What better way to get that classic “fall” flavor than in an apple crisp? With cinnamon and cardamom, this recipe is a delicious way to also use spent grains leftover from your home brew! Spent grain apple crisp is sure to please your tastebuds and your family. The fall is such a beautiful time of year for baking this warm, cozy dish. Pairing well with a steaming mug of coffee or black tea, spent grain apple crisp can create the feeling of coming home to a welcoming hearth. It’s exceptionally delicious warm with cream.
My husband loves to brew his own beer, and as a result, over the years we’ve had to be creative with things we can use the spent grains for. Using the grains (we use barley) that have already been brewed with or the “spent grains” is not only being frugal with food, but it also has health benefits. The spent grains are high in fiber and also contain vitamins, minerals, and protein. Because of this, it makes this recipe a “healthier” option. Mixing the grains with oatmeal and apples makes a wholesome and yummy dessert.
To make the Spent Grain Apple Crisp
- Peel and slice the apples. You’ll need around 4 cups of apples for a 9×9 pan. This equates to about five medium apples. To make this apple crisp really have the wow factor, I recommend eating them in season or using frozen orchard apples that you obtained in season. After you’re done with the slicing place the apples in a buttered baking dish. I use a square glass pan or double the recipe in a 9×13 pan.
2. For the crisp part of the apple crisp use a separate bowl. Mix all the dry ingredients together-the oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, and spices.
3. Add the spent grain and butter last. If your spent grain has been frozen it will be much more wet than if it’s fresh and drained well. Mix all of the ingredients well until they form a nice paste consistency. – It is at this point if you think the crisp is too dry that you can add either milk, half and half, or heavy whipping cream.
4. Next add the oat and spent grain mixture to the top of your apples and place in the oven. Bake at 350F for about 40 minutes.
I hope you enjoy this unique take on apple crisp! It makes a great addition with coffee after a meal, and we love to eat it for breakfast too!
If you feel inspired to try brewing your own beer or just want to learn more check out our tutorials here
How to Brew Norse Ale in your Backyard
Let us know what you think of your spent grain apple crisp!
~Emily
Notes on baking
You can definitely use fresh or frozen apples for spent grain apple crisp.
The only consideration is that the final consistency will be a bit different. If using fresh apples, and depending on the variety of apple, the crisp can be a bit dry so I’d recommend putting in 1/4 cup of water in the bottom of your baking dish.
The spent grains you use can also be fresh or frozen. Again, if they are fresh they may be drier than if they are frozen. If the grains are too dry in your crisp topping you can add a bit of milk, half-and-half, or heavy whipping cream until you get the desired consistency. Think a somewhat thickened granola.
Spent Grain Apple Crisp
An easy and delicious take on the classic fall dessert using spent grains from beer making
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh or frozen apples- about 5 medium apples
- 1 cup oatmeal
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 stick butter- melted
- 1/2 cup spent grains
- 1 Tbs cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- if apples are too dry 1/4 c. water
- if crisp is too dry 1/3 c. milk, half and half, or heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Peel and slice the apples about 1/2 inch thick (not cubed)
- Place apples in a greased 9x9 pan- if your apples are fresh and a little too dry add 1/4 cup of water
- In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients together: oatmeal, flour, spices, brown sugar
- Add in melted butter and spent grains to dry ingredients and mix until combined- if your grains were more dry and your mixture needs more liquid to stay together add 1/3 cup of either milk, half and half, or heavy whipping cream
- Place crumble mixture on top of apples
- Bake at 350 F for 40 min. or until apples are soft and the crumble is golden brown
Notes
When working with spent grains I've found that the moisture level can vary pretty drastically. If the grains were drained well after brewing they might be too dry. However, if the grains were frozen and thawed they may be incredibly wet. So use your best judgement. The consistency of the crumble should resemble wet granola that just holds together.
If you are using frozen apples, they may get to be more of a "saucy" consistency. It's up to your personal preference.
This recipe can easily be doubled when using a 9x13 baking dish
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