Since the leaves have started changing colors and the weather has cooled, it seems like many people want to enjoy every aspect of the holiday season a little more this year. From pumpkin carving to Christmas tree decorating, to cooking and baking warm homemade dishes, many of us have fully welcomed the most wonderful time of the year into our homes. Apple crisp is the perfect dessert for filling your home with the sweet scent of cinnamon and comfort, so embrace the season and put on an apron! 

Yield: 6 servings 

Prep time: 30 mins 

Cook time: 30-40 mins 

Total time: approximately 1 hour  

Ingredients: 

Crumble Topping: 

¾ cup all-purpose flour 

2/3 cup brown sugar 

½ cup oats (you can use instant oats or large oats) 

¼ teaspoon cinnamon 

¼ teaspoon salt 

½  of cold butter 

Optional: Chopped nuts; I used pecans 

Filling: 

6 large apples of choice; I chose Honey Crisp and Granny Smith 

½ cup granulated sugar 

½ cup granulated sugar 

3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour 

3 tablespoons of melted butter 

½ teaspoon of cinnamon 

¼ teaspoon of nutmeg  

1 teaspoon lemon juice  

Optional: Vanilla ice cream 

Directions 

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 2-quart baking dish. 

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  

Cut the stick of butter into small cubes; the butter must be cold for this step. Add the cubes of butter into the mixture and cut it in with a fork. The butter will be hard, so you can use your hands to cut it in. Make sure the butter is well blended; there should be no large chunks of butter visible.  

The topping should look crumbly. 

Optional: add in the chopped nuts. Pecans were used because of their deeper, nuttier flavor. 

Stick the bowl of topping into the refrigerator while you make the filling. 

To make the filling, start by peeling and thinly slicing all the apples.  

In another large bowl mix the apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, nutmeg, and melted butter. The apples should be mixed until well coated with the entire mixture. Spread the filling evenly in the baking dish. 

Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly on top, then place it in the oven to bake. 

Allow it to cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apples’ juices are bubbling along the edges of the pan.  

Once the apple crisp is done baking, remove it from heat and let it cool before serving.  

Serve your apple crisp with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect combination. The warmth of the apple crisp melts the ice cream, and the mouthwatering perfection resembles that of pie a la mode.  

Cuddle up in your favorite cold weather blanket and enjoy this warm treat! 

Do you have a favorite seasonal dish? Send it in to The Runner at [email protected] to be featured.