article. We recommend using Golden Delicious, Jonagold, or Braeburn apples in this recipe. Do not substitute quick oats, instant oats, or steel-cut oats in this recipe. Do not skip grinding the Sucanat in step 1 or the topping will taste dry and dusty.
Instructions
- Working in 2 batches, grind Sucanat in spice grinder until fine and powdery, about 1 minute. Whisk ground Sucanat, melted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in large bowl. Using rubber spatula, fold in flour, oats, and almonds until combined and mixture resembles thick, cohesive dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss apples, Sucanat, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt together in bowl. Transfer to 8-inch square baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and set on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until apples are juicy and tender, 1 hour 5 minutes to 1¼ hours, rotating sheet halfway through baking.
- Carefully stir fruit to redistribute juices, then crumble topping into ½-inch pieces (with some smaller loose bits) over top. Bake uncovered until fruit is bubbling and topping is deep golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer to wire rack and let crisp cool for 20 minutes before serving.
for the topping
for the filling
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