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Cozy Brown Butter Maple Pecan Apple Crisp: Easy Fall Dessert

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A cozy fall dessert featuring a crunchy, buttery pecan topping over soft, jammy apples, sweetened with maple syrup and enriched with nutty brown butter. This apple crisp is a texture event with perfect balance and simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (about ¼-inch thick) — a mix of tart and sweet, like Granny Smith and Honeycrisp
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center.
  2. Brown the butter: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon. It’ll foam up, then settle down, and you’ll see little brown specks forming at the bottom. When it smells nutty and turns a golden-amber color (about 4-5 minutes), remove it from the heat immediately. Pour it into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking.
  3. Prepare the apples: While the butter cools slightly, peel, core, and slice your apples into ¼-inch thick pieces. Toss them in a large bowl with the maple syrup, brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and flour. Stir until every slice is coated. Let it sit for a minute.
  4. Make the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, chopped pecans, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the slightly cooled brown butter over the top and stir until everything is evenly moistened. It should look clumpy and a little shaggy.
  5. Assemble the crisp: Spread the apple mixture evenly in your greased 8×8 baking dish. Sprinkle the topping over the apples in an even layer. Don’t press it down.
  6. Bake for 35-40 minutes. The topping should be deep golden brown and the filling should be bubbling up around the edges. If your topping is browning too fast but the apples aren’t done yet, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  7. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. The filling needs time to set.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the butter — it’s the key to the nutty, toffee-like depth. Toast the pecans for maximum flavor. Use a mix of apple varieties for best texture. Let the crisp rest for 15-20 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set. If the topping browns too fast, tent with foil. Can be made gluten-free with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and dairy-free with vegan butter or coconut oil.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple crisp, brown butter, maple pecan, fall dessert, easy dessert, apple dessert, pecan topping, cozy dessert

Find it online: https://zestynora.com/cozy-brown-butter-maple-pecan-apple-crisp-easy-fall-dessert/