Pioneer woman apple raspberry crisp is an easy fall dessert made with tart green apples, frozen raspberries and crunchy pistachios, ready in about an hour. And since the crumble topping comes together with just your hands, it works for Thanksgiving dinners, potlucks or cozy weeknights.
The step that decides this crisp is mashing butter into the oat topping until big clumps form, because those clumps bake into golden crunchy clusters. But if you just stir the dry mix loosely, the topping falls apart into a sandy layer instead of cracking under your spoon.
Pistachios add a salty crunch and green color you won’t find in most apple crisps, so it stands out from the usual brown sugar versions. And frozen raspberries baked into the filling bring a tart bite that keeps every spoonful from tasting one-note sweet.
Pioneer Woman Apple Raspberry Crisp
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings20
minutes40
minutes837
kcalA buttery oat topping studded with pistachios bakes over spiced apples and raspberries in a cast-iron skillet, creating layers of crunch and warm jammy fruit.
Ingredients
1/2 c. plus 2 tablespoons salted butter, cubed and divided, at room temperature
4 tart green apples (about 2 lbs.), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 c. frozen raspberries
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. chopped roasted and salted pistachios
1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions
- Prep the fruit filling: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Then melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 9- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Once the butter melts, pull the skillet off the burner. While it cools, toss the apples, raspberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. After tossing, scrape the fruit and juices into the skillet and spread them in an even layer.
- Make the crumble topping: In the same bowl, combine the flour, oats, pistachios, brown sugar, cinnamon and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Then add the remaining 1/2 cup butter and mash it in with your fingers until crumbs form. Once you see crumbs, squeeze the mixture into clumps and sprinkle them over the apples in the skillet.
- Bake and cool: Place the skillet on the baking sheet and bake at 350°F until golden and bubbling, about 40 to 50 minutes. If the top is browning too fast, cover it loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes. Once done, let the crisp cool for about 10 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream.
FAQs
Can I use fresh raspberries instead of frozen?
You can, but frozen raspberries work better because they break down in the oven and create jammy pockets of fruit. Since fresh ones hold their shape, the raspberry flavor won’t spread as evenly through the apples.
How long does apple raspberry crisp keep in the fridge?
It keeps well covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, though the topping softens after the first night. Because of that, reheat slices in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes instead of microwaving.
Can I assemble this crisp ahead of time and bake it later?
You can make the topping and store it in a sealed bag in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking. But assemble the fruit filling just before baking, because the apples brown and the raspberries bleed if they sit too long.
What can I use instead of a cast-iron skillet?
A 9-inch square baking dish or a deep-dish pie plate works fine, since you just need something oven-safe that holds all the fruit and topping. Then just grease the dish with butter before adding the filling, since there is no need to melt butter in the pan first.
Why did my crisp topping come out sandy instead of clumpy?
The most common cause is butter that was too cold or not mashed in long enough, so the dry ingredients never bound together. Once you mash long enough for chunks to form and hold their shape, those are what bake into the crunchy golden top.
