With a crispy brown sugar and oat topping and a thick cinnamon, sweet apple filling, this Easy Apple Crisp is the perfect dessert recipe for any season.
While I tend to see more apple-themed recipes in the fall months, along with the pumpkin and pumpkin spice, I truly believe that apple desserts can be consumed any time of year! And, this Easy Apple Crisp is no exception! Throw a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, and you have a cool summer treat. Or leave it alone, and enjoy a warm and belly-filling dessert for those crisp fall and winter days.
This delicious dish of decadent cooked apples flavored with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg is topped with a buttery rolled oat and brown sugar topping. The perfect, simple dessert to make those taste buds dance!
When it comes time to serve this, I usually serve it slightly warm with a big ol’ scoop of vanilla ice cream. I have also been known to pour a little heavy cream right over the top, too. Life’s all about balance, folks! Y’all enjoy!
What is apple crisp?
Apple crisp is a yummy and classic dessert featuring delicious, sweet, baked apples topped with a crisp and crumbly topping. Most commonly, apple crisp is a base of sliced or diced apples coated in sugar and spices. Then, that mixture is topped with a crumbled topping of flour, oats, butter, and brown sugar. Sometimes the base will also include nuts, spices, and a citrus juice, like lemon or orange juice, for an added zest of flavor.
This dessert is baked until the apples are tender and the topping is golden and crispy. Traditionally served warm, I like to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, caramel sauce, or heavy cream on top. While this dish is generally most popular in the fall season, many enjoy this delicious treat year-round, as do I!
Should I peel my apples? How should I cut my apples for apple crisp?
When it comes time to prep those delicious apples, I like to peel and dice mine for this recipe. Some apple peels can often get tough when cooked and though it is one more step to have to peel them, I think it’s worth the effort. With that being said, you can absolutely leave the peels on the apples if you wish. You can also put one of these fancy peelers to good work, too. I have one and love it.
When it comes to the dicing part, that’s just personal preference, too. I feel like the smaller bites of apples are easier to fit on a spoon and less cumbersome when eating, but many recipes call for the apples to simply be sliced. As always, you do you. It will be just as tasty either way.
What variety is best for apple crisp?
I love all the apple varieties! The truth is, really any apple will work in this recipe. So, if you’ve already got some on hand, use those.
For me, I generally recommend using a firm-fleshed apple, like a Granny Smith, when baking. It’s got tons of tangy and tart apple flavor and is firm enough to not turn to complete mush when baking. You can also use other firm-fleshed apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Braeburn, or Pink Lady.
Recipe Card
Easy Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 pounds firm, tart apples (like Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and diced (4 to 5 medium apples)
- 1 tablespoon orange juice*
For the crumble topping:
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the apples and orange juice and toss to coat. Pour evenly into the prepared baking dish. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter until a crumble forms. Sprinkle over the apple mixture.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the filling is thick and bubbling around the edges and the apples are tender. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Arlene Sterner
Just made it for breakfast. My granddaughter and I both loved it. Thank you
Love hearing that!
.Sharon
What can be used in place of oats? I love apple crisp.
I’ve only ever made this specific recipe using the oats. Is there a particular reason you want to try to not use them?
Deb
Great recipe. It came out delicious.
I used apple cider for the liquid as I had that on hand. Made it yesterday and I think my husband saved some for today.
Great idea! Glad it turned out great for you!
Susan Douglass
Can it be baked ahead and reheated?
Absolutely!
carol e hawley
can i use quick oats in this recipe
I don’t see why not.
carol e hawley
Thankyou for your reply
Beth Howell
As a student and (later on) as a teacher, this recipe took me back to my school days, reminding me of Ms Violet who could make THE BEST Apple Crisp EVER! This recipe was a total treat, and I made it for my first get-together with the H20 Aquatics group from the YMCA…Oh, the complements poured in! I’m passing the recipe along now! #southernbite
Thanks so much, Beth! I love how food can transport us like that. Glad to hear everyone enjoyed it!
Victoria Stowe
Wow! This is the first recipe that I’ve made from one that I’ve seen online!
This turned out really well and it was EASY! The only problem I had was not having a 2 qt. baking dish, so I used my 13×9 and I have to say, it didn’t take as long to bake, but I should have used more apples. The good part is that there is more crunchy topping to enjoy!
Thank you for sharing this really Easy Apple Crisp! And I will be using it again and again..
Hi Victoria! Thanks for trusting one of my recipes to be your first! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Wendy Hampton
OUTSTANDING! I have had a craving for apple crisp for the last several Fall seasons! I really have struggled because all of the recipes were way too sweet. Not like the Apple Crisp I remembered from Valleydale School waaaay back in the 60’s! But finally…my quest has been successful! Not too much sugar, the tang of orange juice and the spices I remember! Thank you Stacy for recreating this memory for me! I will delete all the other recipes I have gathered…I don’t need them any more!
I’m so glad you loved it!
Beverly J Davies
Yummy…beverly Jean
Thanks!
Catherine Hardon
Cannot wait to make this! Sound SOO good. Do you think I could substitute the flour for gluten free flour and the butter for dairy free butter? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Catherine! I have virtually no experience with gluten free flour and dairy free butter, so I can’t say for sure. In theory, it should work just fine. I’ve just not tested it. If you try it, please come back and let me know how it turns out.
Shawn Spendiff
I have been using GF flour a 1/1 for my crisp recipes the non-dairy fats work fine and will hold your topping together. Do check it a little more often as those types of fats can burn a little easier. You may have to loosely tent the crisp to keep the topping from burning.
Thanks, Shawn!
Teresa
I made this yesterday and everyone loved it! Thanks for sharing this recipe Stacey.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Natasha
My kids love this recipe! Thank you for sharing! Should we refrigerate if there are any leftover?
So glad to hear they enjoyed it! I’d recommend keeping it in the fridge.
meems
first recipe for apple crisp I have come across where the butter is melted, not VERY cold and cubed? am SOOOOO looking forward to making your crisp! wooo hoooo! thanks!
Sure hope you’ll enjoy it!
Charlie DeSando
Superb recipe. Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks, Charlie!
Mary Kincaid
I made one yesterday and it’s gone already! But it was different than your’s , but I like the ingredients in your’s .
Aida
Hi …. Maybe you can also share your recipe
Penny Taylor
Sounds exciting! Can’t wait to try!
Hope you’ll enjoy it!
Penny Taylor
My father can only eat sugar free. So, I substituted sugar and brown sugar with Stevia brands. Tasted just as fabulous!!! Worked very well! Dadio sure loves it! Thank you, Stacey!
Thanks for sharing that, Penny!
LindY G SHERROD
Stacey, can you keep a secret? I’m Southern and do NOT like pumpkin-anything….yuck. So this Apple Crisp is right up my alley. Thank you and don’t forget to keep our little secret.
LindY Gail
Ha! Your secret’s safe with me! 🙂
Elizabeth Benoit
Perfect for these first cool nights!
Definitely!
gl
I’m with you on the pumpkin. Even as a child I would not eat pumpkin. I make it for my son but he’s the only one in family who likes pumpkin.