An apple crisp without oatmeal relies on an especially buttery, melt-in-your-mouth topping that becomes extra crunchy due to the lack of grains. This alteration emphasizes the blend of cooked fruit beneath.
Traditionally, such a topping mixes flour, sugar and butter along with spice accents like cinnamon and nutmeg. Sometimes, a hint of citrus enhances the blend further. The goal is a light mixture that provides both structure and rich flavor to pair with the soft fruit filling.
Within lies a bed of sweet, juicy apples tailored for baking. Enjoyed piping hot from the oven, it’s customary to accompany each comforting bite with a scoop of ice cream or swirl of caramel for contrasts in temperature and textures. Together, the warm spices playing off cooling cream or sauce evoke downhome Americana flavors.
Apple Crisp Without Oatmeal Ingredients
Here are the ingredients I used to make an apple crisp at home
– Apples – I chose Granny Smith and Golden Delicious for their texture and balanced sweet-tart flavors.
– Fresh lemon juice – I squeezed a lemon over the sliced apples to help retain their color while baking.
– White sugar – I added sugar to the filling for natural sweetness to offset the apples’ acidity.
– Cinnamon – A sprinkle of cinnamon imparted warm aromatic notes that complement apples superbly.
– Topping – I used light brown sugar for its molasses complexity atop the fruit.
– Flour – All-purpose flour formed the crunchy base of my topping mixture.
– Butter – Working the butter into the mixture created tenderness and promoted browning.
– Salt – A pinch of salt balanced the natural sweetness and intensified the other flavors.
With these simple pantry items, I created a comforting classic to enjoy its homemade flavors.
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 4-5 medium sized apples (approximately 2 pounds), preferably using one variety or mixing two kinds like Granny Smith and Golden Delicious
- Juice from half a lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
- ¼ – ½ cup granulated white sugar OR light brown sugar depending on how much you want them sweeter
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- A dash of kosher salt
- ⅛ – ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch(es) of ground nutmeg
- Cornstarch slurry made up of 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed into about 2 tbsp cold water if needed for thickening
Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 8 oz unsalted butter at room temperature cut into cubes
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- Dash of kosher salt
- Sprinkle of ground nutmeg
How I Made Apple Crisp Without Oatmeal
First, I washed and prepared 4-5 apples, slicing them into thin half-inch pieces in preparation for the filling. I layered these tart slices in a greased baking dish.
Next, I squeezed fresh lemon juice over the apples to help retain their natural color while baking. For sweetness, I mixed white sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt then gently distributed this mixture over the fresh fruit.
Having prepped the main filling, I turned my focus to the topping. I whisked together flour, brown sugar and warming spices in one bowl. Then using a pastry cutter, I gradually worked chilled butter into the dry ingredients until it formed coarse crumbs.
I sprinkled this light and buttery topping evenly atop the lemon-dusted apples. Pressing it down slightly, everything was then ready for the oven.
After 50 minutes at 375 degrees, the golden brown crust had finished crisping up nicely over the softened fruit below. A final cool down period concluded the simple process, so I could then savor each comforting bite of homemade crisp.