Cinnamon Apple Crisp (and other Dinner Club recipes!) (2024)

118 Comments / By Lisa Leake / November 19, 2013 / Recipes

13 Reviews / 4.9 Average

I've got a great little dessert recipe to share with you that is both cute and easy—Cinnamon Apple Crisp. Trust me, it's almost impossible to mess this one up. We served this apple crisp dessert to our Dinner Club guests last weekend and it was a big hit. They are quick to put together and taste amazing, especially with a little bit of vanilla ice cream!

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Cinnamon Apple Crisp (and other Dinner Club recipes!) (1)

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We served this Cinnamon Apple Crisp dessert to our Dinner Club guests last weekend. And since we used up every last minute of prep cooking time (before the guests arrived) working on the appetizers and main dishes, I found myself starting from scratch with this dessert at the end of the night. This was after a long day, and, to top it off, this was a dish I’d never even made before.

I usually only serve guests recipes that I know will turn out well, but lately I’ve been more lax in that department for some reason. You just never know when you are going to have a recipe fail! But thankfully I learned it’s hard to screw up apples, butter, sweetener, oats, and nuts all baked together in cute little jars of goodness. Clearly the only reason I wanted to serve this dessert in the first place was for an excuse to buy those jars!

The rest of our evening was (thankfully) a lot lessspontaneous. Here’s what we served:

“Southern Small Plates” Dinner Club Menu

  • Boiled Peanuts: I previously thought this might be a complicated recipe when in fact it’s just peanuts that have been boiled! It does take quite a few hours and you certainly don’t want to forget the salt and other seasonings, but this one is super simple.
  • Organic Pimento Cheese:I used the recipe that’s already on my blog for this appetizer.
  • Local Fried Green Tomatoes: This recipe came out of Joy of Cooking (my cookbook bible).
  • Organic Kale and Apple Salad: Coming to the blog soon!
  • Whole-Wheat Biscuits and Jam: This is another recipe that’s already on my blog. I just made them into a bite-sized version and served with butter and storebought all fruit jam.
  • NC Shrimp and Grits: We went out of our way to ensure we had fresh, local, wild caught shrimp for this dish instead of any questionable seafood shipped in from China!
  • Local Pulled Pork and Slaw: The pork was also purchased from a local vendor and this recipe will be coming to the blog soon as well! I’ve actually been working on this one for a while and finally got the results I was hoping for. :)
  • Organic Apple Crisp with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream: Get this easy crisp recipe below! And for the ice cream I loosely followed this recipe (without the pecan topping).

Are you part of a “Dinner Club” as well? How does yours work? I’d love to hear the details in the comments!

Cinnamon Apple Crisp (and other Dinner Club recipes!) (3)

Cinnamon Apple Crisp

I've got a great little dessert recipe to share with you that is both cute and easy—Cinnamon Apple Crisp. Trust me, it's almost impossible to mess this one up. We served this apple crisp dessert to our Dinner Club guests last weekend and it was a big hit. They are quick to put together and taste amazing, especially with a little bit of vanilla ice cream!

13 Reviews / 4.9 Average

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Baking Time: 3 minutes mins

Total Time: 13 minutes mins

Course: Holiday, Treats

Cuisine: American

Diet: Egg Free, Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Servings: 8 servings

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Ingredients

Apple Filling

  • 2 apples (large, a combination of varieties works best (I used a Honey Crisp, which is similar to Gala and also a green apple))
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon butter (melted)
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Crumble Topping

Optional Topping

  • ice cream ((vanilla is especially delicious!))

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

  • Slice the apples into thin 1″ pieces. I do this by using an apple slicer and then cutting each slice two more times (both longways and crossways).

    Cinnamon Apple Crisp (and other Dinner Club recipes!) (4)

  • Toss the apples in a medium sized bowl with the cinnamon, butter, and honey. To make the honey slide right out of the tablespoon (as opposed to sticking) measure out the melted butter first.

  • Evenly divide the apple mixture into 8 half-pint jars (or together in one pie plate if using). Place the jars on a large baking sheet.

    Cinnamon Apple Crisp (and other Dinner Club recipes!) (5)

  • In the same mixing bowl combine the crumble ingredients including the oats, flour, walnuts, melted butter, honey, and salt. Evenly divide the mixture over top the seasoned apples in the jars.

  • Cover the jars with one large piece of foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, turn the oven up to broil, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer or until the topping turns a light golden brown. Serve with homemade vanilla ice cream (if desired) and enjoy!

Notes

Special equipment needed: 8 half-pint jars.Alternatively this dish can be baked together in one round pie plate.

*To make this recipe Peanut/Tree Nut Free, omit the walnuts/pine nuts from the crumble topping.

