This Skillet Apple-Ginger Crisp Is Easy to Riff On and Hard to Mess Up

Susan Spungen calls crisps a “choose-your-own-adventure cooking experience.” In this F&W Cooks video for her skillet apple-ginger crisp recipe, you’ll see just how adaptable they are. It all comes together in just over an hour in one skillet—here are a few key tips Spungen shared in the video.

Don’t Forget to Chill the Crisp Topping

The crisp topping can be made either in a food processor or by hand. If you’re going to go the “by hand” route, Spungen recommends cutting up the butter into smaller pieces so it’s easier to work through your fingers. After the topping is done, chill it while you prepare the filling—like pie dough, it’s nice to have the topping be cold when it goes in the oven.

Feel Free to Swap in Another Apple—or a Different Fruit All Together

This recipe calls for Granny Smith apples because Spungen likes the tartness; however, in the video, she didn’t have all six Granny Smith apples available, so she combined them with some other ones she had on hand. You can always get apples, she says, but you could also throw some raspberries or blueberries in the crisp, or switch in peaches when they’re in season. Pears or nectarines would work too.

Skip Coring the Apples...

Since you’re not going to see the shape of the apples in this dessert, you can skip coring the apples. Instead of trying to take the cores out, cut the apples off the cores, and make sure the little seed casings are out. When you’re ready to cut them up, don’t worry about the shape of the slices being perfect, either.

...And Add Them to the Skillet Carefully

The caramel is going to be hot, so make sure you're careful when you add in the apple slices. (Once some of them are in, Spungen adds apples on top of apples to avoid splashing.)

Put the Skillet on a Baking Sheet

Before you put the skillet in the oven, place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. This makes the pan easier to handle when it’s coming in and out of the oven, and the parchment paper will catch any overflow.

Dig In

Once the crisp is golden-brown and caramelized around the edges—bake it for about 30-35 minutes—it’s ready to come out of the oven. After letting it cool slightly, you can scoop it into bowls and serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. In the video, Spungen also suggests a little cold heavy cream or crème fraîche.

Get the Recipe: Skillet Apple-Ginger Crisp