Easy Apple Crisp Recipe
This easy apple crisp recipe uses freshly chopped apples that are soft and tender with a warm, buttery cinnamon oatmeal streusel topping. Serve it cold or serve it warm! I recommend you serve it warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!
I love the fall for so many reasons, but one big reason is all the warm, delicious apple recipes! There’s nothing quite like a chill in the morning and some warm apple cinnamon scones or apple cinnamon oatmeal for breakfast! For a fall-themed dessert, I love cinnamon baked apples with ice cream or whipped cream or if you’re looking for something more substantial for dessert, try out my apple cider bundt cake you’re sure to love!
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy to make. The preparation for this apple crisp is so quick and easy! It takes just 15 minutes to whip this thing up and then let the oven do the rest. This easy apple crisp recipe is a simple but delicious fall dessert!
- Great way to use up your apples! You can use any kind of apple for this recipe, and it’s a great way to use up any apples from your tree, apples that are on sale at the grocery store, etc.
- The perfect balance of flavor and texture. This recipe perfectly balances the sour of the apples with the sweetness of the oat crumble topping while also providing the perfect texture. The apples are tender but not mushy and the bottom of the crumble gets nice and caramel-y and gooey, with crunchy oats on top.
Enough crumble to go around. Nothing’s worse than an apple crisp and not enough crumble! This recipe has plenty of crumble so you get some in every bite!
Ingredients
- Apples: You can use any kind of apples. I use a mixture of apples, typically Granny Smith and Gala.
- Flour: Adding a bit of flour to the apple mixture (as well as flour in the crumble) creates a bit more structure in both of the elements.
- Cinnamon: Because apples and cinnamon are the perfect fall combination!
- Rolled Oats: Using rolled oats gives more structure to the oat crumble topping than you’d get with instant oats.
- Sugar: We’ll use granulated with the apples and brown sugar in the cinnamon oat crumble topping.
- Butter: Make sure the butter is COLD.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Toss the peeled and sliced apples in the sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon. (Use this gadget to speed up the apple coring/peeling/slicing step.)
- Place the sugar-coated apples in a 9″- or 10″-inch baking dish sprayed with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the streusel topping by combining the oats, flour, baking powder, and brown sugar. Use a fork to combine.
- Add the cubed butter to the mixture. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Spread the crumble mixture evenly over the sliced apples.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes at 350°F or until the apple mixture is bubbly and the top is golden brown.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Tips
Prep the pan: To grease the pan, I used butter. However, you can use cooking spray.
I used the oval pan version in this set, but have also made this crisp in a square 9″x9″ inch pan and it fit perfectly. I wouldn’t bake this in a 9″ inch round pie dish because I don’t think the sides will be tall enough.
Additional Toppings: Add some homemade whipped cream or candied pecans on top of your apple crumble.
Apples: Always peel and core the apples. Leaving skins on will mess with the apple crisp consistency and texture. I used a combination of Granny Smith and honey crisp or gala apples. You’ll need about 3-4 large apples. Granny Smith is an exceptionally crisp and tart apple that stands up well to baking. The honey crisp is sweeter and bakes well too.
If you were to use all Granny Smith apples, you won’t get as much juice seeping from the apples, hence I like to use a combination so get some good hold up during the bake and some juicy apples that’ll break down slightly to provide the sauciness. With that being said you can use any apple variety you like. Experiment. Mix and match.
Storing
The apple crisp will last for about 3 days. I recommend you cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. When ready to eat it again, pull it out and eat it cold, or better yet, heat it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or reheat the apple crisp in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes. Top it with vanilla ice cream and dig in!
FAQs
Apple crisp is also known as apple crumble. The terms are interchangeable. Apple crisp/apple crumble contains fresh apples topped with a sweet streusel topping that gets baked until the apples are soft and cooked.
Any kind of apples will do. Granny Smith apples are very tart so they pair well with the sweetness of the added sugar. I like to use a blend of Granny Smith and Gala apples or even Honeycrisp apples. The beauty of it is that you can use whichever apples you have on hand!
Technically, no you don’t have to peel the apples before making apple crisp. However, I recommend you do.
I’ve made apple crisp with the skin on and I don’t enjoy it. Despite the apples cooking in the oven long enough to soften the flesh and the skin, I found the skin to be chewy and catch in my throat easily.
More Apple Recipes
Easy Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- 6 cups apples - peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Crumble Topping
- 3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup brown sugar - packed
- 1/3 cup butter - cold. Cut into 1/4 inch cubes.
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9" or 10" inch baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large size bowl add the sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon. Mix to combine. Add the sliced apples and toss to coat.
- Transfer the sugar coated apples to the prepared baking dish.
- In a medium size bowl combine the oats, flour, baking powder, and brown sugar. Mix to combine (I just use a fork). Add the cubed butter to the mixture. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Spread the crumble mixture evenly overtop the sliced apples.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and the top is golden brown.
- Remove from oven. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Always peel and core the apples. Leaving skins on will mess with the apple crisp consistency and texture.
- I used a combination of Granny Smith and honey crisp apples. You’ll need about 3-4 large apples, more if they are smaller in size. Granny Smith is an exceptionally crisp and tart apple that stands up well to baking. The honey crisp is sweeter and bakes well too.
- If you were to use all Granny Smith apples, you won’t get as much juice seeping from the apples, hence I like to use a combination so get some good hold up during the bake and some juicy apples that’ll break down slightly to provide the sauciness. With that being said you can use any apple variety you like. Experiment. Mix and match.
This recipe was originally published on Sept. 21, 2018. It was republished on Sept. 9, 2021, to include additional information and photos.
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4 Comments on “Easy Apple Crisp Recipe”
Got it right the first time !! Did not even have to peal the apples. This one is a keeper.
Best apple crisp recipe I’ve tried so far.
Perfect mixture of sweetness fruit and oat crunchiness!
Thanks for the great review, Robert! I’m glad you love this apple crisp!
I love apple crisp! Looks so delicious and comforting!