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Facts

Cinnamon Apple Crisp

Amount Per Serving

Calories 208Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 15mg5%

Sodium 124mg5%

Potassium 117mg3%

Carbohydrates 26g9%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 14g16%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 200IU4%

Vitamin C 2.1mg3%

Calcium 20mg2%

Iron 0.8mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Cinnamon Apple Crisp (and other Dinner Club recipes!) (2024)

FAQs

Why do you put lemon juice over the apples when making an apple crisp? ›

I prefer slicing the apples the day I plan to bake the crisp as they start to oxidize once they're sliced and turn brown in color. Add a little extra fresh lemon juice to help prevent the apples from turning super brown. Prepare the entire apple crisp, cover well, and refrigerate the night before baking.

What is the difference between apple crisp and apple crumble? ›

Apple Crumble is synonymous with Apple Crisp in the U.K. and Australia, but in Canada and the U.S., it is a slightly different dish. Like an apple crisp, an apple crumble is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping. But unlike the crisp, the crumble topping rarely includes oats or nuts.

What are the best apples to use for apple crisp? ›

What Makes A Good Apple For Apple Crisp? The best apples for baking keep their structure under heat, which prevents the chunks of fruit from turning into mush after baking. The firm and crisp Granny Smith and Honeycrisp varieties are popular apples to use in apple pies and apple crisps.

Why is my apple crisp dry and dry? ›

Not enough butter, and your topping will be a dry, floury mess. Too much butter and your topping will become a greasy blob or disappointingly soggy. Some recipes will ask you to cut in cold butter along with your dry ingredients, resulting in pea-size pieces that are sprinkled across the hot fruit filling.

How do you keep apple crisp from getting soggy? ›

To avoid the crispy topping of the apple crisp from getting soggy always keep it covered with aluminum foil or cover of the baking dish.

Can I substitute vinegar for lemon juice in apple crisp? ›

Vinegar is an excellent substitute for lemon juice in cooking or baking when only a small amount is needed.

Why is it called Brown Betty? ›

This has led some historians to believe that Betty was the name of the cook and creator of the recipe and that brown was in reference to her skin color.

What's the difference between brown betty and apple crisp? ›

Both are very similar apple desserts, but the difference mainly comes down to the crumble topping: Instead of the flour and oat mixture used in an apple crisp, an apple brown betty uses breadcrumbs for its crumbly, delicious topping.

What ingredient makes a crisp different from a cobbler? ›

Interior: Crisps get their name primarily from their crisp, streusel crumb topping, but the interior fruits can be slightly crispy as well. In contrast, cobblers are soft-centered and often include a biscuit dough bottom crust.

Which apple is the crispiest? ›

SweeTango – SweeTango apples naturally have larger cells giving them an extraordinary crunch and perfect fracture, in fact, it won the Guinness World Record for the World's loudest crunch ever! Honeycrisp – A huge crunch successor that has been hard to beat since its creation!

What kind of apples make the best apple pie? ›

Apples – It's best to use a variety of apples in apple pie. Just like when we make apple cake, I recommend using half tart and half sweet. I love tart Granny Smith apples paired with a sweet variety such as Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Jazz, or Fuji.

How many apples is 2 pounds? ›

Since we know that three medium-sized apples (or four small ones) make a pound, you can use this as a guide to know how many large apples make up a pound. In general, 2 large apples can often make up a pound, with large apples that are close in size to a softball.

What is the secret to good crumble? ›

I think the secret to a good crumble is 50-50 crumble to fruit. Just over half fat and sugar to plain flour. Pinch of ginger or cinnamon (depending on fruit). Once you have crumbled this all up (cold hands, work as quickly as poss to minimise melting the butter) put it in the fridge for an hour before use.

Why did my apple crisp turn to mush? ›

Picking the wrong apples

Softer apples like Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, or Macintosh break down too much in the heat of the oven, basically turning into applesauce. So avoid those, and opt for a variety that's firm and crisp like Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp.

Does apple crisp need to be refrigerated? ›

Apple Crisp is very much like apple pie in that it doesn't NEED to be refrigerated, but the shelf life will be extended if you do store it in the refrigerator. I recommend storing it on the countertop for up to two days, or up to four days in the refrigerator.

Why do you put lemon juice on apples? ›

The longer the enzyme is exposed, the browner each slice will become. Lemon juice contains citric acid, which is a natural anti-oxidant. Therefore, when you apply lemon juice to apple slices, it helps to prevent the oxidation process.

Do apples need lemon juice to can? ›

Once peeled and cut, apples begin to discolor. Treat them with ascorbic acid produce keeper according to the package directions or with lemon water to keep them from discoloring. To make lemon water, combine 1 gallon water with ¾ cup lemon juice, place apples in solution, and drain before continuing.

What to use instead of lemon juice in apple pie? ›

Baking: In baking recipes, lime or orange juice can be used as substitutes for lemon juice in equal amounts. However, keep in mind they may give sweet desserts a slightly different flavor.

What makes apples so crispy? ›

Unripe or overripe apples may have a soft or mealy texture. When an apple is mature, its cells are fully developed and filled with moisture, contributing to its crisp texture. This ideal moisture level is best achieved with refrigeration to extend the apple's crunchy texture.

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