‘Crowd-Pleaser’: Just 3 ingredients. I make it twice a week in December—no shame.

Because this recipe is so streamlined, it’s an easy canvas for small tweaks. For a deeper spice profile, add 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves along with the cinnamon, or use a spice cake mix instead of yellow cake mix. If you prefer a less sweet dessert, swap one can of apple pie filling for an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce or sliced fresh apples tossed with a bit of sugar and cinnamon; this introduces more texture and a fresher apple flavor. To add crunch, scatter 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts over the cake mix before drizzling on the butter. You can also experiment with flavor pairings: fold a handful of dried cranberries into the apple filling for a tart contrast, or use a caramel drizzle over each serving for a caramel-apple effect. For a slightly lighter version, reduce the butter to 6 tablespoons and serve with yogurt instead of ice cream; the topping will be a bit less rich but still satisfyingly spoonable.