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This delicious old fashioned Apple Crisp recipe is the BEST! Flavorful apples, spices and a scrumptious crunchy streusel topping makes easy favorite dessert! Perfect for the apple lover!
There is a dessert that has always been – and still is – my sister’s favorite. It’s hand’s down thisApple Crisp! Everyone else in my family loves it too. So much so that we celebrate the much anticipated first cool days here in the south with it and it’s a must-have throughout the fall and winter. There’s just something about that warm, cinnamon flavored apple filling covered in this crisp, crunchy oat topping that makes this the best! It’s an old fashioned apple crisp we’ve made in my family for generations and I just know the warm, comforting deliciousness of my recipe is one you will love too!
Apple Crisp Recipe
This Apple Crisp is loaded with apples that make the most amazing filling as they bake in this recipe. In fact, this recipe has the perfect ratio of apples to crispy streusel topping that make it so delicious!
Just look at that bite! That’s just pure apple lover paradise. The apple filling gets a buttery, caramel flavor that is out of this world! And the topping is just magical too. And honestly, it is so easy to make that you’ll make it time and again!
Do You Peel the Apples?
Sometimes, I leave some of the peeling on my apples. I like taste and the bits of color that may peek through as you spoon into the dessert. Other times I completely peel the apples.
What are the Best Apples for Apple Crisp?
Through the years of experimenting, I found I loved to use a combination of apples when baking in many apple desserts – like my Apple Pie or in this recipe.
I like using Baking Apples for how soft they become, Eating Apples for the sweet, crisp texture and Tart Apples, like Granny Smith, because the tartness helps to round out the perfect combination of apple flavor. But, of course, you can experiment for the combination of apples that you prefer.
1. Baking Apples
Cortland
Braeburn
Rome
2. Eating Apples
Honeycrisp
Fuji
Sweetango
3. Tart Apples
Granny Smith
The apples that you choose change the flavor of your dessert. The combination of sweet and tart apples it perfectly balanced in my opinion. Use all sweet apples and the apple crisp may come across as too sweet. Use all tart apples, then some may feel like the dish isn’t sweet enough.
How to Make Apple Crisp
For the Apple Filling, you’ll need:
apples – peeled, cored and sliced
lemon juice
brown sugar
flour
cinnamon
butter
salt
For the Crisp Topping, you’ll need:
flour
brown sugar
oats
cinnamon
baking powder
salt
butter
Instructions:
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
You’ll make the Apple Crisp Topping first:
Add flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl. Then whisk to combine. Use your clean fingers to work the softened butter into the flour mixture until well combined. Then set in the refrigerator to chill while preparing the Apple Filling.
To make the Apple Crisp Filling next:
Combine apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, butter, and salt in a large bowl, tossing to make sure apples are well coated. Pour into your prepared 9×13 casserole dish.
Now, take the chilled Topping from the refrigerator and top the Apple Filling mixture. Bake until apples are tender and topping of apple crisp has turned golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
So, if you are looking for an Apple Crisp Recipe that immediately makes you want to cozy up by the fire after enjoying a beautiful fall day, then this is it! Of course, a scoop of cinnamon ice cream or vanilla ice cream takes it right on over the top! And if you are really feeling decadent, some of my homemade Easy Caramel Sauce drizzled on top is divine!
Apple Crisp Recipe – This old fashioned apple crisp is the BEST! Flavorful apples are covered with a delicious crunchy topping to make an easy dessert that’s always a favorite! A perfect dessert for the apple lover!
Spray 9×13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Apple Crisp Topping:
Add flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk together to combine. Using clean fingers, work the softened butter into the flour mixture until well combined. Chill in the refrigerator until apple filling is prepared.
Apple Crisp Filling:
Combine apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, flour, ground cinnamon, butter, and salt in a large bowl, tossing to make sure apples are well coated. Pour into prepared casserole dish.
Top apples with Apple Crisp Topping and bake until the apples are tender and top of apple crisp has turned golden brown, about 45 minutes.
