Apple Crisp

Imagine a bed of tart apples, bubbling with sweetened juices and perfectly spiced with cinnamon. Strewn atop is a rich and buttery mixture of hearty oats and walnuts that soaks up each bit of fruity flavor. Is your mouth watering yet? This apple crisp is truly my idea of the perfect autumn dessert. It is at once warm and filling, an incredible mix of sweet and tart with a hint of fall spices. Unlike a finicky pie dough or complicated layer cake, this crisp is practically foolproof. It comes together with little more than some rough chopping and a gentle toss of a few pantry ingredients. Consider this decadent treat your go-to dessert for fall gatherings – it’ll be my contribution to our Thanksgiving dinner this Thursday!

Apple Crisp

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

For Crisp Topping:

3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, chopped
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

For Fruit Filling:

4 large or 6 medium-sized apples
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

To prepare topping, whisk flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter and distribute with fingers, breaking pieces into small clumps.
Add oats and walnuts and toss together with fingers. Place in the fridge while preparing apples.
Preheat oven to 375°. Butter a glass or ceramic baking dish.
Slice apples into cubes and toss with remaining filling ingredients.
Pour apples into prepared baking dish. Distribute topping over apples, squeezing with hands to form large clumps.
Bake until apples are bubbling and topping is nicely browned, about 40 minutes.

Notes

I like to use a couple of different types of apples for a nice variety of textures and flavors. In this case, I used Fuji and Granny Smith apples.
I find that the apples don’t need to be peeled, as the skin softens in the oven. How easy!
This dish is phenomenal topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream – just sayin’.