The BEST Apple Crisp recipe ever (and it is super easy!) Made with fresh apples and a cinnamon-oatmeal crumb topping! This homemade apple crisp is a classic, fruity dessert that everyone loves. From the warm, gooey apple filling to the crunchy topping, every bite of this old-fashioned dessert recipe is so delicious. Top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and it’s simply irresistible.
Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
Something that we love to do as a family every fall is visiting the apple orchard. It’s always a fun way to get outdoors and enjoy the crisp Autumn weather. Best of all, we end up coming home with loads of fresh apples.
While everyone in our house does enjoy a crunchy, crisp apple, we simply never seem to be able to eat all of them after a trip to the orchard. This means that I get to break out the apple dessert recipes to make sure and use them up. This homemade apple crisp is always the number one request.
Why you’ll love Old Fashioned Easy Apple Crisp
Apple crisp is truly a classic dessert. It hits all the marks. It’s warm, sweet, crunchy, and just plain delicious. Don’t forget the melty vanilla ice cream on the top! I don’t know anyone who could say no to it.
So, if you are also looking for a way to use up your fresh apples… look no further. This apple crisp is a must-bake fall dessert!
Old Fashioned Apple Crisp Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin but not slivered
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
What is apple crisp topping made of?
- ¾ cup old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
(Ice cream or whipped topping, optional)
Best Apples for Apple Crisp
A common question when making apple crisp is, what type of apples should I use? This is really up to you and your preference. I like to use a combination. Typically, you want a good combination of sweet and tart. So, if you can, it’s best to use one apple that’s a bit more tart and one that is a bit sweeter.
Another thing to keep in mind when choosing your apples is the texture of the apples. Again, a combination works well here. Try pairing one apple that breaks down a bit more when baked, and one that is a bit more firm.
- Honey Crisp
- Granny Smith
- Golden Delicious
- Gala
- Fuji
How to Make this Old Fashioned Apple Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal
Can you believe that this delicious apple crisp can be made in just four easy steps? Yes, you read that right… just four steps! For such a tasty dessert, it sure is simple.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×9 baking dish.
- For the topping: Combine the oats, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and work the butter into the flour and oat mixture, until crumbly. Set this aside.
- For the Filling: In a large bowl, drizzle the apple slices with the lemon juice and toss to coat.
- Combine the flour, sugar, packed light brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl and quickly stir together to combine. Toss with the apples.
- Evenly layer the apples into the lightly sprayed baking dish and sprinkle the oat mixture on top.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm and top with ice cream or whipped topping. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream on top and enjoy!
Is it necessary to peel apples for apple crisp?
It’s not necessary to peel apples for apple crisp, but peeling them can improve the texture and appearance of the dish.
How do you know when apple crisp is done?
You’ll know apple crisp is done when the topping is golden brown, the apples are tender when pierced with a fork, and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
How to serve Homemade Apple Crisp
Serve Homemade Apple Crisp warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for a delightful dessert.
Old Fashioned Apple Crisp storage
Does apple crisp need to be refrigerated?
Yes, leftover apple crisp should be refrigerated to prevent spoilage. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container.
Apple Crisp Recipe with Oats FAQs
The main difference between apple crumble and apple crisp lies in the topping. While both desserts feature baked apples, crumble typically has a streusel-like topping, whereas crisp often incorporates oats for added texture.
The primary difference between a brown betty and apple crisp is the topping. A brown betty uses breadcrumbs or cubed bread for its topping, while apple crisp typically features oats.
If your apple crisp is watery, it might be due to using apples with high water content or not allowing the filling to thicken properly during baking. Using firmer apples and allowing the dish to bake until the filling is bubbling can help reduce excess moisture.
It’s generally recommended to cover apple crisp loosely with aluminum foil during the first half of baking to prevent the topping from browning too quickly, then remove the foil for the remaining baking time to let the topping crisp up.
