Quick and Easy Apple Crisp is bursting with sweet, juicy apples and a caramely, crunchy oat topping. This easy fruit crisp recipe is perfect served warm from the oven topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The quintessential fall dessert recipe!
The BEST Apple Crisp Recipe!
Fruit crisps are one of my all-time favorite desserts. Who can resist that bubbling, juicy, syrupy fruit topped with the MOST AMAZING crumble topping?
I’ve tried countless recipes and proportions to get the perfect crisp topping and THIS IS IT!
The perfect crisp topping should be crunchy and crispy. It should hold together in yummy chunky clusters and should never ever be powdery and dry.
The fruit should be lightly sweetened – just enough so that it isn’t sour, but still keeping a bright and tart flavor that perfectly complements the sweet crumble topping.
The fruit should be perfectly thickened. It should be a syrupy sauce that clings to the apples. Not so thin that it’s watery and not so thick that it gets gummy.
Apple Crisp vs Apple Crumble
Crisps and crumbles are both dishes of baked fruit with a streusel crumb topping. Traditionally, while a crumb topping would be made of butter, flour, and sugar, a crisp topping would also include oats and/or nuts. The oats will crisp up during baking, while crumble toppings stay more dense and cakey.
As time has gone by, the lines have blurred and the names crumble and crisp are now often used interchangeably.
What kind of apples to use for Easy Apple Crisp
You can use any sturdy baking apple that will be tender but still keep its shape without turning to mush when baking.
I’ve used Honeycrisp here, although Granny Smith apples are also an excellent choice.
What kind of oats for Apple Crisp dessert
I use old-fashioned rolled oats for the crumble topping. It makes a chunkier, chewier, crispier streusel topping.
Ingredients for Easy Apple Crisp
- Apples – I’ve used Honeycrisp here.
- Brown sugar – to lightly sweeten and give a caramel flavor.
- Cornstarch – to thicken the syrupy sauce slightly.
- Cinnamon – just a touch for a cozy flavor while still letting the tart flavor of the apples shine through.
- Lemon juice – adds a bright flavor and keeps the apples from browning.
For the crumble topping:
- Brown sugar – for that sweet, caramely flavor
- All-purpose flour – to form the crumbles
- Old-fashioned rolled oats – for crunchy and chewy clusters
- Softened butter – to hold it all together in crunchy chunks
- Cinnamon
- Salt
How to make Easy Apple Crisp
Apple Crisp is one of the easiest desserts to make!
- Peel, core, and slice the apples into 1/8 inch slices
- Toss the apple slices in cornstarch, cinnamon, and brown sugar
- Mix the crumble topping and sprinkle on the apples
- Bake
How to make Apple Crisp – Step by step
Make the apple crisp topping
I get the best results by mixing the crumble topping by hand. Use softened but still cool butter. Combine all of the topping ingredients in a bowl and press the mixture together between your fingers until it is mixed and forming clusters. Refrigerate until needed.
Prepare the apples
Combine 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of water in a large mixing bowl.
Peel, core, and slice the apples, tossing them in the lemon water as you add them to the mixing bowl.
Sprinkle the apple slices with the cornstarch, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Toss until evenly coated. Put in a baking dish.
Sprinkle the topping on top of the apples and bake
Remove the topping from the refrigerator and sprinkle the clusters over the apples and bake.
How long do you cook Apple Crisp?
Bake Apple Crisp until the filling is bubbly, and the topping is golden brown, about 40-50 minutes. If the topping browns too quickly before the apples are done, cover with a piece of tented foil.
It’s done when the filling is hot, bubbly, and starting to thicken. (It will thicken further as it cools.)
What size baking dish to use for Easy Apple Crisp
I used a 7 by 11-inch baking dish. You can also use:
- 8 by 8-inch pan
- 9 by 9-inch pan
- 8 by 12-inch oval baking dish
- 9 or 10-inch cast iron skillet
- Pie dish
- Any baking dish that holds about 2 quarts (8 cups)
- 6 ramekins (8oz each) for individual servings
It’s a good idea to put a baking sheet under your dish when baking to catch any drips, especially if your filling comes up to the top of the dish.
Apple Crisp for one
To make an apple crisp for one, mix up the topping and store it in the freezer. Anytime you want a warm, fresh from the oven apple crisp, slice up an apple or two and sprinkle it with a little cornstarch, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Put it into an oven safe bowl and bake until golden and bubbly.
Can you freeze Apple Crisp?
An unbaked apple crisp can be covered and frozen for up to 1 month. Transfer to the refrigerator 1 day before baking.
A baked crisp can be cooled and then frozen for up to 1 month. Reheat in a 350 F oven until hot.
How to store Apple Crisp
Cool the crisp to room temperature then refrigerate for up to 3 days. Warm individual portions in the microwave.
