Apple Crisp Recipe

The fall air is cool and sharp. Kids are back in school, football is back on television, and sweaters are coming out of storage. It is the season for many things, and two of my favorites go hand in hand: apples and baking.

When it comes to using apples in baked goods, apple pie is, of course, king. But that’s just the beginning. The season is long and the apples are plentiful. Be it cakes, cookies, muffins or cobblers, the firm, sweet and sometimes tart flesh of fall’s bounty is a superstar of fall baking. Among my favorites is the aptly named apple crisp.

Apple crisp is a simple dessert. Often mistaken for cobblers, which have a biscuit crust, crisps are topped with streusel. Crisps are a favorite alternative to traditional pies, quick to prepare without the time or effort needed to produce a rolled crust. The flavors and textures of a crunchy blend of oats, flour and almonds baked over sweet and silky apples with a hint of cinnamon is surprisingly complex and sure to please kids and foodies alike.

This recipe takes just a few minutes to prepare and an hour in the oven. When preparing the streusel, take care not to overblend to ensure it will be crisp and crumbly.

Apple Crisp

• 3 1/2 pounds Honeycrisp apples
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  cup flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 sticks cold butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Peel, core and slice the apples and place in a large bowl.

Toss apples with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla and spread evenly in a 9" baking dish.

Combine flour, oats, butter, brown sugar, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse just until coarse, pea-sized clumps form.

Add almonds and pulse briefly to combine.

Spread evenly over apples in a baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until top is lightly browned.