This Easy Southern Fried Apple Crisp takes my popular recipe for Dolly Parton's Easy Southern Fried Apples and transforms it into the ultimate skillet dessert. Perfect for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving, or a simple Sunday treat, this recipe tops buttery, caramelized skillet apples with a crunchy honey granola and pecan streusel. If you are searching for a delicious crowd-pleasing dessert to serve warm with vanilla ice cream, this easy stovetop-to-oven crisp is guaranteed to be a hit.
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Why You'll Love Easy Southern Fried Apple Crisp
- Features Famous Southern Flavor: Built on the base of my recipe for Dolly Parton's Easy Southern Fried Apples, delivering an authentic, extra-rich skillet filling.
- Incredible Texture Contrast: Soft, gooey caramelized apples form the foundation, paired with an intensely crunchy honey granola and toasted pecan topping.
- Quick & Low-Effort Prep: Using store-bought granola as the crisp base saves prep time while delivering bakery-quality crunch.
- One Pan Wonder: Cook the filling and bake the crisp all in one cast-iron skillet or Le Creuset braiser for easy cleanup.
Ingredients for the Southern Fried Apples
Ingredients for the Granola Pecan Topping
Steps to Make the Easy Southern Fried Apple Crisp
- Prepare one recipe for Dolly Parton's Easy Southern Fried Apples, cooking the apples for only 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add ½ cup of water, reduce the heat to medium-low, and allow the apples to simmer while preparing the crisp topping.
- Place the honey granola, pecan pieces, all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, and ground cinnamon in a large bowl. Then, stir everything together until well combined.
- Cube the unsalted butter and add it to the bowl.
- Put on a pair of vinyl gloves and work the butter into the granola mixture until all the cubes are broken up and the mixture is crumbly.
- Remove the pan with the apples from the heat and sprinkle the granola mixture over the top of the apples. Bake in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla Ice cream.
Taking my recipe for Dolly Parton's Easy Southern Fried Apples and baking it with a honey granola crust creates an unbeatable warm dessert. This Easy Southern Fried Apple Crisp delivers incredible skillet-caramelized flavor and delicious texture in every single bite. Bake this simple treat tonight, serve it hot with vanilla ice cream, and enjoy a Southern favorite everyone will crave!
Frequently Asked Questions
Starting with Dolly's famous fried apple technique ensures the apples are rich, tender, and caramelized before they ever hit the oven. Pre-cooking the fruit eliminates excess moisture, giving you a thick, luscious filling instead of a watery crisp.
Granny Smith apples are the top choice because their firm texture holds up during frying and baking, while their tartness balances the sweet brown sugar and buttery topping. You can also combine them with Honeycrisp or Fuji for a blend of sweet and tart flavors.
Yes! You can sauté the apple base and assemble the dry granola topping separately up to a day in advance. Store the apples in an airtight container in the fridge, then top and bake right before serving for maximum crispness.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat servings in a toaster oven or standard oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes, or until the topping is crispy again and the filling is warm. Avoid the microwave, as it will make the topping soggy.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Don't Overcook the Skillet Apples: Only sauté the apples for 10 minutes during the initial skillet step. They will continue cooking in the oven, so keeping them slightly firm prevents them from becoming mushy during the bake.
- Slice Apples Evenly: Use a 16-slice apple cutter to cut your apple slices to a ½-inch uniform thickness so they sauté and bake evenly without leaving hard spots.
- Watch the Bake Time Closely: Because granola already contains toasted oats and honey, keep an eye on the oven during the last few minutes of baking to prevent the pecans and granola from over-browning.
- Serve Hot with Cold Ice Cream: Contrast the hot skillet apples with cold vanilla ice cream, salted caramel drizzle, or freshly whipped cream for the ultimate dessert experience.
Other Great Apple Recipes
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Easy Southern Fried Apple Crisp (with Granola Pecan Topping)
Equipment
- 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet or 5-qt. Le Creuset Braiser
- Vinyl Gloves
- 16-slice apple cutter
- Vegetable Peeler
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Dolly Parton's Southern Fried Apples
- 2 c Honey Granola
- 1 c Pecan Pieces
- 2 tbs Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tbs All-Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare one recipe for Dolly Parton's Southern Fried Apples, cooking the apples for only 10 minutes.
- Add ½ cup of water, reduce the heat to medium-low, and allow the apples to simmer while preparing the crisp topping.
- Place the honey granola, pecan pieces, all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, and ground cinnamon in a large bowl. Then, stir everything together until well combined.
- Cube the unsalted butter and add it to the bowl. Put on a pair of vinyl gloves and work the butter into the granola mixture until all the cubes are broken up and the mixture is crumbly.
- Remove the pan with the apples from the heat and sprinkle the granola mixture over the top of the apples. Bake in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes until golden brown and crunchy.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla Ice cream.
- Yield 12 servings
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