Apple Crisp With Pie Filling

Listen up, dessert enthusiasts! If you’ve got a sweet tooth that won’t quit but your baking skills are… questionable (no judgment here), I’ve got the perfect solution. Apple Crisp with Pie Filling is basically the “I want apple pie but don’t want to make a crust” hack we all deserve. It’s the comfort food equivalent of wearing pajamas to a fancy dinner – technically cutting corners but absolutely delicious.

Why This Recipe is Awesome

Let me count the ways! First, we’re using canned pie filling which means someone else already peeled, cored, and sliced those apples for you. Victory! Second, the topping is essentially butter, sugar, flour, and oats mixed together – if you can make a sandwich, you can make this topping. And finally, the whole thing takes like 10 minutes to assemble before the oven does all the hard work. It’s the culinary equivalent of looking like you tried when you absolutely did not.

Plus, your kitchen will smell like you’ve been baking all day. Free autumn-scented air freshener, anyone?

Ingredients You’ll Need

For this magical minimal-effort masterpiece, gather up:

• 2 cans (21 oz each) of apple pie filling (because peeling apples is for people with patience)
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats (not the instant kind, which will turn to mush faster than your motivation on Monday morning)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (the “I’m good for everything” flour)
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed (don’t skimp – sugar is basically the point here)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (or more if you’re a cinnamon fiend like me)
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg (optional, for those feeling fancy)
• ¼ teaspoon salt (to make the sweet stuff taste sweeter – science!)
• ½ cup cold butter, cubed (cold butter = crucial, trust me)
• Vanilla ice cream for serving (this is technically optional, but we both know it’s not)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Yes, you actually have to preheat. I know it’s tempting to skip this step, but your future self will thank you.
2. Grab a 9×13 inch baking dish and spray it with non-stick spray or butter it up. No one likes dessert that’s glued to the pan.
3. Open those cans of apple pie filling and spread them evenly in your prepared dish. Feel free to snack on a few apple pieces – quality control is important!
4. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix it up with a fork or your fingers until it looks uniform.
5. Add those cold butter cubes to your dry mixture. Now get in there with your fingers and pinch the butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse crumbs. Think: delicious, cinnamon-y sand castles. (If your hands get too warm, run them under cold water first – warm hands make for sad, melty butter.)
6. Sprinkle this magical crumb mixture over your apple filling. Cover every bit of those apples like they owe you money.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges. Your kitchen should smell like a fall-themed candle store by now.
8. Let it cool for about 15 minutes (I know, torture) before serving with vanilla ice cream.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even though this recipe is nearly foolproof, here are some ways people still manage to mess it up:

• Using melted butter instead of cold – This isn’t a cookie dough situation. Cold butter creates those perfect crumbly bits that make crisp topping, well, crispy.
• Skipping the salt – It’s just a pinch, but it makes all the difference between “meh” and “GIVE ME MORE!”
• Getting impatient and eating it straight from the oven – Unless you enjoy third-degree burns on the roof of your mouth (been there).
• Not having ice cream ready – The contrast between warm crisp and cold ice cream is basically the reason this dessert exists.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Look, I’m not the boss of your kitchen, so here are some ways to make this recipe your own:

Different pie fillings: Cherry, peach, or mixed berry pie fillings work beautifully here. Feeling wild? Try a can of each for a fruity party.

Make it gluten-free: Swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend. Nobody at the table will know the difference, I swear.

Add some nuts: Throw ½ cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds into the topping mix. The extra crunch factor is *chef’s kiss*.

Feeling fancy? Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a tablespoon of lemon juice to the pie filling for an extra flavor dimension. FYI, a dash of bourbon works too, just saying.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I use fresh apples instead of canned filling?
Are you trying to make more work for yourself? But yes, you can. Peel and slice about 6-8 apples, mix with ½ cup sugar, 2 Tbsp flour, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and some cinnamon. Now you’ve basically made pie filling the hard way. Congrats?

How do I store leftovers?
Cover it and refrigerate for up to 3 days. But let’s be real – what leftovers?

Can I make this ahead of time?
You can prep the topping a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Assemble and bake when you’re ready to impress. The whole thing can be baked a day ahead too, but it’s definitely best fresh and warm.

Is this healthier than apple pie?
Well, it has oats, so… technically there’s fiber? Let’s not kid ourselves – this is dessert, not a kale smoothie. Enjoy it for what it is!

Can I use quick oats instead of old-fashioned?
You can, but the texture won’t be as good. Quick oats are more powdery and won’t give you that classic crumbly bite. In my humble opinion, it’s worth the trip to get the right oats.

Final Thoughts

Look at you, ready to whip up a dessert that’s basically foolproof but still impressive enough to make people think you put in effort! This apple crisp is the perfect “I care, but not enough to make pie crust” dessert. It’s cozy, it’s classic, and it requires minimal brain cells to execute.

Whether you’re making this for a family dinner, a potluck, or just because it’s Tuesday and you deserve something sweet, this recipe has got your back. The hardest part will be waiting for it to cool enough to eat without causing personal injury.

Now go forth and bake! And remember, calories consumed while standing over the sink don’t count. That’s just science.