Thank you for the fabulous recipe–I made this for my family and it is by far the BEST apple crisp recipe I have ever made! Everyone agreed with me–I will make this again and again! I have been baking for many years and am quite picky about the recipes I keep. I made one change and added 1/4 teaspoon of cloves. Thanks again!
Hi Valerie,
Thanks so much! I do provide a US to metric conversion chart that may be of some help to you. Here’s the link and there is also a link always in the sidebar.
Can’t wait to try this. I have someone at work brining me apples from his tree, and this weekend we are going apple picking at a local farm. I never used oats in my crisp and am looking forward to trying it. I have a combo of crumbs and pecans. Yours looks so delicious!
Just picked some jonagold in between the storm showers, a deer was gleaning some gravenstien out back that have dropped, and now tomorrow I’ll make my husband this crisp, I know he will like it, made lots of fresh gravenstien sauce yesterday in between storm outages, sure glad I wasn’t baking.
I am not a baker, but would still like to try this recipe. What would be a good type of apple to use? I live in New York and there are all types out this time of year.
I just made this today, but the top of the apple crisp didn’t get brown or melty at all. What do you suppose I did wrong? The apples underneath were good, but the topping didn’t cook, and I was left with gray oats on top. I did press them into the crisp, too. I’m stumped!
Try using old-fashioned oats instead of quick-cooking oats. They are interchangeable, and the only difference between the two is the texture. Quick-cooking oats are chopped more & are lighter & more delicate (hence, quick-cooking). Old-fashioned oats are larger, have a heartier texture & stay firmer – which sounds like just what you need! Hope it helps, good luck & happy baking! 🙂
I been making apple crisp for many years, with my old same recipe, but this one
is the best, my family said this is the one, mi familia me dijo esta riquisima, deliciosa..muchas gracias.
I have cooked this before it is wonderful cook in the fall time or winter also put a big scoop of ice cream on top and sit by the fireplace and enjoy!!!!!!!!
this Apple crisp was amazing! I used an assortment of apples ginger gold, honey crisp and Winesap. It was so good and my company loved it as well! Thank you! I shared the recipe!
Can I combine a can of drained sour cherries to the apples? If so, would I have to mix the sour cherries with something else first, or does it need to be cherry pie filling? Thanks!
This looks a lot like my recipe! But I add chopped pecans to the topping. And I always use Granny Smith apples (peeled) to cut some of the sweetness. Looks divine!!
Hi Shannon – I give the measurement in cups in the recipe because of the vast difference in sizes of apples. Some apples you could use are huge, and other delicious apples are small. I hope you enjoy this apple crisp – it’s a delicious dessert!
Happy holidays! xo
I was disappointed that the topping was not crisp at all. Tasted good but he oatmeal on top never cooked or mixed in. Also, next time I would cut apples in chunks instead of slices to make it easier to eat.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the apple crisp, Laura. I’ve not had a problem with the topping being too dry or having too much juice before so I’m not sure what happened. The recipe calls for 8 tablespoons of butter in the topping already and you can use coconut oil instead of canola oil as listed in the recipe.
Thanks for your input!
My notes on this crisp:
I made it once with fresh apples straight from a neighbor’s tree. They were crisp and sweet and perfect in this crisp. I brought it to a dinner and got endless compliments. The only changes I made were tossing the apple mixture with a light coating of corn starch to soak up and thicken any juices, and not putting any oil in the topping, just a personal preference and how my Mama taught me.
I made it again tonight and had a very different experience. I had a large bag of granny smiths that were almost too sour to eat so I thought to make this again. In this instance the apples were too sour and when I added lemon juice, it made it worse. The sugar wasn’t enough to counter it. I also peeled almost all of the apples and found I liked the ones with peels more. (My bad.) I didn’t add the cornstarch this time because it wasn’t in the recipe and there was a lot of juice in the pan. So I think I’ll add the cornstarch if I make it again.
Overall, very good recipe, but better with apples that are a touch sweeter than grannys. (That was my bad, but I used up my apples so it works.) She is right about leaving the peels on! Adds a nice texture and takes less time. I will add cornstarch when I make it just because of my experiences. It may not always need it. It probably depends on the apples and their water content. And I personally like using more butter vs. Oil in the topping but that’s my preference.
