Kitchen overrun with apples?
Lets make the simplest, 1-bowl, no fuss, perfectly sweet and crumbly (and easily gluten-free and/or vegan, if you want!) maple cinnamon apple crisp.
And, don’t even try to serve it without a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Apple crisp without ice cream is a crime I dare not commit, and offenders will be found and persecuted accordingly.
First, we peel a boatload of apples. Well, first first, we go apple picking and find ourselves with said boatload of apples in the kitchen. Then we peel and slice those babies right up.
Apple slices get piled right into the baking dish and tossed with:
a ton of cinnamon, because duh.
a little nutmeg, because just a little goes a long way.
maple syrup for sweetness.
lemon juice, to balance out all that sweetness!
apple cider (if you picked some up while you were apple picking!) or water, to give these apples some extra liquid to create that glorious caramel-colored sauce in the pan
and some arrowroot or corn starch, to help thicken up the sauce ever so slightly.
Next, we make the topping.
Oats, flour (almond, oat, whole wheat- your choice here!), MORE cinnamon, coconut sugar, melted butter or coconut oil, a little salt.
THAT’S IT.
Mix it up, crumble it over the apples, and BAKE.
The topping gets golden and crispy, the apples get soft but don’t fall apart, and that bubbly sauce in the pan? I die.
Add a scoop of ice cream and tuck me in for the night. I’m done.
If you’re an apple crisp lover, you are going to FLIP over this super simple maple cinnamon version. It’s made with wholesome ingredients, super flexible (make it vegan! make it gluten-free! add some nuts! live your life!) and seriously so, so good.
Just, please, for the love of all that is right in this world. Add the ice cream.
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, or take a picture of your Maple Cinnamon Apple Crisp and share it with me on Instagram so I can see! Happy baking, friends!
MAPLE CINNAMON APPLE CRISP
Time: 75 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
filling
- 6-8 very large apples (or 10 smaller apples)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons arrowroot starch (or cornstarch)
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider or apple juice (can sub water)
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- a few shakes of nutmeg (1/8tsp or less)
topping
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup flour of choice (almond, whole wheat, all-purpose)
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
- optional: 1/2 cup finely diced walnuts or pecans
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Locate a large baking/casserole dish (ideally 10inch or larger) and place it on the counter nearby.
- Peel and thinly slice the apples, placing them directly into the baking dish. Add all remaining ingredients for the filling on top of the apples, and toss well to combine (I like to use my hands for this, but a sturdy wooden spoon works, too!)
- Place all topping ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Use your hands to crumble the mixture over top of the apples.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Let cool for at least 10 minutes after baking, then serve warm (preferably with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top!).
- Leftovers, should you have any, keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days, and taste best reheated.
NOTES: The beauty of apple crisp is that you can really use any type of apple you have on hand. Since there isn’t a ton of sugar in this recipe, I tend to use sweeter apples like honeycrisp, ginger gold, mutsu, etc. If your apples are on the tart side, feel free to add a few extra tablespoons of maple syrup to the filling to compensate.
MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: be sure to use certified GF oats, and opt for a gluten-free flour such as almond, oat, or a GF all-purpose blend.
MAKE IT VEGAN: use melted coconut oil or vegan butter in the topping