The best Apple Crisp is warm, fragrant, sweet, and full of delicious spices, and this recipe has it all! Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a truly winning combination!

A few things clearly announce the arrival of fall: colorful leaves, cozy sweaters, crisp cool air, pumpkin spice everything…and apples. Think apple picking, caramel apples, apple cider, and of course, apple crisp. Apple crisp is one of those “must-have” fall recipes. Since apple season runs from late July through November, fall is the ideal time to get the best and sweetest tasting apples.

Thanks to our modern storage techniques, we can enjoy most varieties of apples year-round! Though apples are at their best freshly picked, you can still get delicious apples pretty much whenever you want. So you don’t have to wait for fall to enjoy your favorite apple recipes.

You’ll discover you have a lot of apples to choose from.  It can be overwhelming to know which variety of apples to choose. And it does matter; some apples are better for baking, some for eating raw, and some for apple butter and apple sauces. So I’ve included a chart that will help you select an appropriate apple for how you intend to use it. But even this isn’t etched in stone. I have used honey crisp apples for baking many times, and I’m always happy with how they turn out. So use this as a guide to help your apple recipes turn out amazing!!

When choosing an apple, you want the best of the bunch. Choose apples that are firm with shiny skin and don’t have bruising or dents. Avoid the overripe ones as they taste mealy. Bruised apples give off an ethylene gas that promotes ripening, which may cause foods around them to spoil (so clean out your fridge often!). Store your apples in a cool, dry place or in a paper bag in the refrigerator for up to one month.

For this Recipe:

• Start by peeling your apples and cutting them uniformly. I try to cut mine to 1/4 inch thick. You don’t want them too thin, or they will become too soft when baked. On the other hand, if they are too thick, they may not soften enough.
• Place the cut apples in a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon of vanilla.

• In a separate bowl, whisk together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and ginger. Add the apples and stir to coat.
• Spread the apples evenly in the 9×13 dish.

Topping:

• Whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl. Using a whisk or fork helps to break up any clumps.

• Melt the butter and add it to the flour mixture. Using a fork, mix until coarse crumbs form. I find that using a fork allows you to mix and fluff simultaneously. You don’t want large clumps in your topping.

• Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples. It’s easiest to use your fingers to sprinkle the topping over the apples, breaking up any larger clumps as you go.

• Bake for 40 minutes or until apples are tender and the top is lightly browned.

Serve while warm with a side of vanilla ice cream for a perfect fall dessert!