Cozy Miso Caramel Apple Crumble – Easy Budget Dessert
A happy accident turned into a cozy, budget-friendly dessert featuring a savory miso caramel sauce over tender apples, topped with a buttery oat crumble. It’s warm, soul-soothing, and perfect for fall gatherings or weeknight cravings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Total Time: 55-60 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick / 56g)
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed (100g)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (60ml)
- 1½ tablespoons white miso paste (25g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 4 medium apples (about 1½ lbs / 680g), peeled, cored, and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15ml)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (8g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (90g)
- ½ cup rolled oats (45g)
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed (67g)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed (85g)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- Make the miso caramel: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add ½ cup packed brown sugar and stir constantly until dissolved and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly pour in ¼ cup heavy cream while stirring. Continue stirring for 1 minute until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in 1½ tablespoons white miso paste, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until fully incorporated. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Prep the apple filling: In a large bowl, toss sliced apples with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon until evenly coated.
- Pour the slightly cooled miso caramel over the apples and stir gently to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- Make the crumble topping: In a separate bowl, whisk together ¾ cup flour, ½ cup rolled oats, ⅓ cup packed brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Add cold cubed butter and work into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter, forks, or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter lumps.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the apples. Do not press down.
- Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set.
Notes
Don’t boil the caramel too long after adding cream and miso to prevent graininess. Use cold butter for the topping to ensure a crisp crumble. Slice apples evenly (¼-inch thick) for even cooking. Let the crumble cool for 15-20 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set. For extra caramel, double the caramel recipe and save half for drizzling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/8 of re
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 38
- Sodium: 210
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 3
Keywords: apple crumble, miso caramel, budget dessert, fall dessert, easy apple dessert, miso apple crumble, cozy dessert