About This Recipe
Apple Crisp is a traditional recipe for fall, and I think it’s perfect for a first day of school treat. This old-fashioned recipe for The Best Apple Crisp has been in my family for years. My mom got it from her seventh-grade Home Economics teacher. We always had it for an after-school snack on the first day.
The recipe is rich with brown sugar, which I prefer to granulated sugar when cooking with apples because it has more of a caramel taste. The brown sugar combines with butter and oats to make a rich candy-like topping on tender and tart apples. The sweet and tart flavor combination is out of this world, and the texture is perfect too.
I did make one change to the recipe – I added chopped toasted pecans, just for the extra delicious crunch. You could also try chopped walnuts or even cashews. Just make sure you toast them for a few minutes in a dry saucepan over medium heat so they stand up to the candy-like topping.
Serve this fabulous recipe warm, with caramel or vanilla ice cream on top.
Tips for The Best Apple Crisp:
- Use tart apples for a good flavor contrast. I think the best tart apples are Granny Smith. They also take longer to turn brown, which makes for a better appearance.
- You could use other tart apples, such as McIntosh, Jonathan, and Cortland.
- The dish is piled pretty high in this recipe, which is necessary because the apples cook down and lose quite a bit of volume as the apple crisp bakes.
- You can make this recipe in the air fryer!
Why this recipe works:
- The tart apples and sweet crumbly, dense, and candy-like topping combine for a fabulous taste treat.
- Serving the apple crisp warm with ice cream melting into it adds another layer of contrast in flavor, texture, and temperature.
Steps
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1
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13-inch by 9-inch glass baking dish with nonstick baking spray containing flour. |
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2
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Place the apples in the baking dish and drizzle with the lemon juice; toss to coat. In a small bowl combine the granulated sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the apples and toss again. |
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3
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In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, 1 1/2 cups flour, the oats, and pecans, and mix. Add the butter and mix until crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture over the apples. |
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4
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Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the apples are tender and the topping is browned and crisp. Let cool for 30 minutes before serving. |
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5
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Air fryer instructionsCut the recipe in half. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Prepare the apples as directed and toss with the lemon juice, sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Place in an 6-inch or 7-inch metal cake pan. Make a foil sling for your air fryer if you are using a traditional model, or use a cake lifter to add and remove the pan to the machine. |
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6
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Cover the pan with foil and air fry for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once during cooking time, until the apples are crisp tender. |
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7
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Meanwhile, prepare the topping. When the apples are done, add the topping. Return the pan, uncovered, to the air fryer. Air fry for another 4 to 8 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender. Let cool for 15 minutes, then eat! |