I made the Apple Crisp with mostly the large Gala Apples and some Macintosh / I chopped in cube size with the skin / 8 large Gala with 4 small Macintosh /
I added 4 tablespoons of ice water to the crisp topping right before I put the topping and pressed into the apples
I baked at convection for 45 min at 350 then 15 min more at 375 convection bake
I also used Bob Mills Organic Quick Cooking Oats
The Apple Crisp looks gorgeous a perfect brown color
The house smells amazing and this is an Excellent Recipe it is not to sweet.
I will probably add cornstarch for my juice and also some Ground Cloves. How much ?
I used a combination of fresh squeezed lemon juice 1/4 cup and 1/4 cup orange juice.
This was one of the best apple crisp recipes I have ever made. I don’t leave reviews, because I always change the recipe to my liking and don’t think it’s fair to “review” something I didn’t actually make. This recipe, however, I followed exactly and found it to be easy and delicious. I used less than fresh Granny Smith apples for the filling, which unfortunately were not that juicy, but turned out just fine. I did have a happy mistake with the salt. I use kosher salt primarily and used the wrong measuring spoon for the topping. Therefore there was a full teaspoon of salt in the topping. Realized my mistake for the filling, but the result was that salty/sweet flavor. Which was GREAT!
Thanks for a super delicious dessert!
I was wondering if this can be assembled a day ahead less the topping I would like to make it for church and bake it there. The smell will make everything smell so good
I so love apple crisp,,and always use Spies or Grannys,,,knock my socks off,,,so yummy Robyn. Eating apples with skins on is normal but in apple crisp,,,never, hate nice warm apples and the yummy topping with ice cream ,,,,then find a hard peel,,,,yuck,,, but that’s just me
Enjoy all you work you do Robyn,,,,,,
I made it gluten-free by subbing in 3 tablespoons cornstarch for the flour with the apples, and then subbing 1/4 cup coconut flour and 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free biscuit mix for the flour and baking powder in the topping. Best crisp ever!!
Robyn Stone
I’m honestly not much of a crisp gal but I’d gladly eat this anytime!
Thank you for the fabulous recipe–I made this for my family and it is by far the BEST apple crisp recipe I have ever made! Everyone agreed with me–I will make this again and again! I have been baking for many years and am quite picky about the recipes I keep. I made one change and added 1/4 teaspoon of cloves. Thanks again!
Good afternoon
I love your recipes but wish they were metric for someone living in the UK.
Best wishes
Valerie
Hi Valerie,
Thanks so much! I do provide a US to metric conversion chart that may be of some help to you. Here’s the link and there is also a link always in the sidebar.
https://addapinch.com/cooking-conversion-charts/
Oh man. Apple crisp is one of my all time favorite treats!!
Wow, that topping is killing me! It looks amazing!
Yes, apple crisp makes the world go round. This looks amazing!
oh, lucky me. I just happen to have all of the ingredients to make this today! haha This looks so delicious and yummy!!
Of all the amazing fall desserts, apple crisp with always be my favorite!
Can’t wait to try this. I have someone at work brining me apples from his tree, and this weekend we are going apple picking at a local farm. I never used oats in my crisp and am looking forward to trying it. I have a combo of crumbs and pecans. Yours looks so delicious!
This is a true thing of beauty! I need a whole pan for myself asap.
I’m pretty sure my diet in the fall consists of 50 percent apple crisp, I love it so. Your version is going on the “to-bake” list next!
Oh man, I wanna jump right into this ooey gooey goodness!! 🙂
Pretty sure this would be the ultimate late night snack and then the ultimate breakfast and…..
THis is the best thing ever! I have to make it!!
I have been looking for a good apple crisp this apple season! Can’t wait to try it!
Just picked some jonagold in between the storm showers, a deer was gleaning some gravenstien out back that have dropped, and now tomorrow I’ll make my husband this crisp, I know he will like it, made lots of fresh gravenstien sauce yesterday in between storm outages, sure glad I wasn’t baking.
