Spiced Apple Tater Tot Crisp with Honey Whipped Cream {Guest Post}
An easy recipe for sweet and savory spiced apple tater tot crisp, loaded with cheese and a sweet honey whipped cream.
GUEST POST: Spiced apple tater tot crisp with honey whipped cream by Climbing Grier Mountain
Howdy, Baked by Rachel readers!
I’m Lauren Grier, the author of Climbing Grier Mountain (CGM). For those of you I haven’t met, I write a food and lifestyle blog in the Mile High City. On CGM, you’ll find scrumptious recipes like sloppy joe quesdillas, rocky road nutella bars, or pot roast naan pizza. You’ll also find endless amounts of documented shenanigans. So, if you need a few chuckles this Monday morning, stop by and say, “What’s up?”
I’m thrilled to be guest-posting today! I had the pleasure of meeting Rachel last year at the Mixed Conference. Rachel is a sweetheart, so when she asked me to guest post in her Apple a Day series, I was super pumped and immediately said, “Let’s DEWWW this!”
Okay, I have to let you in on a little secret: I really do eat an apple a day! Okay, minus the day after a night in the giggle juice or if we are traveling and I forget. I honestly try and eat an apple day. My Grandpa Ray used to eat them by the bucketful and he lived well into his 90’s. Maybe the saying is true – “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
Besides the health benefits of apples, there are 7,452 different ways to bake, sauté, and cook with apples. Sweet or savory? Hot or cold? Stuffed or non-stuffed? Bubba Gump shrimp ain’t got nothing on the apple, yo.
Case in point: it didn’t take me very long to come up with a dish for this series. I have been on a major tater tot kick and figured why not marry these two together. Since tots are a delicacy in my world and like Napoleon I’d rather not share, I needed to create a dish that the hubs would steer clear of. Enter this sweet and savory spiced apple tater tot crisp. Imagine an apple pie, but with a fried buttery crust topped with spiced granola and sweet honey whipped cream.
Drool worthy.
Wait, glamour shot worthy.
Spiced Apple Tater Tot Crisp with Honey Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1 bag tater tots
- 1 1/2 C white cheddar cheese shredded
Apple filling:
- 2 large granny smith apples peeled, core removed, sliced
- 2/3 C granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
Granola topping:
- 1/4 C all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 Tbsp light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 C old fashioned oatmeal
Whipped cream:
- 1 C heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tbsp honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a large cast-iron skillet, place frozen tater tots on the bottom making sure they are arranged in an even layer. Top tater tots with apple filling. Then top apple filling with the granola topping. Bake in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove skillet from oven and add cheddar cheese on top. Bake for another five minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Remove skillet from oven, let it cool slightly. Serve with a big dollop of honey whipped cream on top!
- In a large bowl, combine apple slices, sugar, nutmeg, juice, flour, and butter. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, granola, and salt. Add butter using your fingers to combine with dry ingredients. Set aside when done.
- In a stand fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the heavy cream on high. Slowly add the honey. Whisk until soft peaks form. Set aside until ready to top the tot dish!
I know what I have to do with the tater tots in the freezer!! It’s so many loves meshed into one glorious dish! Thanks for the craving Lauren! -Rachel
You can find Lauren on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
Be sure to check out these other recipes by Lauren:
Spiced chicken drumsticks with brown sugar and jalapeños, Banana cake with vanilla frosting and Pumpkin cake squares with orange nut frosting.
I never have taste a thing like this on my Whole life, i mean i tried Tart tatin but never tried a thing like this.looks great
Ok if this isn’t one big cozy fall hug on a plate I don’t know what is!! YUM!! #tots4life
What is this work of genius, Lauren? It may make it onto my Thanksgiving table this year!
Tater tot HEAVEN!
This is one of the more unique things I’ve seen posted on a baking blog, but it definitely looks like it’s worth a try!
What, What???? tots and apples together – my mind is officially blown! someone hand me a fork of this and waft it under my nose like smellin’ salts. I got a case of the vapors!
I eat an apple a day when apples are good, but I definitely fall off in the summer. So excited for apple season and for apples with tater tots. Total genius!
Thanks so much Rachel for letting me guest post today!! Glad to be a part of a fun series!
What kind of craziness is this Lauren?! Holy moly I have never wanted tater tots so bad.
Oh my goodness, this recipe with sweet potato tater tots would be unrealllllll!
I eat an apple a day too!
It’s so good for you!
I LOVE skillet recipes–so glad they are making the food blogging world go round! lol
omg this is UNREAL. spiced apple tots?! this is the best meal ever! Lauren is like the queen of tots!!
This looks incredible! I second Amy- this looks Thanksgiving dinner worthy!
I swear, Lauren – you are an evil genius!! This is the best possible kind of comfort food, and I never in a million years would have thought of it myself!
Totally amazed at this dish! Would love to have a big bowl of it right now!!
Hi, can you please tell me if this is a dessert or side dish,? The whipped cream says dessert the potatoes say a side dish. Please clarify, Lauren
Thanks, Jeanie
HI Jeanie! The dish can be either. If you omit the whipped cream, it’s more of savory dish. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks!
I, too, eat at least an apple a day. Looks good!
This looks AWEsome! Should the tots be thawed or still frozen?
I believe these should still be frozen. If I hear otherwise I will be sure to follow up.
Rachel and AC – The tots are frozen! Rachel, can you update the ingredients/directions? Sorry about that!
No problem! Thanks for the update :)
I think I just died and went to heaven (cloud nine, more specifically). Someone wake me up when my sweet-toothed dream is over. I think someone else mentioned it above as well, but how AMAZING would sweet potato tots be with this? Like, I’m-already-drooling-amazing.Let me know if you think it would change any of the flavors (in a less than desirable way), or if I’d have to switch around anything else if I substituted sweets!
Can this be made in a 9 x 13 pan???
I imagine you could. It’s definitely worth giving a try! Good luck! :)