Prepare for an unforgettable culinary experience with our incredible Grilled Apple Crisp. This isn’t just any apple crisp; it’s a versatile dessert masterpiece that can be grilled to perfection or baked in your oven. What truly sets this recipe apart is the subtle, alluring smoky undertone that infuses every bite when prepared on the grill, elevating a classic comfort food to an extraordinary treat.
Imagine a warm, bubbly Easy Apple Crisp, fresh off the grill or out of the oven, served with a generous scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream. The ice cream melts slowly into the sweet, spiced apple filling and crispy topping, creating a symphony of textures and flavors. This simple yet sophisticated pairing makes it an ideal dessert, especially as the seasons transition from the vibrant warmth of summer grilling to the cozy embrace of autumn baking. It’s a dish that perfectly bridges the gap, allowing you to enjoy the best of both worlds.
Why This Grilled Apple Crisp is a Must-Make Recipe
The idea for this Grilled Apple Crisp was sparked by a Father’s Day gift: a fancy ceramic Big Green Egg grill. While mastering basic grilling techniques was still a work in progress, the challenge of creating a grilled dessert, especially when grilling season and apple season perfectly aligned, was irresistible. The result was a dessert that not only exceeded expectations but also introduced a unique flavor profile that standard oven baking simply can’t replicate.
There are several compelling reasons why you absolutely need to try this recipe:
- Seasonal Transition Perfection: It’s the ultimate dessert for bridging late summer grilling parties and early autumn gatherings. It combines the joy of outdoor cooking with the comforting flavors of fall.
- Unforgettable Smoky Nuances: If you appreciate the complex flavors that grilling imparts, the subtle smoky undertones in this apple crisp will captivate your palate, reminiscent of a dessert made over an open campfire.
- Surprisingly Simple Preparation: Despite its gourmet appeal, this Easy Apple Crisp Recipe is incredibly straightforward to make, proving that extraordinary flavors don’t require complicated processes.
- No Hot Kitchens: On warmer days, avoid heating your home by keeping your oven off. The grill acts as a perfect outdoor oven, allowing you to enjoy freshly baked desserts without breaking a sweat.
Raving Reviews from Enthusiastic Grilling Fans
The proof of a recipe’s success often lies in the feedback from those who try it. Our Grilled Apple Crisp has garnered enthusiastic endorsements from home cooks:
From Jeremy: “Absolutely amazing! I have now made this around 20 times on my charcoal grill, except this time I took some applewood chips and smoked it in the final stage. ???? Thanks for posting this recipe‼️”
Such feedback highlights the recipe’s reliability and its potential for personalization, like adding wood chips for an even deeper smoky flavor. It’s a testament to how this dessert can become a cherished part of your grilling repertoire.
Mastering the Art: How to Make Grilled Apple Crisp
Creating this delicious Grilled Apple Crisp is a remarkably simple process, yielding impressive results with minimal effort. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the steps:
- Prepare the Apples: Begin by selecting your favorite baking apples. Peel, core, and slice them into uniform ¼-inch pieces. Consistency in slicing ensures even cooking. Toss the prepared apples with sugar and a blend of warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Allow them to sit for a few minutes; this helps the apples release their natural juices, forming a luscious syrup during grilling.
- First Grill Phase: Tenderizing the Apples: Transfer the apple mixture into a sturdy 9-inch cast-iron skillet. Cast iron is ideal for grilling desserts due to its excellent heat retention and even heat distribution. Cover the skillet securely with foil. Place the covered skillet on your preheated grill over indirect heat. Grill until the apples soften and a sweet, bubbly syrup begins to form, typically taking about 40 minutes, depending on your grill and apple variety. Carefully check for tenderness by inserting a knife; it should slide in easily.
- Prepare the Buttery Streusel Topping: While the apples are softening on the grill, prepare the classic crisp topping. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Add cold, cubed butter and work it into the dry ingredients using your fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This creates the signature buttery, crumbly texture.
- Second Grill Phase: Crisping the Topping: Once the apples are tender, carefully remove the foil. Evenly spoon the buttery streusel topping over the softened fruit. Return the uncovered skillet to the grill. Continue grilling for another 15-20 minutes, or until the topping achieves a beautiful golden-brown hue and is deliciously crisp. For optimal browning of the topping, you might want to slightly increase the grill temperature to 350-375°F during this final stage.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the Grilled Apple Crisp to cool slightly until it’s just warm or reaches room temperature. This allows the flavors to meld and the crisp to set properly. Serve it as is, or for an ultimate indulgence, pair it with a scoop of premium vanilla ice cream that will melt into every delicious crevasse.
Our personal experience with a charcoal grill and its built-in thermometer proved that achieving a moderate temperature was key. Cautiously leaving the vents slightly ajar worked wonders, resulting in a perfectly cooked crisp with that coveted faint smoky taste, reminiscent of a campfire treat. The best part? No hot kitchen and a delighted family who got to enjoy it immediately!
Expert Tips for Grilling a Perfect Apple Crisp
To ensure your Grilled Apple Crisp turns out flawlessly every time, consider these expert tips:
- PRO-Tip: Embrace Seasonal Fruit: The secret to the most flavorful fruit crisps lies in the quality of your fruit. Always use seasonal fruit or fruit frozen at the peak of its season. For example, make apple crisps in the fall, peach crisps in the summer, rhubarb crisps in the spring, and berry crisps whenever you can find sweet, fragrant fresh berries. Buying fresh peaches in the dead of winter won’t yield the same vibrant flavor as recently picked fruit.
- Frozen Fruit is Your Friend: The fruit you find in your grocer’s freezer is typically picked and frozen at the peak of its season, making it an excellent substitute for fresh fruit. While convenient, be mindful of brands as some frozen berries can be tart; stick with brands known for their quality and flavor.
