This easy apple crisp is made the old fashioned way like Grandma used to make, and is perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce!
A true classic Fall dessert, this easy apple crisp recipe is reminiscent of generations past. Pop this apple crisp in the oven and wait for the delicious smell to waft through your house!
Do you have a classic Fall dessert that you just LOVE? I have several, but one of them is definitely this apple crisp recipe! Growing up, my Mom had two classic desserts that she made… one was her famous Carrot Cake, and the other was a mouthwatering apple crisp.
This isn’t her exact recipe, but it’s one that I’ve tweaked and been working on for a while, and I’ve finally gotten it just right! While I do love pumpkin, apple is actually my favorite Fall flavor. Mostly because of this crisp lol.
Some apple crisp recipes don’t use oats, which is totally fine if that’s your thing, but I LOVE the crispy oat topping, so I made sure to add a good amount of it.
What apples do I use for this easy apple crisp
Simply put, you can use any apples that you like! My personal favorite for this recipe is the golden delicious variety, but Granny Smith or Fuji are some other great varieties.
To peel, or not to peel
It’s 100% up to you! I’ve made this recipe both ways, and I like them both equally. Generally, when I make this easy apple crisp, I’m making it for my family, and my kids wouldn’t eat it with the skins on, so I peel them more often than not. I’m sure this goes without saying, but if you choose to leave the skins on, be sure to wash the apples thoroughly 🙂
That right there is my FAVORITE way to enjoy hot apple crisp… with a cold scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, and drizzled with my luscious browned butter salted caramel sauce! If you’ve never tried it that way… you totally need to!
Looking for other recipes that use that caramel sauce?
- Caramel Apple Pie Bars
- Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream
- Vanilla Chai Cheesecake Bars
- Butterfinger Toffee Cookies
I invite you all to join me in making my favorite Fall dessert… this easy apple crisp. Once you have it in the oven, you’ll LOVE the smell that fills your house!
Shop the recipe
- 8″ baking dish – I love the clean white look, plus it bakes beautifully!
- Vegetable peeler – You probably already have one, but in case you don’t, this one is my personal favorite!
- Pastry Cutter – I love that this is sturdy and the blades don’t bend nearly as easily as some other brands!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
Spiced apples
- 6 golden delicious apples peeled and chopped (other varieties can be used, can also be sliced)
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
Crisp topping
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup old fashioned oats quick oats can be used, but it may have a slightly different texture
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter diced into small cubes
Instructions
Prepare
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Butter an 8×8 baking dish, or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Make spiced apples
- In a mixing bowl, add chopped apples, granulated sugar, 3/4 tsp of the cinnamon and lemon juice. Stir to combine, then transfer to prepared baking dish.
Make topping
- In a separate mixing bowl, add topping ingredients (brown sugar, oats, flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, salt, and diced cold butter).
- Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the oat mixture, using a slight downward twisting motion, until mixture resembled pea-sized crumbs. Alternatively, you can use two forks or even your hands to cut butter into the mixture.
Bake
- Spread topping over apples in baking dish, and gently pat to even it out. Bake 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
Serve
- Serve warm and enjoy! We love to top ours with some vanilla bean ice cream, or whipped cream.
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Chef Tips
- The amount of chopped apples would be about 6-7 cups.
- Note that all ovens bake differently, so yours may take a little less or a little more time to bake.
- I don’t have an issue with my crisp being watery (due to the water content in the apples), but if a little juice at the bottom is something you want to avoid, you can try adding a little all purpose flour to the apple mixture.
Make-Ahead Directions:
- Bake as directed. After the crisp cools, cover and refrigerate until the next day. When you’re ready to reheat, set it out at room temp for 20 minutes or so, then bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until hot throughout.
- I haven’t tested assembling this ahead of time (although I’m pretty sure other readers have done this successfully – you’d have to check the other comments).
- I haven’t tested freezing this recipe, although many other readers have frozen it successfully.
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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Laura says
This is the best apple crisp I’ve ever made! The first bite transported me back to my childhood in New England. Apple crisp was a Fall treat that we always looked forward to. This recipe is a keeper!
Thank you!!
gloria m beltran says
i cooked the apples for another dish and have plenty leftover; can I cook the “crisp” and flip it over the cooked apples?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve never tested that, so I can’t say for certain.
Shasha says
Ive made this recipe numerous times and it’s always been a hit. I like to add pecans, honey, and a tad of maple syrup for an extra touch its so delicious . I also have tried assembling everything the night before and then baking the next day and I had no issues just add a tablespoon of flour of the apples so the crisp topping doesn’t get soggy in fridge and it comes out perfectly fine.
Annie says
Fantastic!!!! I used Granny Smith …can’t wait to make another one. Delicious!
Katie says
This was so good! I think I will do less time when I make it again because the apples were more like applesauce, but the flavor was fantastic!
Jen says
Your crisp topping is fantastic! I doubled the recipe. To make ahead I prepped the honey crisp apples in advanced (sliced) and put them in a gallon bag and flattened in the freezer a week or two before. 2 days prior I made the topping and stored covered in the fridge. Morning of, I put the apples in the fridge. Assembled right before baking and apples were still a little frozen in a 9×13. Took about 40 min. I like very spiced apples so I added a few grates of nutmeg and a pinch of allspice to my family’s taste. Absolutely fabulous and texture was great!
AnnMarie Smith says
Loved making two of these
Kristin M says
Easy to make and so delicious! I used both Honey Crisp and Granny Smith.
Barb says
This was great, really crisp topping.
Wendy says
The best recipe for apple crisp I’ve found! I have lots of Fuji apples so I cut the sugar.
I’ve tried lots of other recipes but I love this one!
Thank you!
W
Kal says
This is my family’s favorite dessert for Thanksgiving. I follow the recipe, but use individual ramekins so it looks fancy. 😉 Incredibly easy and beloved by all ages.
Darci M. says
This is my go-to apple crisp recipe. Thank you for creating!!!
Celeste says
I’ve made this many times. It is always a crowd pleaser!
Amanda says
So good!! Ty!
Maria says
My go to apple crisp recipe!
lorraine davis says
how long would you cook the apple crisp in air fryer and at what temperature
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tested this recipe using an air fryer, so I couldn’t say what temperature and how long, or whether any other changes would need to be made. If you do some experimenting, I’d love to know how it turns out 🙂
Jan says
Best apple crisp my family has ever had. It’s my go to from now on
riley says
it is a very good recipe i have used it several times
Sarah Vaknin says
My friend shared this recipe with me two years ago and I now make this recipe CONSTANTLY and share it with everyone I know. It’s so easy to make and always comes out incredible. Everyone raves about it and asks me to make it for all occasions. Make it and eat it warm with some vanilla ice cream !
Jess says
I have a 9×13 pan but not 8×8, does that change anything about how I make this? Thanks!
The Chunky Chef says
Nope you can use that, just spread the apples out in the dish (it just won’t be as full). Baking time should be pretty similar, just check for doneness with a fork.
Kenz says
Would you still use an 8×8 pan if you’re making the recipe for 16 people?
The Chunky Chef says
That’s more than double this recipe, so no, it won’t all fit in an 8×8 pan. You could try a deep 9×13.