Apple Crisp
Ingredients
For the topping:
- ½ cup butter softened (4oz, 113g)
- ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar (5.25oz, 149g)
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour (3.3oz, 94g)
- ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (2.6oz, 74g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
For the apple filling:
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 lbs (900g) apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/8 inch slices *see note
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (1.3oz, 37g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
For the topping:
- Combine the butter, brown sugar, oats, flour, cinnamon, and salt and press with your fingers until thoroughly combined and clusters form. Refrigerate until needed.
For the apple filling:
- Combine 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of water in a large mixing bowl.
- Peel, core, and slice the apples into 1/8 inch slices, tossing them in the lemon water as you add them to the mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle the apple slices with the cornstarch, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Toss until evenly coated. Put in a baking dish.
To bake:
- Remove the topping from the refrigerator, crumble into clusters, and sprinkle on top of apples.
- Bake on the middle rack for 40-50 minutes or until the fruit is bubbly the top is golden brown. Cover top with a tent of foil if the topping browns too quickly.
- It’s done when the filling is hot, bubbly, and starting to thicken. (It will thicken further as it cools.)
- Cool for about 10 minutes then serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Enjoy, friends!
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What a beautiful and yummy Fall dessert! I simply love all things crisp, crumble and streusel…so good and addictive 🙂
It’s my fave, too, Angie! Thanks so much!
Outstanding!!
Thanks, Cookie Monster!
I adore apple treats this time of year, and yours looks so delicious, but healthy. I think my family will love this!
Thanks so much, Balvinder!
This does look amazing! I do love an apple crisp and can only imagine how good this would taste with the vanilla ice cream. Beautiful picture Kelly
Definitely on the top of my list for fall desserts! Thanks, Rahul!
Such an easy dessert, everyone should have it on the list to make.
So perfect for fall! Thanks so much, Karen!
Not sure anything marks the season quite like Apple Crisp! This looks divine!
Thanks so much, Annie!
One of my fall favorites Kelly. And perfect with that scoop of vanilla ice cream! Pinned!
Thanks so much, Mary Ann!
That is a pan of perfection, Kelly! I love apple crisp and will pick up some more Granny Smith apples this weekend at the market. We are loving apple desserts these days (no pumpkin spice anything yet!)
PS – I have never made an apple crisp in my 62 years! What a culinary deficiency!
It’s my favorite apple dessert, David, and one of the easiest. Apple crisp was one of the first dishes I made from the Pillsbury Cookbook I got as a wedding gift back in 1987, so I’ve been making it quite a few years!
Totally agree with you on what the crispy topping should be. I quite making crisps because I never could get it right. Looks like you found the right combination of ingredients. Pinned so I can make this and share. Gorgeous crisp! Thanks!
I’ve made a number over the years and definitely discovered that some techniques can make the topping too dry and crumbly. Thanks so much, MJ!
Oh how I love apple crisps!!! This looks soooo good Kelly. I’m drooling – yours is perfect! Apple crisp is one of my favorite go-to desserts for the fam!
It’s so easy and so good! Thanks so much, Katherine!
This is my kinda recipe for sure, Kelly! I love apple crisps. They remind me of Autumn weekends spent at my grandparents place. And I bet your house smells AMAZING when this is baking. Perfect for this time of the year!!
My grandfather had apple trees so my grandmother made lots of apple pies and put them in the big freezer. While I love an apple pie, apple crisp is so much easier and I love the crunchy topping! Thanks so much, David!
Theres a lot of textures on that dessert and I love it specially with that ice cream
Thanks so much, Raymund!
Im definitely a fan of Honeycrisp apples, and this would be the perfect dessert to feature them! I also like the idea of having some crisp at the ready in the freezer! Brilliant!
I love apple crisp fresh from the oven. Having the crisp topping in the freezer means I can stick a little bowl of apple crisp in the oven and have it fresh anytime! Thanks so much, Laura!
Great looking apple crisp Kelly. Me, I’ll take a fruit crisp over a fruit crumble any day. I love that oatmeal crunch you get in a good crisp. Apples are every where here just now. A neighbor brought over a shopping bag full of appples from his tree just yeasterday, so some will go into making your crisp…
The crispy oat topping is my favorite! Thanks so much, Ron!
I adore making and eating apple crisps. It’s apple season here right now and we have so many local apples! The perfect time to try your crisp recipe. Thanks
Thanks so much, Judee!
Kelly, this looks SO TASTY! I lve all of the size options — making it in a cast iron skillet is calling to me. 🙂 ~Valentina
It’s so rustic made in a cast iron skillet! Thanks so much, Valentina!
I just made this dish and its amazing. Its so easy to make and ready in 40 minutes. Loved adding icecream to the hot apple crisp. Surely a keeper
So happy you liked it, Rahul! It’s a family favorite!
This apple crisp looks amazing Kelly! I love the melty ice cream on top too. Can’t wait to try this crisp!
Thanks so much, Kelley!
I love apple crisp and have yet to make it this fall. I think I was waiting for your fabulous recipe!!
Thanks so much, Liz!
My family loves apple crisp. In fact, my daughter asks for it instead of cake on her birthday. This looks delicious and would disappear in no time at my house!
It would be wonderful for a birthday! Thanks so much, Thao!