More like this Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
Caramel Apple Hand Pies | Apple Cider Doughnut Cake | Gooey Caramel Apple Dump Cake Recipe | Apple Fritter Rings | Apple Crumble Cheesecake Bars
Homemade Apple Crisp Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 10 cups granny smith apples approximately 7-8 apples or 3 ½ pounds, peeled, cored and sliced into ⅛ inch thick slices then cut the slices in half (to approximately 1 inch wide x ⅛ inch thick pieces)
- ½ cup light brown sugar tightly packed
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crisp Topping
- 1⅓ cups quick cooking oats (not instant)
- 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup light brown sugar tightly packed
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick baker’s spray. Set aside.
- To a very large mixing bowl add the apple slices, light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and vanilla extract. Gently fold all the ingredients together to evenly coat the apple slices with the sugars and spices.10 cups granny smith apples, ½ cup light brown sugar, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Transfer the apple filling mixture to the prepared 9×13 baking dish and spread into an even layer. Be careful not to pack the apple filling too tightly when adding to the baking dish.
- To make the crisp topping, add to a large mixing bowl the quick cooking oats, all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Stir to combine.1⅓ cups quick cooking oats, 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Add the melted butter to the bowl of oats and stir to combine until all the melted butter has been evenly incorporated and no dry pockets of flour remains.¾ cup unsalted butter
- Top the apple filling with the crisp topping mixture. Be sure to evenly distribute the crisp mixture over the apples so that all the apple filling is evenly covered with the crisp mixture.
- Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the juices are bubbly from the apple filling.
- Allow the apple crisp to cool on the counter for 5 minutes before serving to allow the apple filling to set-up slightly and the juices to thicken.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. The longer this apple crisp is refrigerated, the softer the crisp topping will get from the moisture in the apple filling.
- To Freeze: You can freeze this apple crisp either before, or after being baked. If you are freezing after baking, allow the apple crisp to cool completely before tightly wrapping the baking dish with a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. The frozen apple crisp will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. Thaw the apple crisp completely in the refrigerator before reheating or baking.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare your apple crisp a day or two ahead. Make sure to let it cool completely before wrapping and refrigerating. You can reheat your crisp in the oven the next day or enjoy it at room temperature.
- This recipe can easily be cut in half to serve 4 instead of 8. Bake it in an 8×8 baking dish and begin to check for doneness at 30-35 minutes.
- You can substitute 2 teaspoons of apple pie spice blend for the cinnamon and nutmeg in the apple filling and 1 ½ teaspoon for the cinnamon in the crisp mixture. Spice blends make great shortcut pantry items if you do not use these baking spices often and don’t want to buy larger quantities of individual spices.
- It’s not necessary to peel apples for this apple crisp dessert, but peeling them can improve the texture and appearance of the dish.
- You’ll know apple crisp is done when the topping is golden brown, the apples are tender when pierced with a fork, and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- To make this a gluten free recipe, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that can be used as a 1:1 replacement for regular flour. Also ensure you use certified gluten-free oats. Regular oats can be cross-contaminated with gluten during processing.
Nutrition Info
This homemade apple crisp will most definitely be a hit. You won’t believe how easy it is to make. It’s a wonderful way to use up some fresh apples and enjoy a classic, warm, fruity dessert.
At the beginning it says spray an 8×8 pan then later it says put apples in a 9×9 pan. Which pan should it be?
It should be 8×8. Sorry for the confusion
Any suggestions on what to do if I don’t like oats? Is it okay to just leave them out? Or are there some other substitutions?
❤️🍎👩🏽🍳
You need to check the recipe for Apple Crisp. The steps are incorrect. In steps 3 and 4, you combine all the dry ingredients except the butter. Then, in 4, you instruct to cut in the butter. Steps 5 and 6 are just to take care of the apples and add the lemon juice and toss. In step 7 and 8, you instruct to combine all dry ingredients except oats and toss with apples. Step 9 is to put the apples into the pan. Step 10 is to put “oatmeal mixture” over the apples. You can’t put in the oatmeal in step 3 and combine all ingredients with butter in step 4 and have a separate “oatmeal mixture” left at the end to put on the top of the apples. I’m sure it is supposed to be 4 easy steps because that’s the way my mom always fixed it.
I see why you were confused. I separated the filling and topping out and hopefully this is clearer. Thanks for letting me know!