Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over sliced apples, alongside 2 other ingredients, into slow cooker for a warm sweet treat that’s my default when I don't know what to make

This is my easiest little comfort dessert, the one I turn to when the day’s been long and my mind is tired: slow cooker Amish-style cinnamon apples. It comes from the way farm wives around here have always handled a big basket of windfall apples—slice them up, sprinkle on cinnamon sugar, add a bit of richness and moisture, and let them melt into a warm, fragrant treat. With just four ingredients and a slow cooker doing the work, it’s a simple, old-fashioned sweet that makes the whole house smell like home, especially on chilly evenings when you don’t quite know what to make.

Serve these warm cinnamon apples in a bowl all by themselves, or spooned over vanilla ice cream, pound cake, or warm biscuits. They’re lovely alongside a simple pork roast or ham as a sweet side, too—very much in the old Midwestern farmhouse style. A dollop of whipped cream or a spoonful of plain yogurt turns them into a cozy little dessert or breakfast, and any leftover juices are wonderful drizzled over oatmeal or pancakes the next morning.

Servings: 6

8 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/2-inch thick

Prepare the apples: Peel, core, and slice the apples into roughly 1/2-inch thick wedges so they cook evenly. Pile the slices directly into the slow cooker crock, spreading them into an even layer but not packing them down too tightly.

Make the cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon until the color is uniform and no streaks remain.

Sprinkle over the apples: Standing over the slow cooker, use your hand or a spoon to generously sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the sliced apples, letting it fall down between the slices so everything gets a little sweetness and spice.

Add the butter: Scatter the small pieces of butter over the top of the cinnamon-sugar-coated apples, spacing them out so they’ll melt and baste the fruit as it cooks.

Cook low and slow: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, or until the apples are very tender but still hold some shape. The sugar and apple juices will form a light syrup in the bottom of the crock.

Gently stir and serve: When the apples are done, gently stir from the bottom to coat all the slices in the cinnamon syrup, being careful not to mash them. Taste and adjust sweetness if you like with a spoonful more sugar. Serve warm straight from the slow cooker, or keep on the WARM setting for up to 1 hour for folks to help themselves.

Use any firm baking apple you have on hand—Jonathan, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or a mix, like we used to with windfalls from different trees. If you prefer a deeper molasses note, swap half of the granulated sugar for brown sugar. For a slightly saucier dish, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water or apple cider before cooking; it will blend with the sugar into a richer syrup. For a more traditional Amish-style touch, you can replace half the butter with heavy cream poured over the apples in the last 30 minutes of cooking, which makes them extra silky. Add a pinch of salt to brighten the flavors, or a splash of vanilla at the end for a bakery-style aroma. To keep things lighter, reduce the sugar to 1/3 cup, especially if your apples are very sweet. Leftovers reheat nicely in a saucepan over low heat and can be tucked into pie crust, spooned over pancakes, or folded into oatmeal for breakfast the next morning.