Apple Crisp
Tender cinnamon-spiced apples baked under a buttery brown sugar and oat crumble — a warm, classic dessert that's best served fresh from the oven with vanilla ice cream.
- Filling
- 5 cups fresh apples, sliced
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup old fashioned oats
- ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a deep dish pie plate or large baking dish with butter or cooking spray and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples with the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Toss well until every slice is evenly coated, then pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon until evenly combined.
- Pour the melted butter into the dry topping mixture and stir until everything is well coated and forms a crumbly texture — you're looking for small, loose clumps rather than a smooth paste.
- Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the apples, covering as much of the surface as you can.
- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the fruit is soft and the topping is deep golden brown. Let the crisp cool slightly before serving, and enjoy it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Chef's Note: This is a classic, no-fuss fruit dessert built from pantry staples — the buttery oat crumble topping is what really sets it apart from a plain baked apple dish. Slicing the apples to a consistent size, roughly half an inch at their widest point, helps them all soften at the same rate so you don't end up with a mix of mushy and firm pieces.
If the topping starts browning faster than the apples are softening, loosely tent the pan with foil for the rest of the bake time so the crumble doesn't burn while the fruit catches up. Chopped pecans or walnuts stirred into the topping are a great addition if you're not dealing with a nut allergy, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce all make excellent finishing touches.
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