Easy Apple Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal – Oma's Apfel-Crumble

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust—rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

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This is easily the best apple crisp recipe with oatmeal that I've found. Juicy, easy, healthy, quick — what more could one want? The usual way of making apple crisp uses all-purpose flour and quick-cooking oats.

For healthier, I began using whole wheat flour and old-fashioned rolled oats. Not only healthier, but this German-style apple dessert has a nuttier taste. Delicious!

History of the Apple Crisp

The apple crisp, known as apple crumble in some regions, is thought to have been created during World War I or the Great Depression era (1920s-1930s).

It was probably created to be an economical alternative to apple pie. The first printed recipe for apple crisp appeared in 1924 in the Everybody's Cook Book: A Comprehensive Manual of Home Cookery by Isabel Ely Lord.

Her dessert gained widespread popularity in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s, along with variations using different fruits and toppings. 

It has since become popular in other English-speaking countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

But, what about Germany??? Not yet ... but now, I've Germanized it! I've taken this all-American apple dessert and made it fit these German taste buds of ours.

How I Germanized the American Apple Crisp!

This is my "Germanized" version. I love marzipan -- something so traditionally German. Adding almond flavoring to almost anything baked gives it that "marzipan-y" taste!

I added a bit of almond flavoring to the melted butter in order to distribute it well in the crumbly topping. 

Wow, what an improvement! For me, this now becomes a German recipe for apple crisp! Why not give it a try?

Depending on the sweetness of the apples, you can omit the added sugar to the apples and lower the amount of brown sugar in the topping.

As a treat, instead of the sugar added to the apples, I've drizzled about 2 tablespoons of maple syrup (my Canadian upbringing) over instead. Then to the oat mixture, I've added ½ cup chopped almonds. Pecans work great as well.

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Apples?

• When choosing apples, the best are those with a nice sweet-tart balance.
• Sometimes a mixture of apple varieties makes for a super delicious treat. 
• Some varieties to try, either alone or in combination are Cortlands, Empire (which are a cross between a Red Delicious and McIntosh), Mutsu or Crispin, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, and Jonathan. 
• The Granny Smith (my favorite eating apple) is very crisp and quite tart. I particularly like to use it in a mixture of apples for this recipe for apple crisp.

Oma says:

As you can see, recipes with apples can be altered so easily by changing the apples and the methods of sweetening them.

The final dessert, even when using the same recipe, can be different every time if you want.

Ready for this easy apple crisp?

Make her smile with a little German love

Print Recipe

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal – Oma's Apfel-Crumble

This easy apple crisp recipe with oatmeal is juicy, easy, healthy, quick - what more could one want? The usual way of making apple crisp uses all-purpose flour and quick-cooking oats.

For healthier I began using whole wheat flour and old-fashioned rolled oats. Not only healthier, but this German-style apple dessert has a nuttier taste. Delicious!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Bake Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings:

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 - 5 large apples, peeled and sliced (for types, see below)
  
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (if needed)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ⅔ cup whole wheat flour
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ⅔ cup rolled oats
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon almond extract (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix ¼ cup sugar and lemon juice with apple slices. Pour into 8-inch baking dish.
3. Mix rest of the ingredients together until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit.
4. Bake until apples are tender and crumbs are browned, about 40 minutes.
5. Serve warm or cold

Notes/Hints:

• Apple varieties to try, either alone or in combination are Cortlands, Empire, Mutsu or Crispin, Golden Delicious, HoneyCrisp, and Jonathan
• Sprinkle cinnamon over apples.
• Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. 
• All-purpose flour can be used instead of whole wheat.
• You can also use a 9-inch round casserole dish.

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

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Easy Apple Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal – Oma's German Apfel-Crumble



By Oma Gerhild Fulson





This is easily the best apple crisp recipe with oatmeal that I've found. Juicy, easy, healthy, quick - what more does one want? It's Germanized to be better!


Ingredients: apples, sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, whole wheat flour, oats, salt, butter, almond extract,

For the full recipe, scroll up ...

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.