{Recipe} Rustic Apple Crisp

I don’t know when I started making apple crisp. It wasn’t something I grew up with, so my best guess is that I found a recipe while I was in college and decided to try it. Yesterday, one of my college roommates actually brought up my apple crisp recipe on a food-related Facebook post, and I decided that I needed to make it.

Only, when I dug out the recipe I decided that it was time to change things up a bit and make it a wee bit healthier. I’m not going to lie: it’s a little bit time-consuming. But think of all the apple-slicing and butter-cutting as a sort of meditation time. I find it oddly therapeutic when I’m stressed or upset or angry to just take out my frustrations with some good old-fashioned slicing and dicing.

But I digress… Ahem.

I’m not saying that this is a super-healthy recipe, but I cut the amount of sugar in half, I reduced the amount of butter, and I switched out the type of flour. And I couldn’t even tell the difference! So go ahead… while everyone else is making the pumpkin desserts, you bring this baby to the table and see how fast it disappears.

Rustic Apple Crisp

4 c. sliced apples
1/4 c. water
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. sifted white whole wheat flour
4 Tbsp. softened butter (half a stick)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the apples in an even layer over the bottom of an 8×8 square pan. Combine the water, cinnamon, and salt and sprinkle over the apples. Combine the flour and sugar and use a fork or pastry blender to work in the softened butter until the mixture is crumbly. Spread the crumbs over the apples and bake uncovered for about 40 minutes.

I like to add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on the top. I bet you will, too!