Easy Apple Crisp
This Apple Crisp recipe is the best fall dessert ever! Fresh sliced apples are topped with a sweet buttery cinnamon oat topping that tastes divine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Made the old-fashioned way like Grandma used to!
There's nothing like the smell of apple crisp baking in the oven to bring on all the fall kitchen vibes. Juicy apples covered in a thick, sweet cinnamon sauce with a delicious, crunchy oat topping that makes the whole house smell divine!
Homemade apple crisp is easy to make and perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can assemble it a day before serving and keep it covered in the fridge until you're ready to bake.
It's a great way to get ahead with holiday baking!
Ingredients
- Apples: What apples are best for apple crisp? Varieties such as Granny Smith, Jonagold, Gala, or Honeycrisp are sweet, tart, and firm which are perfect for baking in crisps and apple pie.
- Sugar: This recipe uses two types of sugar: granulated sugar in the filling and light brown sugar in the topping.
- Oats: Use either quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats.
- Flour: Flour thickens the sweet syrup created by the sugar and apple juices as the crisp bakes.
- Cinnamon
- Butter: To make this a vegan apple crisp, use plant-based butter or melted coconut oil.
- Baking soda and Baking Powder: Baking soda and baking powder, generally used as leavening agents, also keep the crisp topping light and tender.
- Optional: ½ cup chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, can be added to the apple crisp topping for added flavor and texture.
Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
- Not all oats are gluten-free, so check the package label for a gluten-free certification if needed.
- Use gluten-free flour in the crumb topping and the filling in place of all-purpose flour.
How to make the best apple crisp recipe
Before you begin, transfer the oven rack to the center position and preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Lightly grease a 9" x 13" baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
Step 1: Prepare the apple filling
Peel and slice the apples. Arrange them in a 9" x 13" baking dish and pour ¼ cup water into the dish.
In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon and flour. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the apple slices.
Step 2: Prepare the crisp topping
Place the rolled oats, flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl and stir to combine. Pour in the melted butter and use a fork to incorporate it into the mixture.
Sprinkle evenly over the apple filling.
Step 3: Bake.
Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes at 350°F (176°C).
How do you know when apple crisp is done?
The apple crisp is done when the fruit is bubbling around the edges of the dish and the topping is golden brown and crisp.
Serve
Serve the apple crisp topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
How to Store
Store leftovers loosely covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
You can freeze apple crisp for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
When ready to serve, thaw the crisp in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheat in a 350°F oven until heated through.
FAQs
The butter makes the topping crunchy. By melting the butter and mixing it with the other topping ingredients, you ensure it is evenly distributed for a crunchy result.
To keep apples from being mushy in apple crisp, choose firm baking apples like Granny Smith. Avoid softer varieties like Red Delicious, which are not as sweet and can become mushy.
The filling is thickened with flour or cornstarch which mixes with the juices as the crisp bakes., releasing starches that thicken the filling.
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Apple Crisp
INGREDIENTS
Apple Filling
- 10 medium apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup water
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 8 tablespoons butter (melted)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange the sliced apples in a 9" x 13" baking dish and pour ¼ cup water into the dish. In a small bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, cinnamon to combine and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the apple slices.
- Place the rolled oats, flour, light brown sugar, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl and stir to combine. Pour in the melted butter and use a fork to incorporate it into the mixture. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the crisp topping is golden brown and the apples are tender. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
NOTES
- To Store: Cover the baked apple crisp loosely and store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- To Freeze: Apple crisp can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. When you are ready to serve it, allow the crisp to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- To Reheat: Place in the oven at 350°F until heated through.
Super simple and delicious! I peeled 10 apples and then only needed 6 as my large pan was filled!
I don’t eat refined white sugar so I cut the sugar on the apples to just 1/4 cup and added a couple tablespoons of maple sugar my husband made.
For the topping I also reduced the amount of sugar.
Perfect simple dessert for Christmas!
This was an absolute winner. I added chopped pecans and a 1/2 tsp salt to the crumble, and freshly grated nutmeg to the apples. Nothing wrong with the original recipe, just personal choices with apples. Added a thin drizzle of caramel sauce over the top right after taking it out of the oven. Served with vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce. RAVE REVIEWS.
This recipe is delicious!! Can you make it in advance and refrigerate it before you bake it? My husband wants to take it to work early in the morning. I would rather get everything ready the night before .
Yes you can assemble the night before.
I have been making apple crisp for years - 25+ - and this is the best recipe I've found ever - my family agrees! I'll be keeping this!
I'm making this today.I had planned to make the topping with just flour instead of flour/oatmeal mix, because all I have is quick oatmeal but I see that you used it,others call for old fashioned, would there be a difference?Thank you.Stella Galea
You can use quick oatmeal!
I’ve made the Apple 🍏 crisp 3 times When I take out of oven, I will take a picture. I have a Granny Smith apple tree and finished the last of the apples today. We’ll enjoy this week- then back to regular way of eating. No more Apple Crisp! ♥️🍏🥲
This turned out excellent!! I also made a pan of apple raspberry crisp 🍎🍏
This was easy to make and tastes amazing!
Absolutely delicious!!
How much brown sugar is used in the topping? It’s not in the ingredient listing.
It's 1/2 cup, so sorry about that!!