Melt In Your Mouth Apple Crisp

  It is now officially Christmas season since all of the other major holidays are in the past for the year. I suppose when you think of Christmas season spent in the kitchen you might envision lots of cookie baking, various pies making, and the whole house smelling like ginger, cinnamon, and various other scents that are somehow labeled to Christmas season, but, no. To me, I see absolutely no reason why I can't still be making my favorite creations even though they are "labeled" in the Summer, Spring, or Fall categories. To me it's a bunch of nonsense labeling certain baked goods to certain holidays.

  Since I was having such fun feeling like a culinary rebel, instead of creating at least a dozen belly-sinking fruitcakes, I have instead used my baking time to create lighter and generally more pleasing desserts than those usually handed out in all of the Hallmark movies. As far as I know, most people in real life can't stomach Christmas cookies, and fruitcake even less so. On a mission, I swept into the kitchen and have been making season defying desserts ever since.

  One of these "rebel" desserts that was absolutely delicious and had enough cinnamon in it to warrant it a spot on a holiday list, was an absolutely delicious apple crisp recipe. I know, you might be thinking, oh, it's a fall recipe. But don't even let that thought cross your mind again, this is a superb recipe worthy of any and every season.

Melt In Your Mouth Apple Crisp

For the streusel topping:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon (you can add more if you want to channel your inner rebel)
1 pinch of salt
5 tbsp butter cut into small pieces

For the apple layer:

3 large apples, sliced thinly and peeled
3 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch of salt


In a medium bowl mix everything together (it's easier if you use two forks) until you have a coarse crumb mixture. Pop it into the fridge and begin making the apple layer. In a small bowl mix together the flour and the melted butter. Add in the lemon juice, milk, and vanilla, making sure to mix well. Stir in the browns sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Pour this mixture over the prepared apples and toss to coat. Spread the apple layer evenly into an 8x8-inch pan. Distribute the crumb topping onto the apple layer making sure that everything has been covered in a blanket of the streusel topping. Bake at 350 degrees F, for about 30-35 minutes or until the the streusel is a lovely golden brown and bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving with ice cream, or if you let the pan cool to a pleasant temperature you can sit down with the whole pan and have a movie marathon. I didn't actually do that but I know it sounds like fun.