Description
This perfectly portioned apple crisp for two features a buttery, crispy oat topping and tender, jammy apple filling. It’s a quick, budget-friendly dessert that comes together in about 45 minutes with simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 medium apples (about 350g / 12 oz total), such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Fuji
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25g)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (12g)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (8g)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tiny pinch black pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (5ml)
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (45g)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (30g)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (50g), packed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (56g / 4 tablespoons), cold, cut into small cubes
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional, 30g)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Position a rack in the center of the oven. Place your ramekins or baking dish on a small baking sheet to catch any overflow.
- Wash, core, and chop your apples into 1/2-inch cubes. Leave the peel on for texture and fiber, or peel if desired.
- In a medium bowl, toss the chopped apples with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper (if using), and lemon juice until every apple piece is coated. Set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and salt. Stir with a fork to break up clumps. Add the cold butter cubes. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse, crumbly sand with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. If using nuts, stir them in now.
- Divide the apple filling evenly between two 8-ounce ramekins or spread it in a small baking dish (about 5×7 inches / 1-quart capacity). Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples, covering them completely.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the topping is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling up around the edges. If the topping is browning too quickly after 25 minutes, tent loosely with foil for the remaining time.
- Let the crisps cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm, preferably with vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of heavy cream.
Notes
For the best texture, use cold butter straight from the fridge. Don’t overwork the topping; visible butter pieces are good. Let the crisp rest for 10-15 minutes after baking to allow the filling to thicken and the topping to set. For extra crunch, toast the oats at 350°F for 5 minutes before mixing. Don’t skip the salt in the topping.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/2 of re
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 36
- Sodium: 210
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 4
Keywords: apple crisp, small batch, dessert for two, easy dessert, budget dessert, apple crisp for two, cozy dessert, fall dessert