You know that moment when you’re craving both apple crisp AND something fun to share? Well, I found the answer – Apple Crisp Pizza! I stumbled across this idea last fall when I had way too many apples from our orchard trip, and honestly, it’s become one of my family’s most requested desserts.
My kids think I’m some kind of genius for making “pizza” for dessert, but really, it’s just apple crisp on a pie crust. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ones, right? The first time I made this, my husband took one bite and said “This is dangerous” – and he was right. We polished off half the pizza that same night.
What Goes Into Apple Crisp Pizza?
I’m all about keeping things simple, so this recipe doesn’t have a million ingredients. You’ve got your basic pie crust (and yes, store-bought is totally fine – I’m not judging!), some apples tossed with sugar and cinnamon, and a crumbly oat topping that gets all golden and crispy in the oven.
The best part? You probably have most of these ingredients sitting in your pantry right now. I use whatever apples I have on hand – usually Gala or Fuji because they’re what my kids will actually eat plain too. The oat topping is where the magic happens though. It gets this amazing texture that’s part crunchy, part chewy.
Mix It Up Your Way
Here’s what I love about this recipe – you can totally make it your own. Last month I threw in some chopped walnuts with the oat topping, and it was incredible. My neighbor swears by adding a handful of dried cranberries to the apples.
Sometimes I’ll use a mix of apple varieties if I’ve got them. The tart ones balance out the sweet ones really nicely. And if you’re feeling fancy, a tiny bit of nutmeg in the apple mixture is pretty amazing too.
Questions I Get Asked A Lot:
Do I really need to make my own pie crust? Nope! I mean, if you love making pie crust, go for it. But I usually grab one from the store and nobody complains. Life’s too short to stress about pie crust.
What if my apples get mushy? Pick firmer apples like Gala, Fuji, or Granny Smith. Also, don’t skip the flour in the apple mixture – it soaks up the extra juice so things don’t get soggy.
Can I prep this ahead? Absolutely! I’ve put it together in the morning and baked it after dinner. Just might need an extra few minutes in the oven if it’s cold from the fridge.
My family doesn’t like oats – can I skip them? You could, but they really make the topping special. Maybe try chopped nuts instead?
Keeping It Fresh
This keeps great in the fridge for a few days, though it never lasts that long at my house. I usually just cover it with foil. To reheat leftovers, I stick individual pieces in the oven for a few minutes rather than the microwave – keeps that topping crispy.
How I Like to Serve It
Warm with vanilla ice cream is the only way to go, in my opinion. The cold ice cream with the warm pizza is just… chef’s kiss. Sometimes I’ll warm up the caramel sauce a bit before drizzling it on top, but that’s probably overkill.
This has become my go-to dessert when we have people over. It looks impressive, feeds a crowd, and honestly, who doesn’t love the idea of dessert pizza? Plus cutting it into wedges makes everyone feel like a kid again.
Apple Crisp Pizza
Ingredients
For the pizza:
- 1 9-inch pie crust, rolled to fit 12-inch pizza pan
- 4 cups apples peeled and diced (about 4 medium apples)
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the topping:
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter softened
To finish:
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce
- Vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- Get your oven ready – Heat it to 350°F. Roll out your pie crust to fit a 12-inch pizza pan and fold the edges up a bit to make a little border.
- Fix up the apples – Mix the white sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, and cinnamon in a bowl. Toss your diced apples in this mixture until they’re all coated. Spread them evenly over your pie crust.
- Make the crumb topping – In another bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and soft butter. I like to use my hands to squish it all together until it looks like wet sand with some bigger chunks. Sprinkle this all over the apples.
- Bake it up – Pop it in the oven for 35-40 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the apples are tender and the topping is golden brown.
- Finish and serve – As soon as it comes out, drizzle that caramel sauce all over the top. Cut it into wedges like a pizza and serve with ice cream while it’s still warm.
Notes
- I always use salted butter for the topping because it balances out all that sweetness perfectly. If you only have unsalted, just add a tiny pinch of salt to the mixture.
- This is definitely best served warm, but leftovers keep fine in the fridge for a couple days. Just reheat individual pieces in the oven to crisp up that topping again.
