Mock Apple Crisp
Mock apple crisp is a delicious, vintage recipe that uses zucchini in place of apples but gives you all the flavors of a traditional apple crisp. This yummy dessert makes perfect use of the abundance of summer squash.
I am absolutely swimming in zucchini by this time of the year.
While I use some of it up in savory recipes like this sausage and zucchini casserole, I love making it into a sweet treat like Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread or Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread.
But sometimes I want something that is more obviously a dessert and not a sweet quick bread.
And that is where this mock apple crisp with zucchini comes in!
It doesn’t taste like zucchini at all but instead like a sweet, fall flavored apple crisp.
You’ll never believe you are eating a dessert full of vegetables.
What is mock apple crisp?
This recipe is a Depression era recipe that uses plentiful summer squash in place of apples, but results in a light dessert that tastes just like an apple crisp.
The zucchini really do take on the flavors of the seasoning and make the filling taste just like apple pie filling!
What is the difference between mock apple crisp and mock apple pie?
Mock apple pie is another popular way to turn zucchini into an apple flavored dessert.
It is very similar to mock apple crisp except the the pie has a double pie crust whereas the crisp does not.
Mock apple crisp features a topping that is a light mixture of flour, oats, crackers, and just a touch of butter instead of having any crust at all.
That way you can enjoy a lighter dessert, which is key in summer heat so you don’t feel weighed down and miserable.
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need a set of ingredients for the filling and another for the oat topping.
For the filling you’ll need:
- Zucchini– Peel, seed, and dice them. You will need between 6 and 8 medium zucchini, depending on their exact size to make 8 cups.
- Lemon juice– To prevent browning and add brightness.
- Sugar– Granulated
- Spices– Ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves
And for the oat topping you’ll need:
- Flour– All purpose
- Oats– Make sure you are using rolled oats, not steel cut or quick cooking oats, both of which will change the texture of the topping/
- Crackers– Buttery crackers crushed.
- Butter– Melted
How to Make
Zucchini mock apple crisp is pretty easy to put together, but let’s break it down into two parts:
- making the mock apple filling
- making the topping
To Make the Mock Apple Filling
To make the filling add the peeled, diced, seeded zucchini to a large pot set over medium heat.
Stir in the lemon juice to coat the zucchini evenly.
Cook it for 15 to 20 minutes or until the zucchini looks like cooked apple slices.
Stir in the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Now give it a taste.
It should taste pretty close to apple pie filling.
If needed, add more of any of the seasonings and then pour it into a waiting, greased 8×8 dish.
Set it aside while you make the topping/
How to Make the Topping
Now it’s time to make the topping.
To make it, stir the flour, oats, sugar and crushed crackers together a in bowl.
Stir in the melted butter.
Then spoon the topping evenly out over the filling.
Bake the crisp at 375 for 30- 35 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.
Let the dish rest for at least 5 minutes to give the filling a chance to set a bit.
Serve it plain or – better yet – topped with vanilla ice cream.
Storing Leftovers
Store this covered in your fridge for 3-4 days.
You can serve it cold or pop a slice in the oven for a warm treat.
It will firm up a bit once chilled.
Can I freeze mock apple crisp?
I do not recommend freezing this crisp to bake later.
However, you can freeze the filling for later use to make a crisp or even a mock apple pie in the future.
To freeze the filling, make it as instructed above, but instead of putting the filling into a baking dish, let it cool.
Then transfer the cooled filling into a freezer safe container or ziplocking freezer bag.
Freeze it for up to 3 months.
Just let it thaw overnight in the fridge prior to using.
How to Pick the Best Zucchini
While I’m using up zucchini out of my garden, I know that’s not the case for everyone.
If you are picking out zucchini from the grocery store or farmers, market you want a nice ripe zucchini.
Just like with any other fruit or vegetable, the best kind to use is a ripe zucchini for peak freshness and flavor.
The best zucchini are ones that are fairly firm and not too soft.
A ripe zucchini will be slightly more flexible than a cucumber, but not by much.
Avoid soft zucchinis because that usually indicates they’ve passed their freshness peak and will rot very soon.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t skip seeding the zucchini. To seed them, just cut away the core. This will give the crisp the most apple like texture.
- Make sure to use the lemon juice. It both prevents browning and adds a little brightness.
- Spread the topping evenly and try to press it into the corners.
- Because there’s no top crust keeping things in, the filling will bubble up over the crisp crumble topping in places. This is perfectly normal because of the high water content of zucchini, leading to a juicier filling.
- The filling will thicken when cooked and any filling that bubbles up will turn dark brown as it caramelizes while baking.
Other Depression Era Desserts
This zucchini mock apple crisp is one of my family’s favorite ways to use up zucchini. Make this and enjoy the sweetness all while using up all your summer squash!
Looking for other Depression recipes? Try these:
If you’ve tried this Mock Apple Crisp, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Mock Apple Crisp
Ingredients
For The Filling
- 8 cups peeled, seeded, & diced zucchini
- 2/3 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- pinch ground cloves optional
For The Crisp Topping
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup crushed buttery crackers
- 4 tbsp butter melted
Instructions
To Make The Filling
- Add the chopped zucchini to a large pot. Pour the lemon juice in, and gently toss to combine.8 cups peeled, seeded, & diced zucchini, 2/3 cup lemon juice
- Cook the zucchini, stirring often for 15-20 minutes- until they're soft, tender, and have gone from white to resembling cooked apple slices.
- Once cooked stir in the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Let the mixture simmer for roughly 2 minutes, just until the apple slices are infused with the flavors.1 cup sugar, 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, pinch ground cloves
- Taste it and see, but the zucchini mixture will now look & taste like apple pie filling. Transfer the filling to a waiting 8x8 dish.
To Make The Topping
- To a large mixing bowl add the flour, oats, sugar, and crackers. Stir them all together to evenly combine.1/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup crushed buttery crackers
- Drizzle the butter evenly out over top. Stir again to evenly combine.4 tbsp butter
- Spread the crumble topping evenly out over top of filling. Make sure to get it to the edges, and try your best to make sure it covers all of the filling.
- Bake the zucchini crisp at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
- Remove it from the oven, and let the dish rest for at least 5 minutes.
- Spoon the crisp into bowls, and serve topped with scoops of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Don’t skip seeding the zucchini. To seed them, just cut away the core. This will give the crisp the most apple like texture.
- Make sure to use the lemon juice. It both prevents browning and adds a little brightness.
- Spread the topping evenly and try to press it into the corners.
- Because there’s no top crust keeping things in, the filling will bubble up over the crisp crumble topping in places. This is perfectly normal because of the high water content of zucchini, leading to a juicier filling.
- The filling will thicken when cooked and any filling that bubbles up will turn dark brown as it caramelizes while baking.
Nutrition
I can smell it! Looks so good.
I absolutely loved this!!! Thanks for a great recipe
It says to add sugar to the topping but I do not see an amount to add. I was wondering if it is brown sugar?
Thanks for your help.
It is brown sugar, and it’s 1/2 cup. I will update the recipe card to reflect that- thanks for catching my mistake!
My family loves this mock apple! I put a store bought crust on the bottom and a crumble on top. Added some vanilla ice cream and it tasted just like apple pie crumble alamode! Even my kids who despise summer squash liked this pie! I will make this recipe over and over.