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Cozy Maple Bourbon Apple Crisp Recipe with 5-Ingredient Salted Caramel Topping

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A comforting apple crisp featuring tart apples simmered with maple syrup and bourbon, topped with a crunchy oat crisp and a luscious 5-ingredient salted caramel drizzle. Perfect for cozy fall evenings and easy to make in under an hour.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 to 7 medium tart apples (Granny Smith preferred), peeled, cored, and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/4 cup real maple syrup (Grade A amber)
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon (e.g., Maker’s Mark)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (can substitute almond flour for gluten-free)
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • Salted caramel topping:
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Peel, core, and slice apples into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Toss with maple syrup, bourbon, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set aside for about 10 minutes.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and sea salt. Add cold cubed butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits (5–7 minutes).
  4. Spread the apple mixture evenly in a 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the oat topping evenly over the apples without pressing down.
  5. Bake for 45–50 minutes until topping is golden brown and filling bubbles at edges. Tent with foil if topping browns too quickly.
  6. While baking, prepare salted caramel: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt granulated sugar, stirring constantly until deep amber. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until smooth. Slowly add heavy cream (careful of bubbling), stir to combine. Add sea salt and vanilla extract. Let cool slightly to thicken (about 10 minutes).
  7. Allow apple crisp to cool for 10 minutes after baking. Drizzle generously with salted caramel before serving.
  8. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat gently in oven or microwave, adding more caramel if desired.

Notes

Use tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for best texture and flavor. Keep butter cold when making topping for a crumbly texture. Start caramel when crisp goes in oven to finish together. For dairy-free, substitute butter with coconut oil and heavy cream with coconut cream. Bourbon can be replaced with vanilla extract for no alcohol.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple crisp, maple bourbon, salted caramel, fall dessert, easy apple dessert, cozy dessert, homemade apple crisp

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