After a long, excruciatingly hot summer, I cannot wait for the leaves to start changing and for the crisp breeze to signal the start of my favorite season.

Autumn has always held a special place in my heart, whether it be the relief of cooler temperatures, the excitement of getting back to school or simply the nostalgia that the season seems to bring to us all. I do know that fall consistently makes me crave a trip to an apple orchard and my family's favorite apple crisp recipe.

My first two years of college were devastatingly void of this delicious apple crisp, and with a kitchen of my own this year, I decided to take matters into my own hands, no matter how difficult the recipe turned out to be. In the end, the recipe surprised me by being incredibly simple and not requiring the use of any complicated kitchen utensils a financially conscious college kid like myself might not be inclined to buy. 

So, read on if you, like me, get giddy at the thought of fall and apple-themed everything. Your stomach (and your friends) will be forever grateful.

Apple Crisp

  • Prep Time:30 mins
  • Cook Time:50 mins
  • Total Time:1 hr 20 mins
  • Servings:8
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • Apples 4-5 for a pie pan or 6 for a 9x13 pan
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg optional
  • 1/2 cup butter 1 stick
apple, juice, cider
Photo by Zoe Gavil
  • Step 1

    Preheat oven to 375°F and butter the pie pan or baking dish.

    milk, dairy, dairy product, chocolate, cheese, candy, sweet, butter
    Photo by Zoe Gavil
  • Step 2

    Peel and core the apples, then slice them into thin, small pieces. Mix the apple slices with the orange juice, and spread the apple pieces around the pie pan or baking dish. Set the pan aside for later.

    milk, dairy product, butter, sweet
    Photo by Zoe Gavil
  • Step 3

    Use your hands to mix the sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg together until it's crumbly. It helps to slice up the butter into smaller pieces first.
    #SpoonTip: Don't melt the butter. The dry ingredients need to stick to chunks of butter to make the crumble.

    dough, flour, egg
    Photo by Zoe Gavil
  • Step 4

    Sprinkle the mixture of dry ingredients and butter in a thick layer on top of the apples. Make sure the apples are completely covered.

    apple, apple pie, sweet
    Photo by Zoe Gavil
  • Step 5

    Bake for 45-50 minutes, depending on when the top becomes a golden brown color.

    apple, sweet, apple pie, cobbler, pie
    Photo by Zoe Gavil
  • Step 6

    Invite your friends over, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and enjoy!

    Gif by Zoe Gavil