September 22, 2023
Review RecipeApple Crisp
Hot apple crisp is always a favorite way to enjoy juicy apples during the fall apple season.
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The tart flavor of juicy apples baked to bubbling and topped with a crunchy topping make this apple crisp a favorite fall dessert. Our easy recipe is just like Grandma used to make – sweet, warm, and delicious!
Best Apple Crisp Recipe Ingredients
This apple crisp recipe is a blend of Granny Smith apples, sweet sugars, and comforting spices.
The crisp topping, featuring oats, cinnamon, and butter, adds a satisfying crunch with a hint of nutmeg.
When baked, it creates a dessert that balances tender, caramelized apples with a buttery, spiced oat topping, making it a perfect treat.
You’ll need:
For The Crisp Topping:
- ¾ cup of old-fashioned oats
- ¼ cup of flour
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- ¼ cup of sugar
- ¼ cup of light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons of cold butter, cubed
For The Apple Filling:
- 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup of all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup of granulated sugar
- ½ cup of light brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons of cinnamon
Substitutions And Additions
GRANNY SMITH APPLES: Granny Smiths are the best variety of apples for apple crisp, but we also like Golden Delicious and Honeycrisp apples.
You could also use a mix of apples if you’d like.
LIGHT BROWN SUGAR: If you don’t have this, you could just use regular white sugar.
OLD-FASHIONED OATS: These are also known as rolled oats. It’s fine to use quick-cooking oats instead if that’s what you have in the cupboard.
BUTTER: To make this recipe suitable for vegans, you could switch the butter to dairy-free margarine.
CARAMEL SAUCE: Optional but so yummy, why not drizzle some caramel sauce over the top?
How To Make This Apple Crisp Recipe
All you need to do to make this favorite dessert is cut up your apples and add your crumble topping before baking.
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray.
STEP TWO: First, make the topping. Take a medium-sized bowl and add the oats, flour, cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Stir until combined.
STEP THREE: Add the butter to the dry ingredients and work together with a fork or your fingers until it’s crumbly. Set aside.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
Be sure to slice or dice your apples consistently so that they cook evenly.
STEP FOUR: To make the filling, place the sliced apples into a large bowl and drizzle with lemon juice. Toss until well-coated.
PRO TIP:
Do not skip peeling the apples. Leaving the peels on will affect the consistency and texture of your crisp.
STEP FIVE: In a small bowl, add the flour, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until combined.
Sprinkle the flour mixture over the apples and toss until they are coated.
PRO TIP:
Adding flour to your apples will help ensure that your filling is not crumbly.
STEP SIX: Layer the apples into the baking dish. Place the crumbly topping on top.
STEP SEVEN: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.
PRO TIP:
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your crisp at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
STEP EIGHT: Serve warm, topped with ice cream or whipped topping.
Best Apple Crisp Serving Suggestions
We suggest pairing this warm apple crisp à la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
Elevate your brunch game by using the apple crisp as a pancake topping. Make a stack of fluffy pancakes and generously sprinkle warm apple crisp over them.
If you are serving up leftovers the next day, make sure to warm it up again before enjoying a dish of this yummy dessert.
More of our classic apple recipes include our apple pie and caramel apple crisp bites.
MORE APPLE RECIPES
Easy Apple Crisp Recipe Storage
We’ve got you covered on how to store this delightful dessert to ensure it stays fresh and tasty.
MAKE AHEAD: If you’re planning ahead for a special occasion or simply want to save some time, you can prepare your apple crisp ahead of time.
Assemble the crisp as per the recipe instructions but hold off on baking it. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
When you’re ready to enjoy, bake it according to the recipe, adding a few extra minutes to account for the chill.
IN THE FRIDGE: This classic apple crisp can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Allow it to cool completely before wrapping it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Warm in the microwave or in the oven on low heat.
IN THE FREEZER: Apple crisp will last for three months in the freezer in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Why We Love This Recipe
CLASSIC COMFORT: It captures the timeless essence of a warm, homey dessert. The combination of tender, spiced apples, and a crispy oat topping evokes feelings of comfort and nostalgia.
DELICIOUS YEAR-ROUND: While it’s especially delightful in the fall, this apple crisp is a crowd-pleaser all year round. It’s equally enjoyable as a cozy winter dessert, a sweet summer treat, or a comforting spring indulgence.
The Best Apple Crisp Recipe
The best apple crisp recipe is homemade from scratch, but that doesn’t mean that it’s difficult to do. This traditional apple crisp recipe can be prepared in under 20 minutes, using ingredients that you already have in your cupboard.
Old Fashioned Apple Crisp FAQ
What are the best apples for making apple crisp?
The best apples to use for apple crisp are tart apples or a mix of tart and sweet apples. Granny Smith is the top choice for baking, followed by Golden Delicious, Fuji, and Honeycrisp.
Do I need to peel the apples?
