This Homemade Apple Crisp Recipe is a simple dessert made with crips tart apples mixed with sugar and cinnamon and sprinkled with a crunchy sweet oatmeal crumb topping.
The result is pure heaven, and for an over-the-top delectable treat, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. So much easier to make than a classic apple pie, but with all the flavor, aroma, and texture. This is sure to become your new go-to fall apple recipe.
Fall is here, with it comes fresh, crisp, delicious apples. What better way to celebrate nature’s bounty than making a scrumptious Apple Crisp? There are just a couple of key points in perfecting an apple crisp.
One is picking the correct baking apples, and the other is getting the topping just right with a little crunchy crispiness so it holds up well under those juicy apples and melting vanilla ice cream.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Rolled Oats: Use old-fashioned oats, not quick oats. Quick oats are partially cooked, dried, and rolled thinner. Therefore, they do not stay as crispy or maintain their shape as well.
- Butter: unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, cut the added salt down to 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Apples: go with crisp tart apples like Granny Smith apples or Honeycrisp apples. Other good choices are Braeburn or Pink Lady (Cripps Pink).
How to make Apple Crisp Recipe
I like to make the topping first and set aside while peeling and slicing the apples. So grab a medium to large bowl and stir the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together. Drizzle in the melted butter and stir with a fork until coarse crumbs form.
Then peel, core, and slice your apples. If you want more texture left after baking, slice them thicker or into cubes. As you cut your apples, add them to a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and stir to coat. Then add the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Place the mixture in a large casserole dish sprayed with nonstick baking spray.
Sprinkle the oat topping over the apples as evenly as possible. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the apples are tender and the casserole is bubbly on the sides and golden brown.
Preparation Tips
- Slice your apples about 1/4 inch thick or thicker if you like a slight crispiness after baking. Remember that you might reheat the crisp.
- Lightly spray the baking dish with nonstick baking spray to keep the crumble from sticking to the edges.
- Apple Crisp is delicious, warm or cold.
- For an extra special treat, serve a la mode. My favorite is all-natural vanilla ice cream.
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven on low heat or microwave at reduced power.
To freeze, cool thoroughly and cover with two layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. See more below about freezing apple crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use crisp tart apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady. I like to use a combination of these, most of which are Granny Smith.
Add chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, or almonds for added texture and crunch.
If freezing from the prepped stage, use a metal or tin pan or pie plate. Cover it with two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen. Remove the plastic wrap and cover with just the aluminum foil. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
If freezing from a baked stage, first cool completely. Wrap in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Take the crisp out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature for about 40 minutes. Remove the wrap and reheat for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees. If the top browns too much, cover the top with aluminum foil.
More Apple Desserts
Easy Apple Crisp Recipe
Ingredients
Topping
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
Apple Filling
- 8 large apples peeled cored and chopped (Granny Smith and Honeycrisp)
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, stir the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt together. Drizzle in the melted butter and stir with a fork until coarse crumbs form.
- In a large bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice. Add the brown sugar, flour, ground cinnamon, and vanilla extract and stir to coat. Spoon the mixture in the prepared casserole dish.
- Spread the crumb topping over the apples as evenly as possible. Bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes or until bubbly on the sides and golden brown.
Notes
- Slice your apples about 1/4 inch thick or thicker if you like a slight crispiness after baking. Remember that you might reheat the crisp.
- Lightly spray the baking dish with nonstick baking spray to keep the crumble from sticking to the edges.
- Apple Crisp is delicious, warm or cold.
- For an extra special treat, serve a la mode. My favorite is all-natural vanilla ice cream.
Nutrition
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Lisa
Whew, pass the apple crisp pie and a scoop of ice cream. This recipe was so delicious and with Fall time upon I could make this over and over again.
Kristina
YUM! This apple crisp is a fall favorite in my house. We loved every bite. I am a purist. I like my crisp without ice cream.
Beth Pierce
Me too!
Terri Beavers
This apple crisp recipe was absolutely amazing! I loved that it was simple to make and had the cozy fall flavors, especially with that crunchy oatmeal topping. Perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Beth Pierce
Thank you Terri! I am so happy that you liked the crisp.
Rose Marie
Apple Crisp is a classic fall dessert and this one is delicious! Thanks for sharing your recipe, Beth.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome Rose Marie!
Mary
We picked so many apples, and I needed a way to use them up. Such a great recipe to use for my freshly picked apples. I could make and eat this everyday!
Beth Pierce
Me too, Mary!
Maureen D
The perfect dessert for this time of year! It was so delicious. Plus, I love that you can add vanilla ice cream on top to really satisfy that sugar craving!
Stephanie
Yum! I’ve got a bunch of apples and everything I need to whip up this delicious sounding dessert. Looks so simple and I don’t have to roll out any pie dough!
Beth Pierce
Exactly! So easy and delicious!
Colleen
I really loved the combination of apples you used in this recipe. The tartness of the Granny Smith with the sweetness of the Honeycrisp was so good!
Beth Pierce
Thank you! Colleen!
Christian
This was delicious and easy to make. I used honeycrisp apples and it turned out perfect. Thanks for sharing the recipe, Beth!
Jack
We loved the apple crisp recipe. It was easy and delicious. The perfect fall treat!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Jack! So glad that you liked it!
Sandy
This Homemade Apple Crisp Recipe seems like a true delight for any dessert lover out there. I love how easy it is to make, yet it still delivers all the flavours and textures of a classic apple pie. The combination of tart apples, sugar, and cinnamon sounds like a perfect match, and the crunchy sweet oatmeal crumb topping takes it to the next level. I can just imagine how wonderful it must smell while baking in the oven. And to top it all off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream? Pure bliss! I can’t wait to try this recipe out and impress my family and friends with my newfound baking skills. Thank you for sharing this amazing fall apple recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sandy! I sure hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Ned
I think I can pull off this apple crisp, just like you did here. I live for apples every chance I get! I saved your recipe for the weekend.
Barbie Ritzman
I really enjoy the flavor and crispness. Adding whipped cream was the perfect touch.
Olga
I love this apple crisp. Cold season is coming and that means I need to make it often. Thank you for the recipe; we always enjoy it.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Olga!
Melanie williams
Anything that has apples for the dessert it is a winner with me for sure. Just yummy xx
Deb
I love a yummy homemade apple crisp. I love how easy this recipe was to follow. Best apple crisp I have had in quite some time.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Deb! I am so happy that you liked the apple crisp.