Apple Crisp Recipe has a delicious cinnamon apple filling with the most amazing oat topping. It is super easy and even better with ice cream.
I had some apples that needed to be used. No one was in the mood for pie so I made this easy dessert recipe for apple crisp. It was a huge success and incredibly simple.
The entire dessert came together in minutes and made my house smell wonderful. As the apple crisp baked, cinnamon and sugar wafted all throughout the kitchen. You must also try Grilled Apples, Baked Apples, Apple Fries and Easy Fried Apples Recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Budget Friendly. It costs about $0.59 per serving and uses simple pantry staples
- Simple Ingredients. Apples, sugar, cinnamon, oats, flour and butter are all you need.
- Quick to make. It takes just 15 minutes of prep for the perfect fall dessert.
- Family favorite. My entire family loves to enjoy this dessert with a scoop of ice cream.
Ingredients
- Golden Delicious Apples – Peeled and Chopped. Mix your apples for a sweet and tart dessert. This gives you the best flavor and use up whatever apples you already have on hand.
- Sugar – Adds the perfect amount of sweetness
- Ground Cinnamon – You can also use other warm spices
- Brown Sugar – Learn How to Make Brown Sugar
- Flour – Feel free to use gluten-free flour
- Unsalted Butter – Diced into small pieces
Carrie’s Tips: Cut apples into even pieces. Uniform pieces are the secret to apple crisp that bakes evenly. If you cut the apples to small they will turn mushy or too large and they will not cook completely.
How to Make Apple Crisp
Step 1 – First, you need to preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is warming up, spray the pan with cooking spray. This recipe is perfect for an 8X8 baking pan.
Step 2 – In a large mixing bowl, add the apples, sugar, lemon juice and part of the cinnamon to the bowl. If using tart apples you may need to add tablespoon of sugar. If using sweeter apples, you may want to cut the sugar.
Step 3 – Pour the coated apples into the prepared baking dish.
Step 4 – You will need another mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, oats, all purpose flour, salt and teaspoon ground cinnamon. Combine this all together.
Step 5 – Add the diced butter to the oat mixture. Combine with a pastry cutter or 2 forks to combine the butter with the mixture.
Step 6 – Spread the topping over the apples in the baking pan.
Step 7 – Bake for 40-50 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and the top is golden brown. Serve warmand enjoy!
Feeding a crowd? This recipe doubles easily. Use a 9×13-inch baking pan instead of an 8×8, and add about 15 extra minutes to the bake time. Just watch for the same bubbly, golden-brown signs of doneness.
Expert Tips
- Cooking Time – If your topping is getting too brown but your apples still need more time to cook, place some aluminum foil loosely over the top of your pan and continue baking. This will stop the browning process.
- Topping – Chopped nuts would be an easy addition to the topping! I didn’t add any to ours, but pecans or walnuts would be delicious.
- Firm Apples – This dessert is best made with firm apples as they hold up better during baking time.
- Combining Ingredients – The apple slices need to be thoroughly coated with the mixture.
- Watery Filling? – If your apples release a lot of juice, you may need to toss with 1 tablespoon of flour along with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. This helps to thicken the filling to prevent from having a watery filling.
- Oats Variations – Old-fashioned oats give the best chewy-crisp texture, but you can swap in quick oats if that is all you have. The texture of the topping will be less chunky but still will be delicious.
How to Serve Apple Crisp
- Vanilla Ice Cream. The cold ice cream melts into the warm apple crisp to make this even better. Our Homemade ice cream would make it even better.
- Top with Whipped Cream. This is delicious instead of ice cream or why not try both? Yum!
- Caramel sauce. It is easy to make homemade caramel sauce or you can pick up a bottle at the store.
My favorite is a scoop of vanilla ice cream on warm apple crisp, caramel sauce all over and a dollop of whipped cream on top. It is so amazing and really decadent.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
Make-Ahead
- Prepare the apple filling and the crumb topping separately, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Assemble and bake when you are ready to serve.
Refrigerate
- Store leftover apple crisp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freeze
- To freeze unbaked, assemble the crisp in a freezer-safe pan, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen at 350 degrees, adding 15 extra minutes.
- To freeze baked, let the dessert cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat, covered, in a 350 degrees oven until warmed through. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main difference between a crisp and crumble is the topping. The crisp has a topping with oats and the crumble does not have oats in the topping.
Other than that, they are very similar. Both have a yummy fruit filling and both have a yummy topping.
You can use any apples that you like. My favorite for this recipe is the golden delicious apples, but Granny Smith Apples, honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Gala Apples or Fuji are some other kind of apples that would be delicious
I peeled the apples in this recipe. However, since you are baking the apples, peeling is optional. Baked apples have a soft texture so if you are not in the mood to peel. Skip it. I chose to peel them to keep a smooth texture in the apples.
