Apple crisp is one of those dishes that’s immensely forgiving for novice bakers. There are multiple ways to screw up the recipe and still end up with a delicious result. For example, I had already altered the original recipe I was using by Alma Schuman from my old Woodland Chapel cookbook. Her version says to add the melted butter and cinnamon (no allspice or cloves at all) over the top separately at the end, but I mixed everything together by accident and found that it coated the dry ingredients more evenly this way.

And then when I went to make a batch for this website, I started out planning to make a half-sized batch. I used only have the amount of apples, then forgot what I was doing and added full-sized amounts of everything else. It’s a bit drier this way, with a thicker topping and fewer apples — but it’s definitely crisp!

Further below is a second recipe by my Aunt Jean, as further evidence that there is more than one way to crisp an apple.

5 c. apples, sliced
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 egg, unbeaten
1/3 c. melted butter
1 tbsp. cinnamon
pinch of allspice
pinch of cloves

Slice the apples and put in the bottom of a greased pan.

Mix sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, melted butter, cinnamon, allspice, and egg until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.

Bake at 350F for 35 minutes.

Aunt Jean’s recipe:
4 c. sliced apples (about 6 medium apples)
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. flour (or use 1 c. graham cracker crumbs instead of the flour and oatmeal combo)
1/2 c. oatmeal
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 c. softened butter

Heat the oven to 375F. 

Put the sliced apples in an 8 x 9″ loaf pan. Blend the other ingredients and spread on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes.