Fall is finally here and what better way to welcome changing leaves and chilly evenings than with a hot apple cobbler. When picking out apples for this dessert, choose tart apples for their flavor and organic apples for their antioxidant properties.

The Research

A report published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that organic apples were more likely to have higher antioxidant concentrations than apples grown using conventional systems. After compiling three years of data, the authors report that organic apples have a 12% higher antioxidant capacity than conventionally grown apples. Antioxidants protect your cells by binding to free radical—molecules that are thought to play a role in diseases such as cancer and heart disease. The authors conclude that “in the present study, the organically produced apples displayed a higher phytochemical concentration and a higher antioxidant capacity than conventionally produced apples.”

The Recipe

Makes about 6 servings

Ingredients

The filling:

• 6 cups cored, peeled, and sliced tart apples
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp. salt

The topping:

• ½ cup organic wheat flour
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. melted butter
• 1 egg beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate with butter. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the filling ingredients and mix. Add the mixture to the pie plate.

Then, in a large mixing bowl combine all of the topping ingredients until they form a batter. Dollop the batter across the top of the apple mixture. Don’t worry about completely covering the apples. The batter will spread out as it bakes.

Bake for about 40 minutes until the topping browns and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for at least 15 minutes, and serve with your favorite organic whipped or ice cream.

Store in the refrigerator. 

Banner Photo Credit: Julia Peretiatko; unsplash.com