This 3-Ingredient Apple Crisp Is Dumped Right In Your Cast Iron Skillet (It Couldn't Be Easier)

If you're craving a homemade apple crisp but don't want to put in too much work or use too many ingredients, then you need to know about this three-ingredient version that is as easy as can be. This simple recipe is courtesy of YouTuber KaileesKitchen, who, in her video, explains the three ingredients that you need: Two cans of apple pie filling, four packets of instant oatmeal, and one cup of melted butter. For the instant oatmeal, she notes that you can use any flavor that you want, but that she recommends maple brown sugar. Other flavors that would work well for an apple crisp include cinnamon and spice or apples and cinnamon. 

KaileesKitchen starts by dumping the apple pie filling right into the cast-iron skillet. Then, she mixes the melted butter with the packets of instant oatmeal in a bowl before spreading the mixture over the apples in the skillet. Finally, she bakes for 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. When making this at home, you can always adjust the amounts to fit your cast iron skillet — if you have one on the smaller side, for example, you may not need two full cans of apple pie filling. 

After throwing the dish together and letting it bake, you'll have a warm and cozy dessert that is perfect for an after-dinner treat during the colder months. It's sweet, rich, and comforting — in other words, the ideal dessert.

If you're willing to use more than three ingredients, then you can very easily upgrade this recipe to make it even better. For example, maybe you're someone who loves a nutty flavor in your desserts — in this case, you can add some chopped pecans or, like we do in our deep dish apple crisp recipe, walnuts to the mixture of instant oatmeal and melted butter. Or, if you want an extra burst of vanilla flavor, you can add a small amount — about a teaspoon — of vanilla extract to the mixture.

As for how to serve it, the apple crisp will be delicious, as is, right out of the oven. But if you want to elevate it a bit, you can top it with a dollop of whipped cream or serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. If you opt for the ice cream idea, make sure to read our guide on the highest and lowest quality ice cream you can find at the store so that you pair your delicious, homemade apple crisp with the best possible ice cream (we named Häagen-Dazs and Tillamook as two of the best options). With either the whipped cream or the ice cream, you can then sweeten up the dessert even further by adding a drizzle of caramel sauce to the top. No matter how you serve it, this is one easy and simple dessert that will hit the spot and leave you ready to make it again.