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Skillet Apple Crisp

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Makes 4 to 6 servings 1x

Time 30 minutes

In How to Cook Everything Fast, recipe directions are separated into “prep” and “cook.” Here, we’ve made that distinction with italics for prep-work and plain text for cooking. This reflects the most efficient order and timing of tasks.

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
  • 2 pounds apples
  • 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Salt

Instructions

  1. Put 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Core and chop the apples, leaving the skin on.
  3. Add the apples to the butter and cook, stirring frequently and adding water 1 tablespoon at a time if the pan starts to look dry, until the apples are tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
  4. Put 7 tablespoons butter in another large skillet over medium heat.
  5. Chop 1/2 cup nuts.
  6. When the butter is melted, add the nuts, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt; toss to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the topping is golden and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes.
  7. When the fruit is soft, divide it among serving bowls. Scatter the topping over the fruit and serve.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Fast

Recipe variations

Skillet Blueberry Crisp Instead of the apples, use 3 pints fresh blueberries or 6 cups frozen. Omit the ground cinnamon in the topping, or substitute 2 teaspoons lemon zest if you like. In Step 2, don’t add any water to the skillet; cook the berries until they just start to burst, 3 to 5 minutes.

Skillet Peach Crisp Instead of the apples, use 2 pounds peaches. Pit them; peel them if you like. Slice them into thin wedges. The ground cinnamon in the topping is optional—I like 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom instead.

Skillet Fruit Crisp with Crunchy Phyllo Topping Omit the oats and coconut. Heat the oven to 375°F. In Steps 3 and 4, combine 7 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, swirling the pan until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Stack 12 frozen phyllo sheets on top of one another; cut them into shreds. Spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet; scatter the chopped nuts on top. Drizzle with the butter mixture and toss with 2 forks to coat. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven (it’s okay if the oven’s not fully heated) and bake, tossing once or twice, until the phyllo is golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Use this to top the cooked fruit in Step 5.