I love apple pie. In fact, it has earned a spot in my list of top 10 favorite desserts. What ranks even better in my books? Apple Crisp. With apple crisp, there is no need to worry about making a pie crust. This alone takes away several of the most common difficulties of making apple pie; you completely avoid panicking over the crust shrinking or breaking as it’s in the oven. Apple Crisp is also known as apple crumble– having it break as you bake is more than okay!
Also, if you’re a fan of the apple peel and don’t wish to remove it before cutting the apples, that’s perfectly fine. Personally, I don’t especially enjoy the peel, (all it takes is one experience with a stubborn peel stuck between your teeth, or an extra chewy bite to completely alter the dining experience); I usually peel the apples but it’s up to you and your preference.
I’ve followed several different apple crisp recipes throughout the years.
None of them have ever particularly stood out to me enough to be faithful to one recipe. Whatever doesn’t leave me in the kitchen coring apples all day is good enough for me! This recipe is by The Chunky Chef and I think it will be my go-to recipe from now on. At no point in time did I think, “This is such a pain to make.” or, “Nope, never making this again.”
The type of apple used is up to you, and the amount of apple used should come to 6 or 7 cups. I thought this would be roughly one apple per cup. In the end, it didn’t look like the proper ratio so I added two more smaller-sized apples and it was the perfect amount. If you need help deciding which type of apple to use, here is a more in-depth list of recommended apples by Taste of Home.
Easy Apple Crisp
Ingredients
6-8 apples, peeled, chopped, or sliced
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, diced into small cubes
pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Butter an 8×8 baking dish, or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, add chopped apples, granulated sugar, 3/4 tsp of cinnamon, and lemon juice. Stir to combine, then transfer to the prepared baking dish.
In a separate mixing bowl, add the topping ingredients (brown sugar, oats, flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, salt, and diced cold butter). Then, mix the butter into the oat mixture until you are left with pea-sized crumbles. To do this, you can use two forks or your hands. You can also use a pastry cutter if you have one on hand to make it easier.
Spread the topping over the apples in the prepared baking dish, and gently pat to even it out. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Since ovens vary, I would suggest keeping an eye on the apple crisp every few minutes once at the 35-minute mark. Since I was making this the night before the stored it in the fridge overnight, and reheated it at 350F with foil for about 10 minutes (until it is warmed through).
Serve warm with optional vanilla ice cream, and enjoy!
