Apple Crisp Recipe

Bowl of apple crisp topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and cinnamon.

This easy apple crisp recipe can be prepped in just 10 minutes, no pastry cutter or fancy equipment required. With perfectly tender cinnamon apples and a buttery, crisp oat topping, it's as easy as it is delicious.

Recipe includes a how-to video!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 340kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

1 2.5 qt baking dish

Ingredients

2 lbs (905 g) apples cored, peeled and sliced no thicker than ¼" (see note)
¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon table salt

Crisp

9 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (100 g) old-fashioned oats
½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and lightly grease a 9x9 or 11x7 glass baking dish² with butter. Set aside.
Combine sliced apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Give everything a good stir until all ingredients are combined and set aside while you prepare your crisp topping.
2 lbs (905 g) apples, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon table salt

Crisp

Prepare your topping by whisking together butter and vanilla extract. Set aside (you don't want the butter to be too hot when you add your sugar, so let it cool while you prepare your dry ingredients).
9 Tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (100 g) old-fashioned oats, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon table salt, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pour butter into flour mixture and use a fork to stir until mixture is combined and clumpy (don't over-stir, you want it to be crumbly, not paste-like). Set aside.

Assembly

Give your apple mixture another good stir and pour evenly into your prepared pan (make sure to spread the apples evenly so they are not mounded in the middle).
Use your hands to drop your crumble mixture evenly over the apple filling.
Transfer to 375F (190C) oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until topping is lightly golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork or toothpick. If topping is starting to become too dark and apples are still crisp, cover apple crisp with foil while continuing to bake.
Remove from oven and allow crisp to sit for 15-20 minutes before serving (ideally topped with vanilla ice cream!). The apple crisp not only needs time to cool down, but the filling will thicken a bit as it cools and will seem too watery if not allowed to rest.

Video

Notes

¹Apples

This was about 7 smallish apples for me. I recommend using Granny Smith apples as they are firm and tart. Using a sweeter apple may result in a sweeter crisp that cooks faster, so keep that in mind!

²Baking pan

This recipe will work in a metal pan, but it will likely need to cook for less time so keep an eye on it and start checking sooner.

Video note

I accidentally say to use 1/4 cup of oats in the video. The amount listed in the recipe (1 cup) is the correct amount.

Coconut sugar

I have successfully substituted an equal amount of coconut sugar by weight for the sugar called for in this recipe. The flavor is slightly different, but it still works well.

Gluten-free note

I have not tried it myself, but others have successfully made this recipe with Cup4Cup gluten-free flour and gluten-free oats.

Making in advance

Prepare the apples and place in your pan as instructed, then cover and refrigerate. Make the crumble topping and store that in a separate airtight container in the fridge.

When you are ready to bake, uncover your apples, scatter the prepared topping on top (it might be a little firm, just break it up with a fork), and bake according to recipe instructions.

Storing

Cool the apple crisp completely and then cover with plastic wrap or foil. You can store it at room temperature for 24 hours or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Note that the topping does tend to soften as it sits, so I recommend reheating in the oven to restore the crispiness.

Freezing

To freeze before baking, prepare the crisp as instructed, then cover and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, transfer to the fridge and thaw for several hours or overnight, then uncover and bake at 350F.

To freeze an apple crisp that’s already been baked, first allow it to cool to room temperature, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, uncover, and bake at 350F until warmed through, about 20 minutes.

Nutrition