This time of year, apple-themed desserts are abundant. While most feature fresh fruit baked with some kind of pastry topping & a charmingly rustic appearance, they are not created equally. So, what's the difference between apple crisp, apple crumble, & apple cobbler? ⇢ Fruit crisps typically feature an oatmeal topping. ⇢ Fruit crumbles have a flour-based streusel topping. ⇢ Cobblers are topped with mounds of biscuit dough, reminiscent of a cobbled road.

What are the best apples for apple crisp?

I love to use tart Granny Smith apples in for an apple crisp dessert, but use your favorites! Any firm, not-overly-sweet variety will work wonderfully.

What spices do I need for chai spice mix?

You'll find a jar of homemade chai spice mix on my spice rack this time of year! It's a simple, 6-ingredient DIY chai spice mix I created a few years back after a few of the other online recipes fell a little flat for me – someone who loooves a super spicy & cardamom-forward chai. You'll need: ground cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, & allspice !

Chai Spiced Apple Crisp | Plays Well With Butter

Name: Chai Spiced Apple Crisp
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: nonstick cooking spray; chai spice blend (below); chai spice crumble topping (below); 3 pounds granny smith apples (approx. 8-10), peeled & cut into 1/4-inch thick slices; 1/2 lemon, juiced; 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar; 1 tablespoon chai spice blend (below); 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats; 3/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, divided; 2 tablespoons chai spice blend (below); 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter (12 tablespoons), diced; 1 heaping tablespoon ground cinnamon; 2 teaspoons ground cardamom; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Description

There’s no seasonal dessert I love more than apple crisp. A few years ago, I felt inspired to give my mom’s classic apple crisp recipe a cozy masala chai-inspired twist. Masala chai – the creamy, dreamy spiced tea latte that we Americans typically just call chai – is one of my favorite drinks & I love infusing its warm flavors into all kinds of treats. That’s exactly how this chai spiced apple crisp recipe came to be. (And if masala chai is new-to-you, be sure to check out the blog post, above, to learn more!)

Simply toss Granny Smith apples into a homemade chai spice blend of ground cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, & allspice. Top it off with an extra-generous amount of crumbly, buttery oatmeal crisp for loads of satisfying texture, & bake until bubbling & golden. So good!

I love to serve spiced apple crisp warm with a scoop of vanilla or salted caramel ice cream. It’s the perfect sweet treat to celebrate all things autumn!

Ingredients

Scale

nonstick cooking spray
chai spice blend (below)
chai spice crumble topping (below)
3 pounds granny smith apples (approx. 8-10), peeled & cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon chai spice blend (below)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

for the chai spice crumble topping:

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, divided
2 tablespoons chai spice blend (below)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter (12 tablespoons), diced

for the homemade chai spice blend:

1 heaping tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

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Instructions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray & set aside. Mix the chai spice blend by combining all listed ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Stir to combine & set aside. Peel & slice apples according to the Ingredients List, above.
Prepare the apple filling: In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the chai spice blend, vanilla, & kosher salt. Toss to combine, ensuring the apples are evenly coated with brown sugar & chai spice. Transfer apples to the prepared 9×13 baking pan, spreading them out into an even layer across the bottom. Set aside.
Prepare the chai spice crumble: In a medium bowl, combine the old fashioned oats, flour, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of the chai spice blend, & kosher salt. Whisk to combine. Add in the cold, cubed butter. Cut the butter into the oat mixture – you can use a pastry cutter or fork, though I typically just use my hands to press the butter into the oats – until the mixture is super crumbly & begins to stick together when pressed gently. This takes a few minutes – have patience! Sprinkle the crumble overtop the apples, pressing down slightly to create a nice layer of crumbly topping over the apples.
Bake the chai spiced apple crisp: Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the oven & bake for 45-50 minutes, until the apples are tender, the filling juices are bubbling around the edges, & the crisp is golden. Remove from the oven & allow to cool slightly before serving.
Serving: Serve however you like it best – at our house, we enjoy it while it’s still warm, topped with a generous scoop of vanilla or salted caramel ice cream. Enjoy!

Equipment

Notes

Storage & Reheating: Cool any leftover chai apple crisp completely before covering & storing in the fridge. Leftover apple crisp will keep for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave as desired.