I am not a baker, but would still like to try this recipe. What would be a good type of apple to use? I live in New York and there are all types out this time of year.
I also live in New York and I use cortland, granny smith, and jonamac.
My family loved this! Thank you Robyn!
Thanks for the recipe. Easy to make and tastes great!
I’ve made this a few times & it never disappoints! We love it
& I can’t wait to bring it as our Thanksgiving dessert!
I just made this today, but the top of the apple crisp didn’t get brown or melty at all. What do you suppose I did wrong? The apples underneath were good, but the topping didn’t cook, and I was left with gray oats on top. I did press them into the crisp, too. I’m stumped!
Try using old-fashioned oats instead of quick-cooking oats. They are interchangeable, and the only difference between the two is the texture. Quick-cooking oats are chopped more & are lighter & more delicate (hence, quick-cooking). Old-fashioned oats are larger, have a heartier texture & stay firmer – which sounds like just what you need! Hope it helps, good luck & happy baking! 🙂
I been making apple crisp for many years, with my old same recipe, but this one
is the best, my family said this is the one, mi familia me dijo esta riquisima, deliciosa..muchas gracias.
marina
Just wondered what kind of apples do you use in this? Thanks in advance.
I was always taught to add tapioca to apple crisp. It gives it that extra moisture and a good texture too.
Made this tonight and its amazing! thanks
Pretty sure this is the one I have been searching for! I will be making this tomorrow! Tonight am making oatmeal lace cookies to hold me over!
Same thing happened to me and I did use the “old fashion oats”…..pressed them in….still light on top after an hour.
I put 3-4 table spoons of ice water in the topping and it crisped up beautifully. It should feel a little moist. Works every time!
What a great tip! Thanks so much for sharing it, Shirley! xo
I have cooked this before it is wonderful cook in the fall time or winter also put a big scoop of ice cream on top and sit by the fireplace and enjoy!!!!!!!!
this Apple crisp was amazing! I used an assortment of apples ginger gold, honey crisp and Winesap. It was so good and my company loved it as well! Thank you! I shared the recipe!
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it, Donna! xo
This apple crisp sounds absolutely perfect! I think this is going to have to make an appearance on my Thanksgiving table this year!
Can I combine a can of drained sour cherries to the apples? If so, would I have to mix the sour cherries with something else first, or does it need to be cherry pie filling? Thanks!
Just put it together and it looks good. Serving it with French Vanilla ice cream. Waiting to bake it. Our anniversary dessert.
Where do you get the Apple crisp to put in this recipe or do you make it yourself
Hi Donna,
This recipe actually makes the Apple Crisp. Let me know if you have any more question on this! xo
This looks a lot like my recipe! But I add chopped pecans to the topping. And I always use Granny Smith apples (peeled) to cut some of the sweetness. Looks divine!!
What name of Apple that you use this recipe?
Hi Karen,
You can use any baking apple, such as Braeburn, Gala, etc. I hope you enjoy the Apple Crisp! Thanks! xo
Hi Pat – I’ve not had it turn out too dry when I’ve made it. I’m so sorry it didn’t turn out for you. I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving.
Hi Shannon – I give the measurement in cups in the recipe because of the vast difference in sizes of apples. Some apples you could use are huge, and other delicious apples are small. I hope you enjoy this apple crisp – it’s a delicious dessert!
Happy holidays! xo
I don’t have quick cooking oats. Can I used old fashioned oats?
What is the reason for the oil in this recipe?
Hi Tarey,
The oil helps bind the sugar and oats together. Thanks!
I was disappointed that the topping was not crisp at all. Tasted good but he oatmeal on top never cooked or mixed in. Also, next time I would cut apples in chunks instead of slices to make it easier to eat.
Hi Janet,
I’m so sorry the topping didn’t crisp up for you. I love the idea of cutting the apples into chunks, too! xo
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the apple crisp, Laura. I’ve not had a problem with the topping being too dry or having too much juice before so I’m not sure what happened. The recipe calls for 8 tablespoons of butter in the topping already and you can use coconut oil instead of canola oil as listed in the recipe.
