There's something about the smell of apples and cinnamon baking in the oven that makes a chilly fall day feel a little warmer. This old-fashioned apple crisp has tender apples beneath a buttery oat topping and is especially good served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Servings: 6. Prep: 15 minutes. Bake: 40–50 minutes at 350°F.

Ingredients — Apple filling

6 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour.

Ingredients — Crisp topping

¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats; ¾ cup all-purpose flour; ⅔ cup packed brown sugar; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon salt; ½ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish.

2. Toss the apples with sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and flour. Spread evenly in the prepared dish.

3. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

4. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples.

5. Bake 40–50 minutes until the topping is golden and the apples are tender. At San Luis Valley elevation, allow a little extra time if needed.

6. Rest 10–15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Shortcut Version: Using Canned Apple Pie Filling

For a quicker version, replace the fresh-apple filling with two 21-ounce cans of apple pie filling. Spread the filling in the buttered 8-inch square baking dish. Do not add the sugar, cinnamon, flour or lemon juice called for in the fresh-apple filling, since canned filling is already sweetened and thickened. If desired, stir in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to balance the sweetness.

Prepare the original oat topping as directed above and sprinkle it evenly over the canned filling. Bake at 350°F for approximately 30–40 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling bubbles around the edges. Let stand 10–15 minutes before serving.