Warm and inviting apple crisp recipe for two! Spiced apples are cooked till hot and gooey with a cinnamon oat crumble topping for the ideal small batch autumn treat.Easily scaled up for a wider audience!

I proudly wear my Apple > Pumpkin badge, so here’s a long-time favorite autumn meal of mine: apple crisp! But here’s the thing: it’s just me and my husband at home, with no visitors in the previous 7 months and no plans to bring any in the near future.

As a result, I’m hoping to make almost everything a small batch recipe whenever possible.

Breakfast casseroles and lasagna are cooked in my family with the purpose of having leftovers for the rest of the week.

But what about apple crisp? Nope. It must be eaten soon after it has been prepared, otherwise the topping will get mushy.

Which apples are best for homemade apple crisp?

I prefer to use a combination of sour and sweet apples, but it will work with pretty much whatever you have on hand. You only want to make sure you use firm, crisp apples since soft apples can become mushy after baking. And you don’t want mushy cooked apples; you want soft baked apples.

Here are some of my favorite apples to use:

• Granny Smith
• Gala
• Fuji
• Honeycrisp
• Pink Lady
• Autumn Glory
• Braeburn

How to make the best apple crisp from scratch

Here are some of my suggestions for producing the finest apple crisp you’ve ever had. Dramatic? I mean, most likely. But, because you eat dessert less often than any other meal, let’s make it matter.

Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the apple slices. This keeps them from browning, which makes them seem less attractive, but it also lends a nice zing to the completed dish!

2 cubes.When it comes to chopped apples, don’t worry about making them all the same size. You’re okay as long as they’re cut small enough to fit comfortably in your serving plates. Aim for about 1

For a more spicy taste, add ground ginger and nutmeg. They are indicated as optional ingredients in the recipe card, but I strongly advise you to include them. The ginger lends a delicate spicy taste to the filling, and the nutmeg in the topping has a wonderful scent that simply screams Fall.

Do you like a more pronounced spicy flavor? Add more of anything you want! More cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or whatever tastes you like.

What if you don’t have cornstarch for the filling? Replace with all-purpose flour.

Do you lack all-purpose flour for the topping? Replace it with gluten-free flour or almond meal.

In the crisp topping, use rolled oats rather than steel cut oats. Steel cut oats are not recommended since they are firmer than rolled oats and require longer to absorb liquids and cook. So, although the apple filling is ready to go, the topping is still a little raw.

Can I make this recipe for one person?

Without a doubt! Simply cut the mixture in half and bake in a single serving dish. Alternatively, prepare it exactly as instructed and eat them both yourself tada! For one, apple crisp.

Just joking (kind of), here’s how you’d halve it all:

Apple filling:

• 1 medium peeled, cored, and diced apple (approximately 1 cup chopped)
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Small pinch of ground ginger (optional)

Crumb topping ingredients:

• 8 cup whole wheat flour, gluten-free flour, or almond meal1
• 2 tbsp old-fashioned rolled oats (not steel cut)1 tbsp
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• Tiny pinch of nutmeg (optional)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Apple crisp toppings

I like to serve it with a dollop of cool ice cream on top. It melts slightly and perfectly compliments the remainder of the meal.

Most people like vanilla ice cream, which is also acceptable. But guess what’s even better? Ben & Jerry’s Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream is insanely delicious with apple crisp! Don’t dismiss anything until you’ve given it a go.

You could also add:

• a drizzle of caramel sauce
• pomegranate arils
• a few crushed walnuts, pecans, or shredded almonds