Apple Crisp Made With Apple Pie Filling

Look, I’m not saying this apple crisp recipe will change your life, but I’m also not saying it won’t. If you’ve got a can of apple pie filling sitting in your pantry giving you the side-eye every time you open the door, today’s the day we put it to good use. This is for those evenings when you want something warm, sweet, and cinnamon-y without peeling a single apple. Yes, we’re cutting corners. No, we’re not apologizing for it.

Why This Recipe is Awesome

Let’s get real for a second—this recipe is basically kitchen magic for lazy people. You’re getting all the glory of a homemade dessert with about half the effort. It’s like the dessert equivalent of putting on yoga pants with a nice top for a Zoom call… polished enough to impress, but secretly so comfortable.

The best part? While everyone’s ooh-ing and aah-ing over your “homemade” dessert, you’ll be sitting there knowing you spent more time choosing what to watch on Netflix than actually making it. This is peak adulting, my friends.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the filling:

• 2 cans (21 oz each) of apple pie filling (because peeling apples is for people with time and patience)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (extra, because there’s no such thing as too much cinnamon)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (to pretend we’re being fancy)

For the crisp topping (the real star of the show, let’s be honest):

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats (not instant—we have some standards)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (the “purpose” here being deliciousness)
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed (pack it like you’re angry at it)
• ½ cup butter, cold and cubed (the colder, the better—like my ex’s heart)
• ½ teaspoon salt (to balance the sweetness, and life)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (the grown-up version of “a splash”)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Yes, you actually need to preheat. No, “close enough” isn’t a temperature.
2. Grab a 9×13 baking dish and give it a quick spray with cooking spray. Alternatively, butter it up like you’re trying to convince it to do you a favor.
3. Open those cans of apple pie filling and dump them into a bowl. Add the extra cinnamon and lemon juice, then stir gently. Don’t massacre the apple slices—they’ve been through enough already in that can.
4. Spread your doctored-up filling evenly in the baking dish. Try not to eat too much of it raw. I see you.
5. In another bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, and salt. Mix well. This is your dry dream team.
6. Add the cold butter cubes and vanilla to your dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips (wash your hands first, you animal), work the butter into the dry ingredients until you get a crumbly mixture. Think: delicious sand.
7. Sprinkle (or let’s be honest, dump) the topping over the filling, covering it completely. The more uneven and rustic it looks, the more “homemade” it appears—perfect for the ‘gram.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the topping is golden brown and you can see the filling bubbling at the edges like a delicious volcano.
9. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving, or risk burning off your taste buds. Your call.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Let’s talk about the ways you might accidentally sabotage this foolproof recipe:

• Using warm or room-temperature butter for the topping. This isn’t a chocolate chip cookie situation—cold butter is essential for that perfect crumbly texture. Otherwise, you’ll end up with apple crisp soup with a soggy hat.
• Skipping the extra cinnamon. Yes, the pie filling already has some, but more cinnamon is basically the solution to most of life’s problems.
• Stirring the apple filling too aggressively. Unless “apple mush surprise” is what you’re going for.
• Getting impatient and diving in right after baking. I know it’s hard to wait, but third-degree tongue burns really detract from the experience. Trust me on this one.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Because I know someone’s going to ask, here are some ways to tweak this recipe without ruining it:

• Gluten-free? Swap the flour for a gluten-free blend and make sure your oats are certified gluten-free. The result might be slightly less cohesive, but still delicious.
• Out of brown sugar? White sugar with a tablespoon of molasses works in a pinch. No molasses? Just use white sugar and accept that your life is slightly less rich than it could be.
• Want to fancy it up? Add ½ cup of chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) and ¼ cup of dried cranberries to the topping. Now you can charge restaurant prices!
• Different pie filling? Go wild! Cherry, peach, or mixed berry fillings all work with this same topping. FYI, blueberry makes a gorgeous purple-blue masterpiece that looks like a sunset.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I make this ahead of time?
Absolutely! Assemble it, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Just add about 5-10 minutes to the baking time if it’s coming straight from the fridge. Your future self will thank you.

How do I store leftovers? (As if there will be any…)
Cover it with foil or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. It actually gets better on day two when the flavors have had time to mingle and get to know each other.

Can I freeze it?
You can, but the topping might lose some of its crispiness upon thawing. If you’re planning ahead, better to freeze just the assembled dish before baking, then bake from frozen (add 15-20 minutes to the bake time).

What can I serve with this?
Vanilla ice cream is the obvious choice here. Whipped cream works too. Or be a real hero and use both. This is no time for restraint.

Is this healthier than regular apple crisp?
It has apples in it. That’s a fruit. Let’s call it a salad and move on with our lives.

Final Thoughts

There you have it—a ridiculously simple apple crisp that tastes like you spent hours lovingly crafting it instead of just opening a couple of cans. It’s perfect for impromptu dinner guests, potlucks where you forgot you signed up to bring something, or just Tuesday nights when you deserve something special.

The beauty of this recipe is that it feels like cheating, but the end result is so good that nobody will care—or even notice. So go ahead, take full credit, accept the compliments graciously, and maybe keep a can or two of pie filling in your pantry for dessert emergencies. Because being prepared for a dessert emergency is what real adulting looks like.