Apple Crisp and Crumbles, Cobblers, etc

Apple crisp is a classic American dessert and made by moms everywhere without a recipe. It is why I have never posted it on this blog previously, having assumed everyone knew how to make it. It is particularly good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Apple and Fresh Cranberry, Before Topping

As I have had a few requests I'm sharing my recipe and also listing the various types of similar desserts often confused with the classic fruit crisp, such as crumbles, cobblers, buckles and more. The base is similar on all of them, but the topping differs sometimes slightly, sometimes significantly. 

Topping Mixture

Below I give you the definition of each.

Crisp: A sweetened fruit filling baked under a crunchy, streusel-like topping which contains oats and sometimes nuts. 

Crumble. A sweetened fruit filling baked under a crunchy, streusel-like topping (without oats) that sometimes contains nuts. See my blackberry crumble recipe here. 

Cobbler: Biscuit dough dolloped over fruit to resemble cobblestones. See my classic peach cobbler recipe here.  

Buckle: Thick cake batter is poured over fruit. If the fruit is naturally sweet, no additional sweetener is added to the fruit. 

Pandowdy: Pie dough or bread that is pressed onto the top of the sweetened fruit as it bakes. Similar to a pie with only a top crust.

Brown Betty: Sweetened fruit baked with layers of bread crumbs and butter with the last (top) layer being bread crumbs and butter.

Sonker: Sweetened fruit is cooked under a pancake batter which remains mostly on the top. 

Pastry knife used to cut in the butter
to the flour and other topping ingredients.

Julian's Apple Crisp

Ingredients (Serves 6)

4-6 apples (half Granny Smith, half Honey Crisp or another sweet apple)

sprinkle of lemon juice
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup sugar

Topping
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, direct from refrigerator, cut into small pieces
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus a sprinkle for the top
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Wash, peel, core and slice the apples. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Sprinkle on the four and sugar, toss gently to combine. Set aside. 

In medium bowl, mix together the topping ingredients except for the nuts, coating the butter pieces very well. Using a hard bladed (not wire) pastry blender/knife, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it forms small pieces. You can also pulse in a food processor if you prefer. 

Stir in the chopped walnuts if using. If using whole walnuts as I often have on hand, simply use the pastry blender to chop the walnuts right into the topping mixture until they are at the size you prefer.

Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with food release oil-based spray and preheat your oven to 350F degrees.  Fill the dish with the apples and top with the crumb topping. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon. (If using individual ramekins, place on a baking sheet.) 

Bake for 45-60 minutes, until bubbling. Remove and let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream, whipped cream or cream/milk.