The Best Homemade Apple Crisp

I have been making this easy homemade apple crisp for so many years that it is now something I can pull together with out looking at a recipe. It is my husbands favorite dessert so I make it several times a month as soon as the weather turns cooler. There is something so cozy and immensely comforting about filling your home with the aroma of cinnamon and apples.

The original recipe came from my tattered and much used Betty Crocker Cookbook. Over the years I made a few small tweaks to the recipe and lost the original copy. The page actually fell out of my cookbook and ended up at the bottom of my cabinet which I recently found during a purging session. (another reason to do a spring and fall purge)

I use whatever apples we have on hand and often mix varieties. I like to throw in a couple Granny Smith apples and a handful of raisins. If you are wondering why there are no raisins in the picture below it is because my husband requests that I leave those out. (sigh)

Hey, apple crisp is one of the healthier dessert options.

If you feel that you need justification to give this recipe a try, here you go. Apple Crisp is one of the healthier options on the dessert menu. One of my favorite benefits of home cooking is that you get to control what goes into your dishes. I always try and find organic for most things and that includes the spices. This is especially important for the apples that you choose if you are leaving the skin on. For years I would peel the apples because I thought my husband would complain if I left them on. However, one evening I ran out of energy and time and decided to leave the skin on and no one commented. After that I started leaving the skins on. The skin of the apple is high in fiber and vitamins so its a win-win.

Sugar and spice

Again, I choose organic and add a bit more of the spices than the original recipe called for. Cinnamon and Nutmeg not only adds more flavor which in turn lets you get away with less sugar, they are high in antioxidants and both have other fabulous health benefits. Nutmeg contains a natural chemical called trimyristin which is responsible for inducing sleep, relaxing nerves and tired muscles and releases a sense of calm.

Butter

There is butter in the topping and I suggest that you use a good organic butter or if you want an excellent non-dairy butter, my absolute favorite vegan butter is Miyoko’s
It a plant based butter with only a few natural ingredients. I do not recommend margarine. (ever)

Serving suggestion

The most popular way to serve apple crisp is over vanilla ice-cream but you do not have to. It is perfectly delicious served in a cute ceramic bowl all on its own. However if you are an ice-cream lover, you most likely will want to top a bowl of vanilla with heaping spoonful of apple crisp. I make homemade vanilla ice-cream that is wonderful (using only four ingredients) but you can find a natural vanilla ice cream now days at the store. Take a minute to read the label and go with the one that has real ingredients. That are also fabulous non-dairy vanilla ice cream to choose from.

You can also try pairing your apple crisp with different flavors of ice cream such as a dulce de leche or a cinnamon flavor but be advised that varieties such as those will contain more sure and other ingredients you may wish to avoid.

The Best Homemade Apple Crisp

The perfect dessert to serve on a fall evening

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Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 5 med tart baking/cooking apples washed and sliced. Peal if you wish or leave on
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar may substitute with light brown
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking or old fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup butter softened
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon use a bit more if you like
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• vanilla ice cream for serving if desired

Equipment

• 1 ceramic pie dish

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. Grease bottom and sides of ceramic pie pan or 8 inch square pan
3. In medium size bowl, mix remaining ingredients together using hands.
4. Sprinkle topping over apples.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender.

Notes

A note about mixing ingredients. It truly works better using your hands. I have tried with a fork and a mixer but go back to using my hands to get that perfect crumble. 

You can bake and serve your apple crisp in these adorable red mini ramekins one ceramic pie dish.  

Serve warm with or without ice cream. 

If by chance you have leftovers, serve it the following morning over oatmeal or yogurt.