Before there was Apple Girl Boutique…
Before there were leggings, launches, or late nights packing orders…

There was my Mema’s kitchen.

If you walked into her house, there was a good chance she was baking something — and she was always smiling while she did it. She sang constantly. Her favorite song was That's How Much I Love You, and I can still hear her voice floating through the kitchen while she peeled apples at the counter.

She had an apple tree in her yard. Every season it gave more than we knew what to do with — and somehow she always turned them into something special. Applesauce. Apple cake. Fried apples.

But her apple crisp? That was the dessert.

Every family gathering. Every holiday. Every “just because we’re together” Sunday.

If you smelled cinnamon in the oven, you knew Mema was in her happy place.

What She Taught Me

Looking back, it wasn’t just about the baking.

It was about how she made people feel.

Her kitchen was warm. Welcoming. Safe. There was always enough for everyone. She didn’t rush. She didn’t stress. She just sang, stirred, and made things with love.

In so many ways, that’s the feeling I’ve always wanted Apple Girl to have.

Cozy. Joyful. Rooted in something real.

I don’t think it’s an accident that apples became part of my brand. They remind me of her — of gatherings, laughter, and simple sweetness.

Apple Girl started long before I ever launched a website.
It started under an apple tree… and in a kitchen filled with music.

Mema’s Apple Crisp Recipe

Recipe by Jean Lamson Davis

Simple. No fancy ingredients. Just the kind of dessert that feels like home.

Ingredients

Filling

• 4 cups sliced apples

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup water

Topping

• 3/4 cup flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Butter a baking dish.

3. Add 4 cups of sliced apples.

4. Sprinkle cinnamon over apples. Sprinkle salt and add water.

5. In a separate bowl, rub together flour, sugar, and butter until crumbly.

6. Drop topping evenly over apples.

7. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.

Yield: Serves 4–6

I made this recipe card so you can print and keep Mema’s apple crisp in your own kitchen.

🍎 Want to keep this recipe in your kitchen?
Download Mema’s Apple Crisp Recipe Card here.

There’s something about this recipe that feels like love you don’t have to measure perfectly.

It’s the dessert she made when everyone was coming over. The one she didn’t need to look at a card for. The one she probably sang through making.

Now, every time I bake it, I think of her — smiling, singing, and sprinkling cinnamon like it didn’t need to be exact.

And maybe that’s the real origin of Apple Girl.

If you make Mema’s apple crisp, I’d love to see it in your kitchen. Tag me and share it. There’s something really special about keeping traditions alive.

With love,
Jennifer 🍎

#lovemyapplegirl