You can’t do Fall without apple crisp ~ and bonus points for getting maple in there! This cozy apple crisp has a buttery, crumbly topping that’s lightly spiced and sweetened with maple sugar.
maple walnut apple crisp has to be one of the most comforting desserts of the fall season
If you’re like me you also pretty much always have a few apples and pears hanging around the kitchen in the fall — I pick them up as equal parts decor and produce, and it’s so convenient to have seasonal fruit to whip up simple desserts like this maple walnut apple crisp when the mood strikes.
It’s simple to put together (especially if you took my advice and stocked your freezer with make ahead crumble topping!), and so delicious enjoyed warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a spoonful of rich creme Anglaise (easy custard sauce.) A scoop of vanilla ice cream is never a bad idea, either.
related: Apple Cider Doughnut Cobbler
ingredients for maple walnut apple crisp
- apples
- any apple variety you like will be fine in this recipe, some will hold their shape and bite a bit more than others, some will be sweeter, or more tart, but any will work. See my guide to baking with apples, below.
- maple syrup
- I like to look for a maple syrup with a dark color and robust flavor so that it shines through as much as possible in recipes.
- flour
- maple sugar
- learn more about maple sugar, below!
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- salt
- butter
- walnuts
- sub pecans, or leave them out if you don’t do nuts.
- oats
- they add flavor and a nice chew factor to the crisp topping.
a condensed guide to common apple varieties
I don’t believe in prescribing specific apples for most of my recipes, apples come in an amazing variety and I find that they can be used interchangeably in most cases with delicious results and subtle flavor and texture variations.
- Jonagold: Balanced sweet-tart, holds shape. Great for pies and versatile baking.
- Granny Smith: Tart and firm. Great for pies and crisps; holds shape well.
- Honeycrisp: Sweet-tart and juicy. Ideal for cakes and muffins; retains some crispness.
- Fuji: Very sweet and soft. Use in cakes or pies, especially with tart apples for balance.
- Gala: Sweet and softens easily. Best for muffins or quick breads.
- Braeburn: Sweet-tart and firm. Perfect for pies, crisps, or savory bakes.
- Golden Delicious: Mildly sweet, softens considerably. Ideal for sauces and smooth fillings.
maple sugar is so cool – have you ever baked with it?
I made this apple crisp topping extra special by using maple sugar in place of regular sugar. It’s got a sandy texture and a delicious toasty maple flavor. My maple sugar comes from Roxbury Mountain Maple, a small farm in upstate New York
But, like I’ve mentioned before on the blog, don’t expect big maple flavor from using a little syrup or maple sugar in your baking, it’s just too subtle to come through very strongly most of the time. If you want that maple flavor to really pop, I sometimes suggest using a little bit of natural maple extract. It’s optional, of course, but really can make a difference.
walnuts and oats add extra texture to this apple crisp
You can leave either of them out if you’d like, but I love the nubbly bit of crunch and depth of flavor that they add. I’ve recently discovered extra thick rolled oats, and love using them in crisps and crumbles. I now make my muesli and granola with them, too.
best baking dish for crisps and crumbles
I used an 11 inch stoneware oval baker here that I love from Staub. I generally like to bake crisps and crumbles in a ceramic baking dish, but glass dishes also work well, and you have the advantage of being able to see the pretty fruit filling in the pan.
If you want to adapt this maple apple crisp recipe for a different size baking dish, I recommend checking out my post on making crisps and crumbles without a recipe — it’ll walk you through customizing a crumble recipe for whatever size pan you’ve got.
more favorite apple desserts
- Dutch Apple Cake
- Apple Cider Doughnut Bundt Cake
- Rustic Apple Galette
- Easy Puff Pastry Apple Strudel
- Apple Cider Doughnut Cobbler
- Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
Maple Walnut Apple Crisp
Equipment
- 2.5 quart baker
Ingredients
- 6 cups peeled, cored, and chopped apples
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup maple sugar (or substitute brown sugar)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Toss the chopped apples with the maple syrup and place them in a 2 1/2 quart baker (see notes for alternatives.)
- Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and maple sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the butter, cut into pieces, and rub together with your fingers until there are no large chunks of butter remaining.
- Stir in the walnuts and oats, and sprinkle the crumbly mixture evenly over the apples.
- Bake for about 45 minutes until golden brown and the apple juices are bubbling.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
- Leftovers can be stored on the counter for up to 3 days, and in the fridge for up to a week.