Fall is the season for my favorite morning treat: Breakfast Apple Crisp made with homemade granola and sautéed apples. Healthy and heart-warming!
Apple Season
There is a lot to love about fall, but one of my favorite things is that it is also apple season. These days I know that most people associate fall with pumpkin spice. And I do enjoy my fair share of that popular flavor. But as with most things, I prefer to go with what is natural and truly in season. So in the fall, give me all the apples! I like them crisp and tart and served all kinds of ways — eaten whole, sliced and smeared with almond butter, added to a grilled cheese sandwich or squash soup.
And while I do enjoy a classic apple pie (hold the raisins, please!), my all-time favorite apple dessert is a good old-fashioned crisp. In fact, I love it so much that I have developed a recipe that I can eat for breakfast — guilt free! How can that be?! Read on, my apple-crisp-loving friends!
Breakfast Apple Crisp
What makes apple crisp so very yummy?! For me, it is that perfect combination of soft spiced apples, crispy topping, and a good dollop of something creamy. In my breakfast version of apple crisp, I use easy sautéed apples, replace the crisp topping with homemade granola, and the ice cream with healthy yogurt. I make a batch of the apples, so I have them at the ready. Same with the granola, or you can use your favorite store-bought. With a carton of yogurt in the fridge, you are ready for a quick weekday breakfast!
Sautéed Apples
Here is how I make my sautéed apples. You can use brown sugar instead of maple syrup. The fresh grated ginger is optional, but adds a nice kick! The juice from the apples and syrup/brown sugar will cook down into a yummy sauce for the apples. These keep nicely in the fridge!
The Only Granola Recipe You’ll Ever Need
I like my granola with lots of nuts and seeds, and not too sweet! I had been buying small-batch granola from the grocery store, but it was expensive and I didn’t love it. Fortunately, granola is a cinch to make! When I make granola at home, I can adjust the sweetness and add different fixings and spices to make it my own or change it seasonally. I also like granola that is extra crunchy, so I usually bake it a little longer.
Here is the basic recipe. I will share some of the variations I have made below. This recipe makes about 7 cups of granola, but it stores well in an airtight container for a couple weeks!
Variations On the Recipe
The great thing about making your own granola is that you can mix it up and add whatever you want! This fall I have been enjoying Pumpkin Spice Granola with my sautéed spiced apples. (The best of P.S. and apple together in one dish!)
In the summer I made Maine Blueberry Granola with both dried and fresh blueberries for double the blueberry goodness!
I also tried a take on a favorite coffee cake of mine, adding pistachios, pepitas, dried apricots, and some fragrant cardamom. So yummy!
And in the spring I mixed a simple Classic Granola with tart-sweet rhubarb compote. Delicious!
Putting It All Together
Whether you made your own granola or bought your favorite brand from the store, the time has come to put together your Breakfast Apple Crisp! I grab my favorite bowl and fill it with 1/2 cup granola and a few spoonfuls of Sautéed Spiced Apples. Then I top it all off with a couple dollops of yogurt. I like to use an unsweetened vanilla coconut yogurt. A little tartness is good with the sweetness of the apples and granola! If I am getting fancy, I will garnish it all with a couple apple slices and a sprinkling of granola. Usually, though, I just dig in! It is such a comforting breakfast on these crisp fall mornings!
I hope you will give these recipes a try! And let me know — what do you like to add to your granola?!
I am so happy you joined me for breakfast today! I hope it got your day off to a great start!
Shop The Post
I am sharing links below to some items related to this post. If an item was purchased locally, is no longer available, or is one-of-a-kind, I have suggested something similar. Keep in mind that since I have not actually seen those items, I cannot personally vouch for them. If you purchase through these links, it won’t change your price, but I will receive some compensation. I hope you enjoy this easy way to bring a little Maine style into your home!
It’s so funny that you would publish this post today because at the famers’ market this morning, I was standing in line to pay for something looking at their granola and I thought the perfect Christmas gift from you would be some of your granola. It is the perfect granola. Now that I have the recipe, I can make it myself.
That is a great idea. It would make a great gift for friends! Now you can gift it too!
Wow, what perfect timing — I was just looking for a good granola recipe for this week and we have a bunch of apples to use up too, so I am excited to add that to my breakfast round-up for the week!
