Cozy Winter Dessert

People often ask me when I became so interested in baking and cooking. I usually say "pretty much since I was tall enough to see over the counter." But that's not entirely true, because I used to love to pull a stool up to the counter in the kitchen to help my mom with whatever she was baking.

It was for this reason that she enrolled me in a baking class for kids when I was about 8 years old. Our teacher held the classes at her house. I was soooo excited sitting around her big kitchen table for the first class, where we received a folder of the recipes we'd be making each week. And the very first entry in the folder was for Apple Crisp.

My recipe for Apple Crisp has changed over the years - to be honest it often changes from crisp-to-crisp based on what type of apples I have around the house, what spices I have on hand, etc. But here is my basic go-to recipe that I am happy to share with my dear readers!

Oatmeal Apple Crisp

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup salted butter, well-chilled
3 McIntosh apples - peeled, cored, and sliced
1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored, and sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar. Using a knife, cut the butter into this mixture in thin tabs. With a pastry cutter or a fork, blend the butter into the oat mixture until it is well-combined and crumbly.

Toss apples together in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, tossing the apples until they are evenly coated. Pour the apples into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle oat mixture over the top, spreading evenly. Bake in preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until apples are bubbling and crisp is well browned. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Freshly whipped cream spiked up with a little sugar, vanilla, and Irish Whiskey is divine!