Description
A simple, budget-friendly apple crisp made with pantry staples like oats, flour, and butter. This dessert features a buttery oat crumble topping over spiced apples, offering a comforting, crunchy texture that is easy to prepare and perfect for fall gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6–7 medium apples (about 3 lbs), peeled, cored, and sliced (mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- Optional: ¼ cup chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, toss sliced apples with granulated sugar, apple cider, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, 1 tablespoon flour, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together rolled oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Add cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients and use a pastry cutter or fingers to work it in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized chunks.
- Spread the apple mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the apples and press down gently. Add optional nuts or chocolate if desired.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until the topping is golden brown and apples are bubbly. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
- Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow juices to thicken.
Notes
Use cold butter for a crunchy topping. A mix of tart and sweet apples provides the best flavor balance. Letting the apples sit with sugar draws out moisture and intensifies flavor. For extra crunch, toast oats before adding to the crumble. Can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight before baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 32
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 3
Keywords: apple crisp, budget dessert, fall recipes, easy baking, oat crumble, gluten-free option, dairy-free option