There is nothing more satisfying on a crisp autumn day than an apple crisp. With gooey, warm apples drenched in cinnamon and topped with a crumbly, unbelievably scrumptious oat crust, this dessert is perfect for the Thanksgiving table, especially while delicious, local apples are still available (the silver lining of living in Maine at this time of year). This recipe for apple crisp is my go-to for friends and family in the fall/winter – it’s quick, super easy and always a big hit. Whether you’re looking for a dish to bring to Turkey Day on Thursday or you just like hanging out and cooking with friends at Bates during the chilly winter, you’ll definitely enjoy this sweet treat.
Foolproof Maine Apple Crisp (Serves 6)
What you’ll need:
FOR APPLES:
- Apple peeler
- 8×10 baking dish
- Apples (approx. 9-12, depending on the size of your apples. Mine were massive, so I only used 9. I used Macintosh apples, which will give you a softer texture, but I also recommend Cortland. Granny Smith is also good for baking, but it will be more tart. It’s too late in the season now, but it’s the most fun when you pick the apples yourself! Wallingford’s in Auburn is particularly popular among the Batesies.)
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
FOR TOPPING:
- 1 1/2 cups of sugar
- 1 1/2 cups of cold butter
- 1 1/2 cups of oats
How to prepare the apples:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix the sugar and cinnamon for the apples.
3. Rinse the apples.
4. Peel and chop the apples; put the apple pieces in the baking dish. The size of the apple pieces depends on the texture that you want. The smaller the pieces, the mushier the consistency of the baked apples.
5. Once you have a layer of apple pieces in the bottom of the baking dish, sprinkle a healthy amount of the cinnamon/sugar mixture on top of them. No need for measuring – trust me, this is really hard to screw up.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5, layering and sprinkling cinnamon and sugar over the apple pieces until you are out of apples or fill the dish. This apple crisp had two layers.
Now, for the topping:
Okay, the topping is the TASTIEST part. One time, when I was younger, I tried making just the topping, without the apples, which unfortunately, did not work out. It would have been an amazing invention, like muffin tops, but also devoid of any semblance of nutrition. The best part is that it is SO easy! It is simply a 1 cup: 1 cup: 1 cup ratio of sugar, butter and oats, so you can make as much as you like without any difficult conversion math. I usually increase the original recipe by 50%, but I’ve doubled it before to. Go crazy, wild child.
1. Cut the butter to pieces; it will make it easier to combine.
2. Mix! The easiest way to do this is the down and dirty way – with your hands. Get in there and mix, especially squeezing the butter pieces. When you’re done, the mixture should be well-combined.
3. Spread the topping mixture over the top of the apples in the baking dish.
4. If you have any left over cinnamon/sugar mixture, sprinkle it on top.
5. Pop it in the oven for about 45 minutes! You know the crisp is done cooking when the apple juice is bubbling around around the edges and the topping is golden brown.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a hot cup of coffee. Let your friends and family shower you with compliments, but only you will know how easy it really was. Happy Thanksgiving!