Mmmmmmm……..Apple Crisp…..

What could be better on a cool, crisp autumn day than to walk into your house to the smell of apple crisp baking in your oven?  Well, maybe if it was apple pie, or apple brownies, or apple cake, or apple bars baking in there…

…can you see a recurring theme here?

That’s because, believe it or not, I am still up to my eyebrows in apples from when my Mom & Dad dropped off bags of them from their apple orchard in the beginning of October!

I have been baking at least 2 apple recipes per week!

Not like I’m complaining of course, nor my hubby, nor my little girl, neighbors, librarians, family, friends, mailman, etc.

Today, I thought I’d share my classic apple crisp recipe.  The one that I’ve been baking since I first learned how to peel an apple.  And it is divine.  And a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside sends this dish over the moon!

Start with about 8-10 apples, depending on the size.  (I’ve got 10 here because they’re medium-sized.)  Don’t worry about the perfection of the apple.  If they’ve been not-so-gently dropped on the floor, or their skin appears to be ‘aging’, or they have any other blemishes, they are superb for baking!  Keep the beautiful, firm, flawless ones for eating as a snack…

Peel, core and slice.

Place in ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan.

Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons flour on top of apples.

Add 1/2 cup packed brown sugar…

Gently mix this together using a rubber spatula,

till the apple slices are beautifully coated and you’re sitting on your hands in order to stop yourself from eating them all.

Now, we start making the crisp…yum!  You’ll need 1 1/2 cups of old-fashioned oats in a large bowl.

Add the same amount of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups.

2 cups packed brown sugar go in next…

and 2 teaspoons cinnamon…

mix ingredients with a fork…

cut up 2 sticks of cold butter into 1 inch chunks…

and use your fingers to incorporate or smush the butter into all the yummy brown sugar, oats, flour & cinnamon,

resulting in a mound of clumps that slightly resembles a pile of rubble!  Which is exactly the look you’re going for.

Pour this flavorful ‘rubble’ onto the apple slices, place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the smell permeates every room in your home!

Serve warm, serve cold.  Serve with ice cream, serve without.  Serve to others or hide it in the pantry and just serve yourself!

This recipe was actually doubled to accommodate a larger crowd.  It can absolutely be cut in half and baked in a 8 x 8 pan for 30 minutes or so.