Easy Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp Recipe Using Cake Mix

Enjoy fall flavors with this easy recipe for easy Cake Mix Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp. Fresh apples, a sweet cake mix topping, and a drizzle of caramel sauce make this fall recipe a family favorite!

There’s something truly magical about the combination of sweet, tender apples and crunchy pecan crumble in a warm, comforting apple crisp. 

This classic apple dessert is the perfect fall dessert during the autumn season when apples are at their peak freshness and flavor. 

Whether you’re looking for a simple yet delicious dessert to enjoy with loved ones or craving a cozy treat to indulge in on a chilly evening, homemade apple crisp with pecans is sure to hit the spot. 

So grab your baking dish and get ready to whip up this easy dessert recipe that will have your kitchen smelling with all the cozy vibes of fall!

Let’s dive into the recipe so you can start enjoying this perfect dessert for fall.! We can chat about tips and tricks for this recipe later in the post.

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gather the ingredients

I like to get all of the ingredients out before starting to cook. You will need the following:

• 6 cups peeled and sliced apples (more on the apples later!)
• box of yellow cake mix
• 2/3 cup quick oats
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 stick melted butter
• caramel sauce (homemade caramel sauce or store-bought!)

how to make apple crisp using cake mix

Once you have the simple ingredients gathered it’s pretty straightforward. 

• Heat oven to 350* while you get the ingredients prepped.
• Dump everything except the melted stick of butter, the caramel sauce, and the apples into the large bowl.
• Stir the dry cake mix, oats, chopped pecans, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl until well combined using a heavy wire whisk.
• Pour the melted butter over the dry cake mixture and combine until crumbles form.
• Pour the prepped apples into an even layer in a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish. Sprinkle with extra cinnamon if you prefer.
• Dump the entire cake mixture over the apples and spread it evenly.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes uncovered until the apples are tender and the crumble is golden brown.
• Add caramel drizzle over top of the whole thing or over individual servings.

tips for delicious and simple apple crisp

• The best apples for this apple crisp recipe in my opinion are Honeycrisp. They are juicy and extra crisp. Honeycrisp are easy to peel and chop since they are large. One large Honeycrisp apple yields approximately one cup of chopped apples.
• Granny Smith Apples are a favorite for this cake mix apple crisp recipe too. Granny Smith apples are very tart and not as sweet as Honeycrisp.
• I do not recommend apple pie filling for this recipe. You cannot control the sugar in canned apples or in cans of apple pie mixture. Box cake mix already has sugar and I do not recommend adding additional sugar with canned apples of any kind.

• Try other dry cake flavors like spice cake mix, white cake mix or even lemon cake mix!
• The brand of cake mix doesn’t matter but I did choose one labeled ‘moist’ for this recipe.
• Cut the apples into thin slices to reduce the baking time.
• Use a smaller 8″ x 8″ casserole dish to create a deep dish version of this recipe.
• It isn’t necessary to grease the bottom of the baking dish because the butter in the crumble mixture will melt down and prevent the apples from sticking
• Make your own caramel sauce instead of store-bought if you prefer!
• Serve the warm apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect touch!

apple crisp recipe easy method

Wasn’t that such an easy recipe to make for fall? It’s seriously a fall comfort food favorite at my house! 

Let me know if you make it for the holiday season coming up. This apple dessert would be perfect for a family gathering at Thanksgiving and even Christmas!

It was also a favorite at a large family gathering recently. In fact, I made two batches for the 60+ family members! They loved it! 

I used disposable metal baking dishes with lids so that I could transport the apple crisp safely. 

The apple crisp was served at room temperature and everyone enjoyed it. I even forgot the caramel sauce at home and no one noticed!

shop the post

Tap on the images below to grab the kitchen tools I used for this recipe!

apple crisp printable recipe

Here is the recipe for you to print! I’m sure it will become a family favorite in your home too!

Print Recipe

Easy Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp Recipe Using Cake Mix

Enjoy fall flavors with this easy recipe for Cake Mix Apple Crisp with Pecans. Fresh apples, a sweet cake mix topping, and a drizzle of caramel sauce make this fall recipe a family favorite!

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time50 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple crisp, cake mix recipe, fall dessert

Servings: 6

Equipment

• 8 cup mixing measuring bowl
• Danish dough whisk
• 9" x 13" glass baking dish 8" x 8" glass baking dish for deep dish version
• silicone spatula
• ironstone bone dishes for serving
• vintage silverware

Ingredients

• 1 box moist yellow cake mix
• 2/3 cup quick oats
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 stick melted butter
• 1 bottle caramel sauce optional: homemade caramel sauce
• 6 cups peeled, sliced Honeycrisp apples

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350* while you get the ingredients prepped.
• Dump everything except the melted stick of butter, the caramel sauce, and the apples into the large bowl.
• Stir the dry cake mix, oats, chopped pecans, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl until well combined using a heavy Danish whisk.
• Pour the melted butter over the dry cake mixture and combine until crumbles form.
• Pour the prepped apples into a 9" x 13" casserole dish in an even layer. Sprinkle with extra cinnamon if you prefer.
• Dump the entire cake mixture over the apples and spread it over top of the apples.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes uncovered until the apples are tender and the crumble is golden brown.
• Add caramel drizzle over top of the whole thing or over individual servings.

Notes

• • The best apples for this apple crisp recipe in my opinion are Honeycrisp. They are juicy and extra crisp. Honeycrisp are easy to peel and chop since they are large. One large Honeycrisp apple yields approximately one cup of chopped apples.
  • Granny Smith Apples are a favorite for this cake mix apple crisp recipe too. Granny Smith apples are very tart and not as sweet as Honeycrisp.
  • I do not recommend apple pie filling for this recipe. You cannot control the sugar in canned apples or in cans of apple pie mixture. Box cake mix already has sugar and I do not recommend adding additional sugar to canned apples of any kind.
  • Try other dry cake flavors like spice cake mix, white cake mix or even lemon cake mix!
  • The brand of cake mix doesn’t matter but I did choose one labeled ‘moist’ for this recipe.
  • Cut the apples into thin slices to reduce the baking time.
  • Use a smaller 8″ x 8″ casserole dish to create a deep dish version of this recipe.
  • It isn’t necessary to grease the bottom of the baking dish because the butter in the crumble mixture will melt down and prevent the apples from sticking
  • Make your own caramel sauce instead of store-bought if you prefer!
  • Serve the warm apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect touch!