Apple Crisp Recipe
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My tasty old-fashioned Apple Crisp recipe combines warm cinnamon apples with a buttery oat streusel topping for the perfect cozy dessert! Top this easy apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert everyone loves!
This heavenly Apple Crisp my family has made for generations always comes to mind when I think of warm, cozy, comfort food desserts. While I make it year-round, it’s a cool weather must! Since it’s an egg-free dessert, it’s great to serve for so many occasions. And it’s so easy and tastes incredible! It’s perfect to serve alongside your Thanksgiving and holiday pies!
This favorite comfort food dessert is loaded with a delicious combination of apples that develop a cinnamon caramel-like glaze, topped with a generous amount of buttery, crisp oat topping. And the aroma that fills the air when this bakes is cozy, comfort food bliss!
Here’s how you’ll make it.
Apple Crisp Ingredients
- Apples – See the “Best Apples” section to follow. You will need 7 medium apples, peeled and sliced.
- Lemon Juice – Enhances the flavor of the apples and keeps them from turning brown.
- Brown sugar – Used in both the apple filling and the oat topping. Gives a rich, deep flavor to the dessert.
- Flour – Used in the filling to thicken it and is the base of the oat streusel topping. Use all-purpose flour for both.
- Cinnamon – Warm spice complements the taste of the apples and the topping.
- Butter – You’ll use in the filling and to help create the crumbly texture of the oat streusel topping.
- Baking Powder – Works with the flour in the oat topping.
- Salt – A bit of salt enhances the sweetness of the apples and the oat topping.
- Oats – Use quick-cooking oats for the oat streusel topping
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.
- Baking Apples – such as Cortland, Braeburn, and Rome apples
- Eating Apples – Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Sweetango apples
- Tart Apples – Granny Smith apples
The apples that you choose impact the flavor of your dessert. The combination of sweet and tart apples gives a perfect balance. Using all sweet apples may make the dessert too sweet, while all tart apples can not be sweet enough.
How to Make Apple Crisp
Prep. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Make the Apple Crisp Oat Streusel Topping.
Add the dry topping ingredients except for the butter to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Then add the softened butter to the flour mixture with a fork, pastry blender, or clean fingers and combine until well incorporated. Place the oat streusel topping in the refrigerator to chill while preparing the Apple Filling.
Then, Make the Apple Crisp Filling.
Combine the apple slices and other apple filling ingredients in a large bowl. Toss together until well coated. Pour the apple mixture into your prepared baking dish. Take the chilled streusel topping from the refrigerator and evenly spread atop the apple mixture.
Bake the Apple Crisp. Let the dish bake in the oven until the apples are tender and the streusel topping has turned golden brown, about 45 minutes. Place baking dish on cooling rack to cool for a few minutes. Serve warm as is or top with homemade vanilla ice cream and even a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. It’s also delicious with a dollop or two of homemade whipped cream!
Storage Tips
To Refrigerate. Cover leftovers or place in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To Make Ahead or Freeze. Make the recipe without baking, wrap it well, cover it in an airtight freezer-safe container, and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed until done.
You can also bake the recipe, cool it completely, wrap it well, place it in a freezer-safe container, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake at recipe temperature for about 30 minutes or until bubbly around the edges and warmed throughout.
If you wish to make ahead and bake the next day, prepare the recipe according to instructions. Do not bake; wrap well and place in the refrigerator for up to one day before baking. Then bake as directed until done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes, I leave some of the peelings on my apples. I like the taste and the bits of color that may peek through as you spoon into the dessert. Other times, I completely peel the apples.
Apple crisps usually have oats or nuts mixed as part of the streusel topping ingredients, but a crumble does not. Both are baked fruit desserts layered with a topping.
Bake according to recipe instructions until the fruit filling begins to bubble around the edges and the streusel topping is golden brown and crisp.
If you love comforting and warm fruit desserts, my easy peach cobbler, blueberry cobbler, and classic banana pudding are a few more simple, delicious fruit desserts to try.
More Favorite Apple and Fall Recipes
- Classic Pumpkin Pie
- Sweet Potato Casserole – great with the meal and as a dessert!
- Apple Cider
- Pecan Pie
- Apple Pie
Here’s my family’s favorite Apple Crisp recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Apple Crisp Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 medium (1,274 g) apples , peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1/4 cup (56 g) lemon juice
- 1/2 cup (107 g) brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons (22.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (2.6 g) ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.65 g) kosher salt
Apple Crisp Topping:
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (214 g) brown sugar
- 1 cup (82 g) quick-cooking oats
- 1 teaspoon (2.6 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (113 g) butter , softened
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Spray 9×13 baking 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.
Notes
Storage Tips
To Refrigerate. Cover leftovers or place in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To Make Ahead or Freeze. Make the recipe without baking, wrap it well, cover it in an airtight freezer-safe container, and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed until done. You can also bake the recipe, cool it completely, wrap it well, place it in a freezer-safe container, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake at recipe temperature for about 30 minutes or until bubbly around the edges and warmed throughout. If you wish to make ahead and bake the next day, prepare the recipe according to instructions and do not bake; wrap well and place in the refrigerator for up to one day prior to baking. Then bake as directed until done.Optional Toppings
You can serve apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, homemade whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
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.
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!
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 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
Looks good , can’t wait to try it!
Hope you like it, Dorothy.
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!
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
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 !
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’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!