Apple Peanut Crunch
Sliced, juicy apples fill a casserole dish and then are topped with an oat and peanut butter topping--reminiscent of a Nature's Valley granola bar. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, this delicious treat can be enjoyed hot or cold all on its own--or with cream, whip or vanilla ice cream.
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup instant oats
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup peanut butter I prefer crunchy for this recipe
- ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
- 4 cups fresh apples, peeled cored and sliced thin I like to use Gala apples, which are on the sweeter side
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Before starting: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Soften butter on counter
- In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar and salt.
- Add the peanut butter and the softened butter to the bowl. Use a pastry blender to combine these ingredients with the oat mixture. Then set this bowl aside.
- Next, prep the apples. Wash and peel the skins. Then use a paring knife to halve and core the apples. Slice apples into even-sized slices, aiming for ¼ inch thickness or less. Then place the sliced apples in a separate, large mixing bowl.
- Mix lemon juice and water together. Pour over apples and stir to coat.
- Then place apple slices in a lightly greased 8 x8 baking dish.
- Spoon peanut butter/oat mixture over apples.
- Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until apples are fork tender. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Serve hot or cold with cream, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Apple Peanut Crunch is also great all on its own without any additional toppings!
- Cover any leftovers with foil or store in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Enjoy right out of the fridge, or cover with aluminum foil and reheat at 325 degrees for 10 minutes or heated through.
Notes
I prefer Gala, Honeycrisp, or Fuji apples for this recipe. I rely on the sweetness from these varieties since there aren't any sweeteners added to the fruit portion.
Whichever apple variety you choose, take time to make sure the apples are sliced thin and uniform.
I prefer crunchy peanut butter for this recipe for added texture in the topping.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!