This easy apple crisp recipe has a sweet apple base and is topped with a buttery oatmeal streusel topping that’s baked to perfection. A classic fall dessert that is so comforting and delicious!
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Favorite Fall Dessert
One of our favorite fall traditions is going apple picking. Then of course we love to bake all the apple desserts in the weeks to come.
Kick off fall with our quick and easy homemade apple crisp recipe. We’ll guide you through how to select the perfect apples and how to master that crumbly topping. Pop it in the oven and wait for everyone to come running down to the delicious smell.
This apple crisp dessert is one that I grew up helping my mom make and now I love to have my children help me make it too. It’s my favorite fall treat and has similar flavors to an apple pie, but with an easy streusel topping instead of homemade pie crust.
Best Type of Apples to Use
You can make this apple crisp recipe with really any type of apple, however I’ve found that the best apples that have both a crisp and tart flavor. You could even include a blend of different types of apples in the apple crisp dessert. Below are a few of my favorite types of apples to use.
- Granny Smith
- Honeycrisp
- Golden Delicious
- Gala
- Empire
- Fuji
Tip for slicing apples: Make sure to slice your apples pretty thin. If they are too thick, they wont be as soft when they bake. Also make sure to slice them around the same size so that they bake evenly in the oven.
Tips and Variations
- Peel the skin off the apples before baking so that they get soft and tender. The skin tends to be a bit chewy if you leave it on.
- Use a pastry mixer to mix the butter in with the flour. There should still be a few lumps to give it that nice, crumbly topping.
- Old fashioned oats work best in this recipe. Instant oats won’t crisp up as much in the short amount of time in the oven.
- An easy crumble topping (without the oats) also works great in this recipe and tastes similar to an apple cobbler.
- Adding in extra spices is an easy way to boost the flavor even more. A sprinkle of nutmeg, apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice goes a long way!
- Cut the recipe in half and bake in an 8×8″ pan if serving a smaller crowd.
Make Ahead + Storing
For optimal flavor, serve this dessert warm on the first day. The topping tends to soften the longer that it sits. If you have plans to make in advance or store after enjoying, follow these simple steps:
- Make ahead: If you want to make this dessert ahead of time, I recommend adding the apple mixture to the baking dish. Place the crumb mixture in a separate bowl and add right before baking.
- Storing: Store in a covered container for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warm throughout.
Toppings for Serving Apple Crisp
This apple crisp dessert tastes great straight out of the pan, but if you want to take it up a notch…try serving it with some of the options below.
- Vanilla Ice Cream: Ice cream is the perfect compliment to the warm and caramelized baked apples. I like to add a scoop (or two!) of my homemade vanilla ice cream.
- Caramel Sauce: A drizzle of caramel sauce tastes absolutely delicious on top similar to may easy apple cake. Add apple crisp to a bowl, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel, it’s heavenly!
- Whipped Cream: For a lighter alternative, you can add whipped cream in place of ice cream.
- Chopped Nuts: Sometimes I’ll add a handful of chopped or roasted nuts on top for an added crunch. Pecans and walnuts are my favorite. You can even mix these in with the streusel topping.
Recipe FAQs
The two are both baked fruit desserts with a topping so it is easy to see why they seem so similar! A crumble topping, though, does not contain oats or nuts. The crumble topping is made with only flour, sugar and butter.
If you find that your crisp filling is too watery there are a few things you can do! Follow the amounts as listed and add the necessary flour. You could also add a small amount of cornstarch. Bake the crisp for the entire listed time. This will allow the apples to thicken as they bake. Last, instead of immediately serving allow the crisp to rest for 20-30 minutes so all the juices can settle.
For texture reasons, I recommend peeling your apples for the crisp. The peel also contains more moisture, so it could mess up the consistency of the filling.
No, this is is not necessary. If you find that the top is browning too quickly, you could cover it with foil, but I would uncover as it finishes baking so the crisp topping can turn golden brown.
More Easy Apple Desserts:
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Easy Apple Crisp Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 8 cups raw apples , peeled and sliced
- 1 lemon , juiced (about 4 teaspoons)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar , could sub for 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Topping:
- 8-12 Tablespoons butter , cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- ¾ cup light brown sugar , packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped nuts and/or coconut
For serving (optional): Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, caramel sauce
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Lay sliced apples in a 9×13" baking pan. Toss with lemon juice. Mix sugar and cinnamon together and then sprinkle over the apples.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and butter with a pastry mixer. Then add in oatmeal, brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix until combined and then crumble over top of the apples.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with nuts and coconut (if desired). Bake an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Crisps + Cobblers, Desserts, Fruit Desserts, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
Can’t wait to make this. It sound’s delicious. Dinner party planed for early November…so ……of course I need to try first…….maybe tomorrow.🤪🤪
I have made this twice so far. It is the best apple crisp I have had!
I used the KitchenAid spiralizer attachment to peel, core and slice the apples-made it super easy and sliced the apples thin.
Wow!! I knew I wanted an apple dessert but I wasn’t quite sure what kind until I saw this. So glad I made it, it’s wonderful!
This is like a bowl of fall goodness and I cannot wait to make this again! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!