For an apple crisp, you should peel the apples before adding them to the recipe.
Can I make an apple crisp without oats?
You could make apples crisp without oats. Instead, top with a crumble topping of ¾ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, and ½ cup of unsalted butter, melted. Combine and sprinkle on top of your apple mixture.
What is the difference between apple crisp and apple crumble?
While both apple crisp and apple crumble are baked fruit desserts with a layer of topping, apple crisp has a crumbly topping that usually includes oats, while a crumble topping has a streusel topping made with flour, sugar, and butter.
How can I make my apple crisp crispy?
A secret found in some apple crisp recipes to add extra crisp to the topping is to add ½ cup of graham cracker crumbs to the mixture.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Blackberry Cobbler
- Blueberry Dump Cake
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Peach Dump Cake
- Blueberry Hand Pies
- Blueberry Cobbler
- Applesauce Cake
- Apple Pie Filling
- Apple Pie Bites
- Crockpot Applesauce
- Upside Down Apple Cake
- Campfire Apple Crisp in Foil Packets
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- Caramel Apple Dump Cake
- Apple Chips
Apple Crisp
Hot apple crisp is always a favorite way to enjoy juicy apples during the fall apple season.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8
Ingredients
Topping
- ¾ cup old-fashioned oats
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
- ice cream or whipped topping, optional
Apple Filling
- 6 Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and sliced thin but not slivered)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- In a medium-sized bowl add the oats, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and brown sugar.
- Add the cold cubed butter. Using a fork or fingers, work the butter into the flour and oat mixture until crumbly. Set this aside.
- In a large bowl, add the sliced apples.
- Drizzle the lemon juice over the apples. Toss the apples to coat them well with the lemon juice.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, packed light brown sugar, and cinnamon. Quickly stir them together to combine.
- Sprinkle the flour mixture over the apples and toss to coat them.
- Evenly layer the apples into the lightly sprayed baking dish.
- Evenly sprinkle the oat mixture topping over the apples.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve warm and top with ice cream or whipped topping.
Video
Notes
- Be sure to slice or dice your apples consistently so that they cook evenly.
- Do not skip peeling the apples. Leaving the peels on will affect the consistency and texture of your crisp.
- Adding flour to your apples will help ensure that your filling is not crumbly.
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your crisp at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
Nutrition
Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 59g | Vitamin A: 249IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
Have You Tried This Recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @spaceshipslb
Comments
Toni Thomason says
Perfect classic dessert that is a must try.
Celia says
My family Loved it!! Best apple crisp they have ever had 🙂 thank you!!
Ilse Dyck says
One of the best apple crisps I’ve ever had, thanks!
Johnna W says
Delicious!! Sweetness is just right. I will continue to make this again and again.
Lisa says
It was very yummy. Thanks. I did add a little salt to mine because I feel like it brings out the flavor more in everything. I was also lazy and just cut up the butter and placed it on top of the crumb topping and let it melt into the dessert. It worked out well.
Deanne says
If I prepped this the night before and kept it in the fridge would it still be good to bake the next evening??
Layne Kangas says
I have never tried prepping that far ahead, so I am not sure if it would get mushy at all or browned.
Tina says
Can I use Macintosh apples?
Layne Kangas says
They’re not my favorite for apple crisp, but you could use them! Enjoy!
Michelle says
Great recipe! Used Gala apples as that is all I had in hand. Mixed in about 1/2 tsp salt into topping. I’m currently making my second pan as my family demolished the one made two nights ago 😉
Sue says
Just baked this tastes fantastic 😁
Traci Askew says
This is Yummy!!
Jamie says
I made this about a month ago and my husband LOVED it. He honestly did not like apple crisp until I discovered this recipe! So, thank you for that!
I went to make it yesterday, and as I was in the middle of measuring it occurred to me that it seemed like this recipe was not the same one I made last month and then I noticed the post has been updated since I last made it. Is this a completely different ratio of measurements or is my memory just really bad? We both liked it, but felt like it tasted completely different, as there seemed to be more of the ingredients put into the filling than the topping. Also maybe more nutmeg? If this did change, is there any way to get the original?
Jessie says
Yes, I noticed this too! Tastes completely different then the first time I made it, about a month ago. I was so confused….
Carole says
Made this with a mix of apples…3 Granny Smiths, 2 Golden Delicious and 1 Fuji…because I usually like the variety of apple flavors. I have a sweet tooth, but this was definitely on the too-sweet side for me. Probably because I changed out half the Granny Smiths for sweeter apples. The next time I make this recipe (because there will be a next time!), I’m going to stick with all Granny Smith apples and cut the apple mixture sugar by 1/4 cup. The crumble topping is perfect in taste and quantity. The baking time is exactly right…apples were soft but not mushy. Thanks for sharing a really good recipe!
