Warm, tender apples meet a miso-brown butter crumble in this crowd-pleasing crisp that’s sweet, nutty, and just a little unexpected. Thanks to a hint of savory umami, it’s a cozy dessert that feels both familiar and new.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
- 6 Granny Smith apples (about 2 ½ lbs.)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar, divided
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- ¾ cup plus 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 Tbsp. white miso
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- Vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional)
Steps
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking dish with butter.
- Peel, core and roughly chop apples. In a large bowl, toss apples with ¼ cup brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, salt and 3 tablespoons flour. Pour into prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until butter is foamy, smells nutty and brown specks appear, 5–6 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in miso until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, combine oats, remaining ¾ cup flour, ¾ cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Pour in miso butter and mix with fork until clumps form and mixture holds together when squeezed. Scatter topping evenly over apples, keeping large chunks intact.
- Bake until top is golden and apple filling is bubbling around edges, 50–55 minutes, tenting with foil if top begins to brown too quickly. Let cool 10–15 minutes (filling will thicken as it sits). Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
This recipe is
- Vegetarian
- Nut-free
- Egg-free
Tags
- apple crisp recipes
- fall dessert
- Fresh Magazine September 2026