Updated 11.23.25
The pecan and breadcrumb mixture, seasoned with sugar and cinnamon, goes down over the phyllo base before the apple slices go on top. As it bakes, the nuts toast into the layers beneath and the apple softens just enough to be tender without losing its shape. The result sits somewhere between a tart and a crisp, lighter than both and better than either for a small-batch dessert that doesn’t require a special tin.
Phyllo is one of the most practical ingredients for cooking in small quantities. Use what you need from the package, fold the rest back up, and it keeps in the freezer. The crisp firms up as it cools and slices cleanly once it does. Waiting for that moment is the hardest part.
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Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- Phyllo dough – cut 14 x 9 sheets in half and you have a size for two. When working with phyllo dough, be prepared to work fast, as phyllo dough will dry quickly and easily tears. Unroll the phyllo sheets and lay them flat on a dry surface and cover immediately with a damp towel.
- Butter
- Pecans – roasted or roast them yourself
- Bread crumbs – plain
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Apple – any apple you like
Want to see the recipe in action? This short video below walks you through the key steps.
How to Make Apple Pecan Phyllo Crisp
- Step 1 – Prepare ingredients to assemble crisp easily. This is called ‘Mise en Place’ in French. Literal translation is put in place or set-up.
- Thaw the phyllo dough by following instructions on the packaging. It takes a couple of hours. Keep it moist.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Preheat an oven to 350°F.
- Roast pecans on a baking sheet and toast for about 7-10 minutes in the oven. Omit oil, there will be enough fat in the crisp. Alternatively, you can buy roasted pecans.
- Chop pecans finely and mix with bread crumbs, sugar and cinnamon.
- Peel the apple, take the core out and slice is super thin, making use of a mandoline slicer. You need the slices thinner than you can slice with a knife. Not all the slices will be perfect, but that’s OK, just reserve the beautiful slices for the top and use the rest for in between the phyllo sheets.
- Melt butter.
Step 2 – Increase oven to 375°F.
Place the first sheet of phyllo dough on the parchment paper. Thinly brush the phyllo dough with melted butter and place the next sheet on top and brush with butter again.
Step 3 – Sprinkle with pecan-bread crumb mixture over the butter. Leave about 1/2 inch border. Cover with phyllo sheet and brush with melted butter.
Step 4 – Cover with two layers of apple slices.
Step 5 – Repeat: Cover apple with phyllo sheet – brush with melted butter – phyllo sheet – brush with melted butter – pecan mixture – phyllo sheet – brush with melted butter – last layer of apple – brush apple slices with butter.
Last layer: sprinkle cinnamon sugar over apple slices.
- Step 6 – Bake Apple Pecan Phyllo Crisp in oven for approx. 30 minutes, rotate baking sheet half way through. When baked, the phyllo dough will be golden brown and apple will be soft. Keep an eye on this crisp, you don’t want the edges of the dough to burn.
Cool slightly and cut in 4 pieces and serve.
The result is a phyllo pie, tart or crisp served as dessert, a breakfast or a welcome sweet snack with tea or coffee. The edges are crisp and you can see the individual layers. I could image that phyllo dough with just a little butter and sugar would already be a nice treat.
The middle part is soft and crispy. I know that sounds like a contradiction, but I don’t know how else to describe it. Soft when you eat the fruity part, but there are the pecan crumbs and you have the crispy edges of the phyllo dough.
Adapted a recipe from Martha Stewart.
ENJOY!
Apple Pecan Phyllo Crisp
Pin Recipe FacebookIngredients
- 1/4 cup pecans
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 sheets phyllo dough, 14 x 9, cut in half = 6 sheets
- 1/4 stick butter, melted
- 1 apple
Cinnamon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1.5 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Thaw the phyllo dough according to instructions on the packaging. (NOTE 1)
- Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast for about 7-10 minutes. Omit oil, there will be enough fat in the crisp. (NOTE 2)
- Once the pecans are done, cool the baking sheet and the nuts. When baking sheet is cooled, line with parchment paper. Chop the pecans and mix with bread crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. Increase heat of oven to 375°F.
- Peel and core the apple, and slice it as thin as you can (by hand or use a mandolin). Not every slice will be perfect, so keep the beautiful slices for the top and use the rest for the filling.
- Place the first sheet of phyllo dough on the parchment paper. Brush the phyllo dough with melted butter and place the next sheet on top and brush with butter again.
- Sprinkle with the pecan mixture (leave a border of about 1/2 inch) and cover with a sheet of phyllo dough. Brush with melted butter and place 2 layers of apple slices on top (leave a border of about 1/2 inch).
- Cover apple with phyllo sheet – brush with melted butter – phyllo sheet – brush with melted butter – pecan mixture – phyllo sheet – brush with melted butter – last layer of apple – brush apple slices with butter. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over apple slices.
- Place baking sheet in the oven and bake for approx. 30 minutes. Rotate half way through. Crisp as done when dough is golden brown.
- Cool slightly and cut in 6 pieces.
Notes
- When working with phyllo dough, be prepared to work fast as phyllo dough can quickly dry and tear. Unroll the phyllo sheets and lay them flat on a dry surface. Immediately cover with a damp towel.
- You can also buy roasted pecan halves.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.