Three's A Charm Apple Crisp
I call this apple crisp, three’s a charm, as it took three tries to perfect. The first time, I tried this recipe with gluten-free oats and not enough topping, so it tasted more like a healthy, fruity dessert. The second time, I increased the ratio all around, adding more fruit and topping, but forgetting the brown sugar and pecans. As I packed it down in a 9” x 9” Pyrex, it spilled over the top, making a mess at the bottom of my oven. About to give up, I’m glad that I persevered, as the third time was a charm—for the apples were delightful, with a tang of cinnamon, and the topping was extra crumbly and fluffy. All the trials were well worth it. See for yourself!
Ingredients
- 8 cups sliced Granny Smith apples
- 1 T. cornstarch
- 2 t. ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, I prefer Kerrygold's
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup Quaker Old-Fashioned Oats, not quick cooking
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ t. sea salt
Directions
- Step 1 Take out the butter so it’s at room temperature and preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Step 2 Wash and peel the apples, slicing them into ¼” pieces—either by using a food processor or by chopping them by hand. Next, measure out the cornstarch and 1 ½ t. cinnamon while melting ½ cup butter in the microwave. Just remember to cover a microwave-safe bowl with a paper towel, so the butter doesn’t splatter. Pour the melted butter in a large mixing bowl, stirring in the apples, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Step 3 Now, to make the topping, measure out the oats, flour, sugar, salt, and ½ t. of cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl. Next, chop the pecans and add to the same mixing bowl. Then, take ½ cup, or 1 stick of butter, and use your fingers to break down the butter to form a crumble, as the dry ingredients adhere to the butter as a binder. Set aside.
- Step 4 Next, grease a 9″ x 13” pan and spread the apple mixture evenly over the surface of the pan. After having a bottom layer of apples in place, sprinkle all the topping over the fruit.
- Step 5 Finally, bake for 45-55 minutes or until the crumble on top is slightly golden. Mine was done at 49 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
- Step 6 Note: this recipe can be made gluten-free by substituting in gluten-free oats.
I call this apple crisp, three’s a charm, as it took three tries to perfect. It was one thing or another —either too many apples, not enough topping, or forgetting the brown sugar. But the third time was a charm and well worth the blunders, as all the pieces came together.
NUTRITONAL INFORMATION: serving size: 8, calories: 587, total fat: 39.4 g., saturated fat: 16.2 g., cholesterol: 61 mg., sodium: 227 mg., total carbohydrate: 59.8 g., dietary fiber: 9.3 g., total sugars: 32.9 g., protein: 5.7 g., calcium: 43 mg., iron: 3 mg., potassium: 397 mg, Vitamin D: 16 mcg.