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The Best Sourdough Apple Crisp Recipe Ever

If you bake one apple dessert this year, let it be this sourdough apple crisp. It’s the ultimate way to turn your sourdough discard into a golden, buttery crisp topping over perfectly tender apples. This is one of my all-time favorite recipes and once you try it, you’ll know why!
Print Recipe
slice of sourdough apple crisp with ice cream on top
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:45 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Apple Filling

  • 6 medium apples, peeled and sliced (¼-½ inch thick), about 6 cups
  • ½ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Sourdough Crisp Topping

  • 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
  • 1 ¼ cups (106g) quick oats (or old-fashioned oats)
  • 1 ¼ cup (156g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 5 tbsp (71g) unsalted butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup (83g) sourdough discard (100% hydration, less than a few days old, room temperature)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Gather an 8×8-inch baking dish and set aside.
  • Peel, core, and slice apples into even ¼ - ½ inch thick slices (about 6 cups). Place sliced apples in a large mixing bowl.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the apple filling ingredients: granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and cinnamon. Pour over the apples and toss until well coated. Spread the apple mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, oats, flour, and cinnamon for the crisp topping. In a small bowl, melt the butter. Whisk the sourdough discard into the melted butter until smooth and combined. Pour the butter-discard mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until all the dry bits are moistened and crumbly.
  • Evenly sprinkle the topping over the apples. Lightly press down to help it stick.
  • Bake for 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling at the edges. If the topping browns too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes.
  • Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or caramel sauce.
Servings: 6