Thanks for your input!
My notes on this crisp:
I made it once with fresh apples straight from a neighbor’s tree. They were crisp and sweet and perfect in this crisp. I brought it to a dinner and got endless compliments. The only changes I made were tossing the apple mixture with a light coating of corn starch to soak up and thicken any juices, and not putting any oil in the topping, just a personal preference and how my Mama taught me.
I made it again tonight and had a very different experience. I had a large bag of granny smiths that were almost too sour to eat so I thought to make this again. In this instance the apples were too sour and when I added lemon juice, it made it worse. The sugar wasn’t enough to counter it. I also peeled almost all of the apples and found I liked the ones with peels more. (My bad.) I didn’t add the cornstarch this time because it wasn’t in the recipe and there was a lot of juice in the pan. So I think I’ll add the cornstarch if I make it again.
Overall, very good recipe, but better with apples that are a touch sweeter than grannys. (That was my bad, but I used up my apples so it works.) She is right about leaving the peels on! Adds a nice texture and takes less time. I will add cornstarch when I make it just because of my experiences. It may not always need it. It probably depends on the apples and their water content. And I personally like using more butter vs. Oil in the topping but that’s my preference.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Lyssa! Different apples definitely can give the dish varying flavors. I’m glad you liked the apple crisp. xo
I made the Apple Crisp with mostly the large Gala Apples and some Macintosh / I chopped in cube size with the skin / 8 large Gala with 4 small Macintosh /
I added 4 tablespoons of ice water to the crisp topping right before I put the topping and pressed into the apples
I baked at convection for 45 min at 350 then 15 min more at 375 convection bake
I also used Bob Mills Organic Quick Cooking Oats
The Apple Crisp looks gorgeous a perfect brown color
The house smells amazing and this is an Excellent Recipe it is not to sweet.
I will probably add cornstarch for my juice and also some Ground Cloves. How much ?
I used a combination of fresh squeezed lemon juice 1/4 cup and 1/4 cup orange juice.
I used organic brown sugar
Thank You !
This was one of the best apple crisp recipes I have ever made. I don’t leave reviews, because I always change the recipe to my liking and don’t think it’s fair to “review” something I didn’t actually make. This recipe, however, I followed exactly and found it to be easy and delicious. I used less than fresh Granny Smith apples for the filling, which unfortunately were not that juicy, but turned out just fine. I did have a happy mistake with the salt. I use kosher salt primarily and used the wrong measuring spoon for the topping. Therefore there was a full teaspoon of salt in the topping. Realized my mistake for the filling, but the result was that salty/sweet flavor. Which was GREAT!
Thanks for a super delicious dessert!
This is wonderful to hear, Pamela! Thanks so much! xo
Outstanding treat. Everyone asked why I didn’t a larger serving as that everyone wanted second helpings. Also wants copy of recipe, thanks
Thanks so much Richard!
Looks good , can’t wait to try it!
Hope you like it, Dorothy.
I was wondering if this can be assembled a day ahead less the topping I would like to make it for church and bake it there. The smell will make everything smell so good
I so love apple crisp,,and always use Spies or Grannys,,,knock my socks off,,,so yummy Robyn. Eating apples with skins on is normal but in apple crisp,,,never, hate nice warm apples and the yummy topping with ice cream ,,,,then find a hard peel,,,,yuck,,, but that’s just me
Enjoy all you work you do Robyn,,,,,,
Douglas
Thank you, Douglas!
I made it gluten-free by subbing in 3 tablespoons cornstarch for the flour with the apples, and then subbing 1/4 cup coconut flour and 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free biscuit mix for the flour and baking powder in the topping. Best crisp ever!!
Thanks for letting us know how you made this gluten-free, Karen. I’m so glad you liked it!
Hi there! I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious!! So incredibly easy and so tasty! Loved it!
I wanted to ask if both the filling and the topping can be made separately ahead of time and kept in the fridge until ready to bake?
Jolie, I haven’t done this but I see no reason why it wouldn’t work.