Autumn Skillet Apple Crumble 

Kindi Lantz October 10, 2019

Fresh Apples Baked with Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and a Sweet Crumble Topping

It’s that time of year when you have to take on a “use it or lose it” mentality when it comes to the abundance of apples, plums, pears, and other seasonal goodies donning the branches of your fruit trees. 

Coincidentally, it’s also that time of year when comfort foods are welcomed at tailgates, parties, and other gatherings. Admittedly, I rarely bring desserts in these instances. I’m more of a savory kinda gal. There’s nothing that beats a good crumble, though, and they are so easy to make! This year, I’ve decided to switch up my M.O. and delight the masses by showing up with an easy, delicious, rustic dessert. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be an autumn dessert without the addition of cinnamon. I created a more subtle flavor by using fresh-grated true cinnamon, or Ceylon cinnamon, rather than the Cassia variety. Cassia is more common and typically the only one you will find in mainstream grocery stores, but it tends to be a bit harsher and I prefer the sweet, smooth flavor that Ceylon contributes. It can usually be found at specialty spice markets but you can also order Ceylon cinnamon here and have it delivered directly to your mailbox!

For this recipe, I decided to use apples because my neighbor just offloaded a large bagful on my doorstep. I’ve also used this recipe to create a fantastic plum crumble and just know it would be phenomenal with pears and any combination of the three! 

Spiced Apple Crumble Baked in a Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

• 1 ½ sticks butter, divided (6 oz)
• 6 cups apples, peeled and chopped (about 4-6 large apples)
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh-grated Ceylon cinnamon 
• 2 teaspoons fresh-grated nutmeg
• ¼  cup vanilla sugar (may be replaced with another sugar variety or you can learn to make your own vanilla sugar here 
• 1 ½  cups almond flour
• ½ cups quick oats
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh-ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon vanilla powder (optional)
• ⅔ cup chopped pecans

Procedure

1. Freeze half of the butter. 
2. Melt the unfrozen half of the butter in a large cast-iron skillet (a 12-inch skillet works perfectly for this recipe).
3. Preheat the oven to 375 ℉.
4. Add the apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the melted butter and cook on low until the apples are soft and can be easily pierced with a fork.
5. Stir in the sugar to the apple/butter mixture. 
6. Use a cheese grater to grate the frozen butter.
7. Place the grated butter, almond flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, cardamom, salt, and vanilla powder into a food processor and pulse until the butter is just cut in and lumps have formed. Alternatively, you can use a pastry cutter. 
8. Stir the chopped pecans in with the crumble topping.
9. Cover the apples with the crumble topping and move the skillet into the oven. 
10. Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling up. 

Serving Suggestions

For ultimate flavor and comfort, I serve this dish warm with a mound of vanilla bean ice cream and an additional sprinkling of cinnamon!