- Adjust Sugar to Fruit Sweetness: Depending on the natural sweetness of your chosen fruit, you may need to adjust the amount of sugar in the recipe. Taste a piece of your fruit before mixing and modify accordingly.
- To Oats or Not to Oats?: This particular recipe is designed without oats in the topping, catering to those who prefer a simpler, classic crisp. However, if you adore an oatmeal-topped crisp, feel free to adapt the topping with your favorite oat-inclusive streusel.
- PRO-Tip: Master Grill Temperature Control: To mimic the consistent baking environment of an indoor oven, aim to keep your grill temperature between 300°F and 375°F. For charcoal grills, this often means setting up for indirect heat and carefully managing the vents. For gas grills, simply adjust burners to achieve the desired temperature. Consistent heat is crucial for evenly cooked apples and a golden-brown topping.
- Consider Wood Chips for Extra Flavor: As one reader suggested, adding a few applewood chips (soaked for 30 minutes) to your charcoal or smoker box during the final stage of grilling can deepen that wonderful smoky flavor profile, adding another layer of complexity to your Grilled Apple Crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions About Apple Crisps
Grilling an Apple Crisp offers several distinct advantages. Firstly, it’s a fantastic way to enjoy “baked” desserts without heating up your kitchen, especially during warm summer months. As long as the weather is cooperative, your grill can act as a highly effective outdoor oven. Secondly, and most excitingly, grilling imparts a unique smokiness to the dessert that an indoor oven simply cannot. This subtle smoky flavor evokes nostalgic memories of childhood cookouts or cozy camping trips, making this crisp perfect for a late summer or early autumn cookout.
While crisps, crumbles, and cobblers are all beloved fruit desserts, they are primarily differentiated by their toppings. Crisps typically feature a simple topping made with flour, sugar, and butter, often including oats and sometimes nuts, which bakes into a delightful crunchy texture. Crumbles are quite similar to crisps but usually omit the oats and nuts, resulting in a topping that is more crumbly than crispy. Cobblers, on the other hand, are topped with a biscuit-like dough that is often dolloped or “cobbled” over the fruit. Variations can include toppings made from pie crust, cookie dough, or cake batter.
For the most flavorful and texturally appealing Apple Crisp, a blend of different baking apples is often recommended. Combining a crisper, more tart apple like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp with a softer, sweeter apple such as Golden Delicious creates a beautiful balance of taste and texture. However, any good baking apple that holds its shape well during cooking will yield a delicious result.
This simple yet irresistible crisp topping primarily consists of three core ingredients: flour, brown sugar, and cold butter. These ingredients are combined to form a crumbly mixture that bakes into a golden, slightly sweet, and wonderfully crisp layer. Many variations also include chopped nuts (like pecans or walnuts) and rolled oats for added texture and flavor.
Maintaining the crispness of a crisp topping can be a challenge over time, as the flour components will naturally begin to absorb moisture from the fruit filling. To revive a topping that has lost its crispness, simply pop the entire dessert into a 350°F oven for about 10-15 minutes. Reheating will help the topping regain some of its original crunch and freshness.
A freshly made Apple Crisp can typically be kept at room temperature for one to two days. Beyond that, it’s best to store it in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage and extend its freshness. When refrigerating, cover it loosely with plastic wrap or foil. Freezing is generally not recommended for apple crisps, as the topping tends to become very soft and loses its desirable texture upon thawing, even if the filling remains fine.
Explore More Delicious Grilled Recipes
If you’ve fallen in love with the unique flavors of grilled desserts, or simply enjoy the art of outdoor cooking, you’ll be thrilled to discover more of our favorite grilling recipes. Expand your culinary horizons beyond burgers and steaks with these delightful options:
- Vanilla Ice Cream with Grilled Peaches by Hip Foodie Mom
- Grilled Korean Beef Steaks
- Grilled Thai Chicken
- Grilled Potato Packets
- Spinach and Grilled Peach Salad
- Easy Grilled Flank Steak
- Grilled Peach Melba
- Discover even more of the Best Grilled Recipes for every occasion!
Stay connected with us for more culinary inspiration through social media @ Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Don’t forget to tag us when you try one of our recipes! And if you absolutely love the results, please consider giving this recipe a 5-star rating in the recipe card below.
Grilled Apple Crisp
15 minutes
1 hour
1 hour 15 minutes
6 servings
A fabulous apple crisp baked on the grill!
Ingredients
- 6-8 apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (may substitute ground nutmeg)
Crisp Topping
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into cubes
Instructions
- Start grill. Adjust temperature to 300-350º. If using charcoal, you will want the skillet over indirect heat.
- In a large bowl, toss together apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Let sit a few minutes to let juices develop.
- Pour apples into a 9-inch cast iron skillet.Cover with foil.
- Grill for 20 minutes, then check apple tenderness by carefully opening up the foil and inserting a knife. Mine needed another 20 minutes.
- During the first phase of grilling, make crisp topping. Mix together flour and brown sugar. Add butter and work with hands or pastry blender till topping resembles crumbs. Set aside.
- Check apples again; if juices are bubbling and apples are tender, spoon on the crisp topping, leave uncovered and cook for another 15-20 minutes till topping is lightly browned. You may increase the grill temperature to 350-375º to cook the topping.
- Allow to cool till just warm or to room temperature. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Using a variety of baking apples makes for a delicious depth of flavor.
To make this apple crisp in the oven, add the topping and bake in a 350-degree oven for 35-45 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the apples are soft.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 340Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 7mgCarbohydrates: 85gFiber: 4gSugar: 63gProtein: 3g
HOW MUCH DID YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE?
Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest