Apple Crisp with Ginger – Easy & Delicious!
Posted: 09/11/2019
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A fun twist on the standard apple crisp, this apple crisp with ginger is going to delight your taste buds and have you coming back for more and more!
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: A fruit crisp is such a delicious and easy dessert!
How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, 1 hour, 10 minutes to bake
Equipment you’ll need: sharp knife, mixing bowl, baking dish, oven
Servings: x
Table of Contents
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Fruit crisps are my absolute favorite desserts. Creme brulee is a close second, but if you made me choose between a good apple crisp or a slice of cake for dessert? It would be an easy choice for the crisp every single time.
I grew up eating apple crisp. It felt like it was always a go-to for my mom, likely because we all loved it so much. In my mind, there isn’t anything much better than warm apple crisp with a scoop of melty vanilla ice cream on top.
Another bonus of apple crisp is that I can eat it for breakfast the next day and still feel pretty good about it. Have you tried apple crisp with a spoonful of yogurt on top? It’s so good…I highly recommend it.
I love apple crisp so much, I even turn it into other things, like these apple crisp breakfast cookies (yes, breakfast cookies) or this apple crisp granola.
About this Apple Crisp with Ginger
Yup, with ginger! This is a fun twist on traditional apple crisp that keeps it true to its authentic character but tells the eater immediately that this isn’t your basic apple crisp. (Again, no disrespect to basic apple crisp; I think we’ve already established that I’m a fan.)
This recipe adds freshly grated ginger root to the filling. Fresh ginger packs a flavor punch; you don’t have to use much of it to taste it.
The crisp topping is perfectly….crispy, for lack of a better word. It’s so simple: oats, flour, brown sugar, butter, and spices.
I don’t know about you, but I like my crisps heavy on the topping. I think it’s the best part! This recipe does not disappoint.
FAQs
What is the difference between apple crisp and apple crumble?
Crisps usually have oats and /or nuts in the topping; crumbles are more like a streusel topping with flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter. They are very similar.
How do you slice apples for apple crisp?
This totally depends on the cook. Some cooks prefer thin half-moon slices of apple; others like chunks. Whether you peel the apple or not is up to you. I like to leave tender-skinned apples unpeeled. I find that the peels cook right down and are indiscernible in the final product. Why not save some work and add extra fiber and nutrition? Always make sure you remove the cores though.
Which apples are best for apple crisp?
A good question! There are so many varieties of apples available, especially in the fall, and you want just the right apple for your delectable crisp or pie.
Choose apples that keep their shape somewhat and which won’t turn into apple mush in your baked dessert. Honeycrisp apples are perfect. They have just the right balance of sweetness and tartness and, as you can see from the photos, keep their shape perfectly without being too hard or crunchy.
Some other varieties I would recommend are: Granny Smith, Jonagold, Braeburn, and Mutsu. These apples all have lots of flavor and won’t turn to applesauce when baked.
Make It Your Own
- Not a ginger fan? Substitute a teaspoon of homemade apple pie spice for the fresh ginger and cinnamon in this recipe.
- Make a pear/apple crisp: Substitute sliced, peeled pears for half the apples.
- Like berries better? Sub in two cups of blueberries or raspberries for 2 cups of the apples.
- Add chopped walnuts or pecans to the topping mix.
Make-Ahead Ideas
Crisps are best served fresh and still warm. You can make your crisp ahead of time and bake it later. Cover it tightly and store in the fridge for up to a day. Remove it from the fridge while the oven is preheated and bake as directed.
Pre-baked crisps can be stored in the freezer for up to a month. Tightly wrap the crisp and thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
Storage Tips
Leftover crisp can be left on the counter for up to 24 hours. If it’s going to be longer than that, refrigerate. In both cases, cover the crisp with plastic wrap or foil.
Leftover Love
Have a few scoops of apple crisp left over? Make your own premium ice cream flavor. Mix the leftover crisp with a container of softened vanilla ice cream and refreeze.
More Desserts With Fruit
If you love desserts made with fruit as much as I do, you’ll want to try:
- Blueberry Crisp with Coconut
- Pear Crisp with Ginger
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
- Peach Blueberry Crisp
- Apple Blueberry Crisp
- Grilled Pineapple with Ice Cream
- Cherry Cheesecake Dip (SO easy to make!)
- Cranberry Coffee Cake, with orange and cardamom
- Apple Spice Cake with optional bourbon glaze
- Cherry Crisp from The Salty Marshmallow
- Pumpkin Crisp from Taste Love and Nourish
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
servings
A fun twist on the standard apple crisp, this apple crisp with ginger is going to delight your taste buds and have you coming back for more and more!
Ingredients
Filling:
- 6 cups chopped apples (about 6 medium sized apples)
- 2 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger root
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (zest the lemon before juicing!)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Crisp Topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (quick or old-fashioned, not steel-cut)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (use already ground if you have to)
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 10 by 8 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix ginger root, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon. Add apple chunks and mix thoroughly. Make sure the zest and ginger root are distributed equally throughout the apples. Put into baking dish.
- In the same bowl that you used for the apple mixture, mix flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Add the softened butter, and use two knives held together in your hand (or a pastry cutter or fork) to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. The mixture should hold together in large clumps.
- Using a large spoon or your hand, sprinkle the crisp topping over the apple mixture. Put into preheated oven and bake 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until apples are soft and crisp is lightly browned on top. Cool slightly, and serve warm with ice cream, if desired.
Notes
- If you prefer, peel apples before chopping them.
- I use Honeycrisp apples. Some other apple varieties that would be perfect are Jonagold, Mutsu, Braeburn, or Granny Smith.
- Keep in mind that freshly ground nutmeg has a stronger flavor than the already ground, and adjust the amount according to taste.
- Ginger flavor slightly intensifies in leftover crisp.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 358kcal, Carbohydrates: 63g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 11mg, Potassium: 219mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 45g, Vitamin A: 419IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 1mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Aster Valiant says
Would you be able to substitute candied ginger on the top, instead of fresh? I want so badly to use up ingredients that are taking up space, and this seems like the best recipe I’ve seen yet that has ginger, not just powder!
Rachel Gurk says
I think that would work well!
Daniel says
Great recipe, just finished making it and it tastes great. The only criticism I would have is that it’s a bit intense on the sweetness so I’m going to add half as much next time. Thank you for this simple yet delicious recipe :D
Rachel Gurk says
I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. :)
Ann Engel says
I used to make a similar recipe years ago, the basic crumb crust was 2 cups flour, one cup sugar and 1 stick ( 1/4 lb ) butter or margarine. Mix together until it forms pea sized crumbles, then you can either pat it into the bottom of the dish for a crust or crumble over the top for a Dutch apple type crust. I would split it in half and do both. For blueberries or cherries I would sub out 1 1/2 cups of flour for rolled oats. For the fruit base, a small amount of almond extract really enhances the berry and cherry flavors. For the apples, my mother swapped the apple pie spice for pumpkin, they are very similar but the pumpkin has ginger in it. We also used to add cranberries and raisins to the apple for a harvest type pie, and a small amount of fennel seed for a unique flavor.
Rachel Gurk says
It all sounds amazing!
jack vince says
great post! Thanks a lot for sharing this healthy and yummy recipe!
Rachel Gurk says
You’re welcome!
Lisa Ciccone says
WOW I didn’t think that would be good but I (we) LOVED it
Thank you so much for your help
Rachel Gurk says
So glad to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Natalie says
Hi!
This sounds delicious! I was wondering, can you make it without the lemon? I’ve got a friend who’s allergic. Thanks!
Rachel Gurk says
You absolutely could do that! :) I hope you like it!
Bonnie McGinnis says
This crisp is so delicious! The ginger really adds a nice touch. Everyone loved it!
denise says
sounds delicious!
Rachel Gurk says
Thank you so much, Denise!