I have 2 rules when it comes to apple crisp.

Number 1: I cannot and will not make apple crisp without using honeycrisp apples. They are my go-to of all the apples, therefore I’ll pay whatever the cost is to have them. Plus they do have the ‘crisp’ thing in common. So it’s basically kismet.

Number 2: It has to be straightforward. And this straightforward apple crisp recipe is only that!

My sister Julie (Hi Jul!) gave me her recipe years ago. It was written on an actual recipe card and everything! Recently I stumbled on it while cleaning out my office last week. The recipe card slipped out of an old composition notebook and actually fell into my lap. Obviously it was a sign that I needed to cook this apple crisp recipe, right?

To cook this Straightforward Apple Crisp Gather:

honeycrisp apples – May substitute with golden savory.
light brown sugar – Adds sweetness with subtle notes of caramel.
unbleached all-purpose flour – The base for the crisp topping.
speedy cooking oats – Lends flavor-packed texture to the crumbly crisp topping.
cinnamon (ground) – Lends a distinct warm and woodsy flavor.
nutmeg (ground) – Warm, aromatic with subtle hints of clove.
butter (salted) – Softened to room temperature.
pecans – Add flavor-packed nutty flavor to the crisp.

In a medium bowl add 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup short cooking oats, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg and a small pinch of kosher salt.

Give that a speedy mix all and add in 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans.

Stir once more until combined.

Next, drop in 1/3 cup room temperature salted butter.

Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into that brown sugar oatmeal goodness.

Slice 4 medium honeycrisp apples about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick (go on and eyeball it) and arrange them in even layers inside a greased (I used coconut oil spray) 9×9 baking pan.

Pinch and drop small clumps or simply dump all of the oatmeal topping onto the apples before sliding the pan into a pre-heated 375° oven.

Bake for 30 minutes for tender yet not completely mushy apples, at least that’s how we like them here in the McNamara household.

However, if you’d like your apples even more tender, bake for longer. You may need to foil the top to keep the oatmeal topping from burning.

Although satisfying all on it’s own…

Hot apple crisp and cold vanilla ice cream is a match made in heaven.

Warm kitchen-made caramel sends this over the top! It truly is a glorious thing.

I made this in celebration of the younger cooks being back to school. So I had dessert for lunch. My job so doesn’t suck.

This weekend you should entirely bake something. Apples topped with a brown sugar, pecan and oat crumble sounds like an excellent idea. And it’s straightforward as pie err crisp(y) 😉.