*Note to person who asked about prepping a day ahead: I often make and bake crisps, put them in the fridge overnight and then just warm on low oven heat before serving. If you’ve had a main dish baking in the oven, turn the oven off when you remove the casserole and pop the crisp into the still warm oven. By the time you’re finished eating your meal, the crisp will have warmed through and the topping will be crispy. Works well for me.
Joanna says
This apple crisp turned out AMAZING! Apple desserts are my favorite, so I’ve had lots in my time. This one ranked very high on my list! Everyone that tried it loved it. We topped it off with some vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. Absolute heaven! Better than what you’d get at a restaurant.
Jana says
How much butter? One place says 4 tsp the next place says 4 Tbsp.
Layne Kangas says
Sorry about that typo! It’s four tablespoons. Enjoy!
Jana says
Thank you 😊
Kadie says
Hi! Can this be baked in a Dutch oven instead of glass dish? Would it change cooking times?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Kadie – I haven’t tried that yet so I can’t speak to how it would bake!
Melissa says
What do you think about cooking it in the pan, refrigerating it and then taking it in a crock pot the next day to the office
Layne Kangas says
It might get a little soggy like that? I haven’t tried so I cannot say for sure! 🙂
Jessica says
Can I use lime juice instead of lemon?
Layne Kangas says
Yes, but limes are more acidic than lemons so you might not need to use as much. Enjoy 🙂
Maria says
2 things- step 1 says 8×8, while the last step says ,9×9. Also, when I made this, there was a lot of liquid. Just wondering why that would happen.
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Maria – thanks for catching the typo! You will get some liquid with this recipe from the apples baking. I hope you enjoyed!
Gloria says
We love this yummy recipe!!
Anneette says
Made this and it is the best Apple Crisp I have ever had, thank you.
Mandy says
This recipe is fantastic! I doubled my crumble and used a 9×13 dish soo soo good! Thanks for sharing 💛
Donna says
I made this recently and it was AWESOME! The only thing I did differently was use 2 lemons (all the juice). Apples were so moist and juicy and the topping was VERY crunchy even after being refrigerated from the day before we ate it. Definitely will make it again
Lexi says
Hi there! Made this for our Canadian Thanksgiving this Saturday, I froze it right away. What are your instructions for reheating? Should I cook it from frozen or thaw it first? What temp and time in the oven? Thank you!
Layne Kangas says
You should thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. I would reheat at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. Enjoy and happy Thanksgiving!
Lori says
Can this recipe be doubled and baked in a 9×13 pan?
Layne Kangas says
I haven’t tested that yet but I would assume so! Enjoy 🙂
Arlene Wong says
I just doubled this. It’s too much for 1 9×13” pan. You will need to split it up.
Darlene says
I just made it this morning, I added chopped praline pecans , delicious!
Tristen says
Have yet to make it, but will be soon for a friend get together. When combining the butter into the oat and flour mixture, can you use a pastry blender, or does a fork/your fingers work better?
I look forward to sharing this recipe with my guests!
Layne Kangas says
Any of those would work just fine – enjoy!
Stacy says
Recipe Rating 5 Stars!
My Rating 1 Star…ugh, I ruined it by not peeling the skins off of the apples, I was in a huge rush and will not do that again! Will for sure try this again, the right way! The flavors were amazing and very simple to make with common ingredients you probably already have at home. I toasted some pecans and added them to the crumble.
Melody says
Really delicious! I used Pink Lady apples and it turned out wonderful. Served it with Mayfield vanilla frozen yogurt. So good!
Rachel says
Can you use a diff flour? Trying to stay away from the all purpose flours
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Rachel – we haven’t tested it with different types of flours so I’m not sure how it would turn out!
Wendy says
This recipe is fantastic!
Alice Kelly says
Real easy to make and it’s delicious
Natalie says
Can I use quick oats?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Natalie – yes, it will change the texture just a bit but will still be yummy! Enjoy!
Jeanne says
Fantastic! Simple to make and so flavorful.
Michele Ann says
Sounds delicious!
Carrie says
That recipe is so my time. We had the exact apple crisp in school way back. Will keep this recipe!
Sue says
This is the best and easiest apple crisp I have ever made and will use it all the time I need a quick dessert!! The first time I used 2 cans pie filling and that was still very good!
Charlene Coomer says
I’m going to use 1/2 Granny Smith and 1/2 Gala apples and double the recipe. Will it fit in an 11×14 pan alright? Also why does using quick oats for the topping change the texture?
Thank you.
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Charlene – we haven’t tried doubling so I don’t have input on the pan size working. Quick oats and old-fashioned oats cook differently, so the texture would be different. You could use quick oats in a pinch but we would recommend old-fashioned. Enjoy!
Lise says
This was most delicious and easy to make!
Linda Primmer says
Looks delicious. I love a good apple crisp. I am happy to feature your old fashioned apple crisp at Love Your Creativity.
Becky says
The absolute best apple crisp I have ever had!!