Thanks, Leah! Let me know how you like it. The apples would be good with the cardamom granola too. Maybe add cardamom to the apples instead of cinnamon! Let me know how it turns out!
Molly
This sounds so good.
It is really tasty, Rachel! And if I have everything ready to go, it makes a yummy weekday breakfast!
YUM! Cant wait to make this recipe. Nothing beats apple crisp in the fall, so I will not pass up an opportunity to channel my inner Gran and eat some for breakfast
You can eat this for breakfast guilt-free! I always remember fondly the trip you, Steph, and I took to Vermont to visit Nana and Gran in the fall. We went to the Vermont Country Store and had two helpings of apple crisp for dessert!
Will try this recipe for sure. LOVE all your photos of the coast of Maine and your lovely home. So pretty!
Hi Rose-Marie! Thank you so much for reading my post and taking the time to reach out! I hope this breakfast treat gets your day off to a great start!
I can’t wait to make this! I have been gathering pecans from a tree in our yard. May have to make some as gifts, too!
Wow, you are so lucky to have your own pecans! My sister was just saying the granola would make a nice gift, and I think that is a great idea! Thanks for taking the time to comment, Jane!
This looks so delicious Molly 🍎
It is so yummy, Ann! I hope you (or Steve?!) will try making it!
Breakfast Apple Crisp is on my menu for Sunday brunch…Thank You
for a beautiful recipe ~
Yay! I hope you enjoy it. If you have everything prepped, it makes an easy weekday treat too!
I am so looking forward to making this Molly. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy your blog.
Oh, thank you, Kim! You and your blog have definitely inspired me! Breakfast Apple Crisp is the yummiest! The granola alone is pretty good too!
Hi Molly, I’m new to your site and just read your posting about apples, etc. I recognize Beth’s Farm Stand; and it’s so strange because I was just there last Saturday !!!! I have a cottage in New Harbor where I spend about 5 months every year. Unfortunately, it was that dreaded time to leave, and I am now back home in Illinois. Anyway, small world and how blessed you are to spend year round in glorious Maine. Looking forward to more postings and also seeing your wonderful home in Nora Murphy’s new book. Virginia McMillan
Hi Virginia! Welcome! Yes, I remember how hesitant I was to leave for the season before I lived here year-round. Our little cottage was not winterized and I used to hang on until the bitter end, haha! Beth’s is my favorite! They have the best produce! And yes, I am SO excited to be featured in Nora’s next book! I don’t know how I will be able to wait until 2024! Keep checking back here for more stories from Maine!
Well obviously I did not scroll down far enough for comments the first time 🤦♀️. I think you have a lot of folks making granola and gifting it this year. I know it’s something my family would love. Love the blog!
Glad you found the spot! I hope none of the friends I am going to gift this to read this post and decide to gift it right back, haha!
Can’t wait to try this!
Yay! Let me know how it turns out! Enjoy!
Oh my goodness! This looks so delicious! My favorite kind of breakfast! I’m so excited to share your post with my followers in my weekend round up post, From My Neck of the Woods. They will love it!
Hi Kristin! It is just my kind of cozy fall breakfast too. And if you make the granola and apples in advance, it makes for a delicious weekday treat! Thanks for sharing in your blog!
Oh wow this looks just amazing! We have an apple tree in our backyard (it didn’t produce this year, ugh) but I can’t wait to try this when it does!!! And love how cute the recipe graphic is too!!! Thanks for sharing it. Love your blog, just subscribed!
Hi Kelly! Bummer about your apple tree. We have a scraggly old apple tree that somehow puts out apples each year. They are super tart, but very flavorful. Thanks for subscribing! Your blog is such an inspiration for me!
I’m so happy to have “Molly’s Granola Recipe” and “Molly’s Granola Variations” since I love eating it so much and now I can have it year around!!!! You are getting my creative juices going so I might start experimenting myself! I have already started making “Molly’s Sauteed Apples” but now I have the real recipe. In fact I made the apples for Sarah and Subbiah yesterday (put in oatmeal). Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Amy
PS I love fall as well because of crisp cold weather, pretty leaves and especially because of APPLES!
So glad you have the recipes now! Let me know how your experiments turn out!