Make sure your butter is cut into small pieces and fully worked into the dry ingredients so it bakes into a crumble, golden brown topping.
More Easy Apple Recipes
We love hearing from you. If you make this Easy Apple Crisp Recipe with Oats, please leave us a comment.
Apple Crisp Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Golden Delicious Apples Peeled and Chopped
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon Divided
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- ¾ cup Old Fashioned Oats
- ¾ cup Flour
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ cup Butter diced into small pieces
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray an 8×8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the apples, sugar, lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon. Toss until the apples are evenly coated.
- Spread the apple mixture evenly in the prepared baking pan.
- In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, oats, flour, salt, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Add the butter and use a pastry cutter or two forks to work it into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples.
- Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
I would make it use to eat it in school it was so good my family love it
I love that apple crisp brings back those school memories, Kay! So glad your family enjoys it, too. Thank you for sharing!
Always, our favorite treat. Don’t pass up this recipe as well with making.
Joann – I’m so glad! Thanks for leaving a comment.
I made this last week using up apples I had purchased & almost forgot about THIS was a HIT!
I personally would decrease the amount sugar when making it for my family. It was a tad sweet.
P.S Nobody complained lol. A keeper
I’m so glad it was a hit, Anita! What a delicious way to use up those apples. Thanks for sharing your feedback on the sweetness, too!
Really good! I cranked the heat to 450 for a few minutes at the end to get the perfect crunch!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Ellie! That crunchy topping is my favorite part. Thanks for sharing what worked for you!
Could this be made in the crock pot?
Yes, Jacqueline! I have a Crock Pot Apple Crisp recipe you can follow for the slow cooker method. The topping will be softer than the oven version, but it’s delicious with vanilla ice cream!
https://www.eatingonadime.com/crock-pot-apple-crisp-recipe/
Best ever apple crisp recipe. I used Cortland apples. Plenty of crisp to cover apples. Great with a little whipped cream if you don’t have vanilla ice-cream.
Deb – You made my day! I’m so glad you love it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
If I did 3 x recipe do I cook longer
Hi Jan! For a triple batch, I’d divide it among three 8×8 pans so it stays the same thickness. Start checking at the recipe’s usual baking time, though multiple pans may take a little longer. It’s ready when the apples are tender, the filling is bubbly, and the topping is golden brown.
Can leftovers be frozen?Mary
Yes, Mary! Let it cool completely, then store in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm it in the oven or microwave. Perfect for enjoying a little treat later!
Thank you!
Easy peasy and as good as it sounds. I easily broke it down into two individual custard cups. Less in the house means less to over indulge in?
I love that idea, Marsha! Individual servings are such a handy way to enjoy a little dessert without making a whole pan. Thanks for sharing!
This was the best apple crisp I have ever made. Next time I will add some chopped pecans or walnuts to the topping. I used honey crisp apples that were chopped not too small. Thank you!!!
Helle – I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
My husband said, “you outdid yourself on that apple crisp”. I never told him all I did was follow the recipe. It’s the best apple crisp we’ve ever tasted.
I love hearing that! Your secret is safe with me. I’m so glad you both enjoyed the apple crisp!
Love that apple crisp recipe and apples are in season.
Thank you! Apple crisp is one of my favorite ways to enjoy apples when they’re in season. I’m so glad you love the recipe!
For a basic Apple Crisp it was quite good. I added a tad of cloves and nutmeg to the topping. 1/4 cup more brown sugar as i only had Granny Smith apples and they were very tart ! Great recipe !!
I had just made apple crisp, basically I remembered recipe, I may have messed up as my topping is more good, but still tastes good, what did I do wrong I wanted the topping more crumbly thank you
I’m glad it still tasted good! If the topping was too soft instead of crumbly, the butter may have been too warm or the topping may have been mixed too much. Use softened but not melted butter, and mix just until coarse crumbs form.
Love It! Super easy super fast. I used some pears I had with the apples all picked fresh from my friends tree. Added sliced almonds(cus I had no walnuts) and turned out absolutely delicious ?
That sounds delicious, Carol! I love that you used freshly picked apples and pears, and sliced almonds are a great substitution. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Mmmmm! Childhood memories. Love this recipe! Thank you.
I made this last night and it turned out perfect!
This is a delicious apple crisp recipe. One of my favorites so far. My family loves it!
Who would ever turn down this desert? Best ever!
This recipe is amazing. One of my fall’s favorites.
It was very good!
Super easy, and quick .So delicious will be a standard go to desert .
So easy to make and taste delicious!
So Easy to make. Whole family loved it. Great fall dessert!!!!!!
This apple crisp if so good! It is a favorite in my family.