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.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
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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Denise says
Oops sorry my bad cannot read obviously went back found the flour
Jolinda says
Five stars! My husband who never eats desserts can’t say enough about how delicious this apple crisp is! I’ve cooked for years and this is the best crisp I’ve ever made. Took a while to make……but well worth it
Mary says
Just love this recipe at our house – we have an apple tree and don’t want any to go to waste so I’m always on the hunt for yummy apple treats. My mom ADORES apple crisp, so I make this for her whenever she has a hankering. Which is almost always. 😉 We just love this recipe, thanks for the share! A foolproof crisp every time.
Ekaterina Kalugin says
Thank you so much for the recipe. This was a hit at our house! Will definitely be making it again! And again!
Ruth says
Just made this for my family and they love it. I used Granny Smith apples. Flavors and textures are perfect. We have a new Christmas Eve tradition.
Jane says
Can this be made ahead and refrigerated and then cooked?
The Chunky Chef says
Yes, I would bake it the night before, cool completely, cover and refrigerate. Once you’re ready to bake, I’d reheat it at 350 F degrees for about 25-30 minutes, until warmed through.
Lisa Boyl-Davis says
perfect yummy apple crisp
Brinton Culp says
Perfect apple crisp
Christina Kennedy says
Turned this into a pie for Thanksgiving, and It was a COMPLETE HIT. So delicious……..I wouldn’t change anything.
Thanks so much for the recipe!
Irris says
Made for Thanksgiving. It was a big hit. – no leftovers. The topping was crispy and delish. The apple mix was the perfect consistency – it did sit four a couple of hours before it was served.
Christine Koontz says
XLNT!! Could not find my Mothes old recipe for Peach Cobbler…so found yours for Apple Crisp…and improvised!
Today is Thanksgiving, 2019…and M of to my daughters home with the “Peach Crisp” that she requested…better and easier…than the older recipes I had ben looking for!
Many Thanks!! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Emilia Olson says
My Boyfriend confirmed: The Crisp Is Spectacular. And he’s a apple crisp connoisseur.
I used a mix of golden russet, Cortland, and empire.
Michelle alexander says
I just made it hopefully still good for Thanksgiving some of it becuz we’re going to try some tonite hope will be good!!!! Th for recipe!
Kori says
Loved this recipe! So delicious.
My only complaint is that there was a lot of liquid at the bottom of the pan. I followed the recipe to a T, even used the 8” pan. Is that normal, just from the apples, or is there a way to avoid it?
The Chunky Chef says
So glad you loved the flavor! Apples will vary in terms of how much liquid they give off, even within the same type of apple. It can be frustrating for sure. Usually the liquid will thicken up as it sits and cools a little bit, but if it really bothers you, you could try coating the apples in a bit of flour.
Casey says
If I were to make this the night before Thanksgiving, what are re-heating instructions? I would like to serve it warm, but will be working during the day, and won’t be able to bake it that day. I can heat it up once I get to my destination, but am wondering how you would recommend re-heating.
Thanks!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Casey 🙂 I would bake it the night before, cool completely, cover and refrigerate. Once you’re at your Thanksgiving destination, I’d reheat it at 350 F degrees for about 25-30 minutes, until warmed through.
Noel says
Can this be converted into a pie? Like added into a frozen pie crust?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve only tested the recipe as written, so I can’t honestly say for certain. I’m also awful with pies lol.
Ciara says
Did you make it into a pie? If so how did it turn out? Thanks!
Anetha Headley says
I am ainpressed with all the amazingly favorable reviews
Stella says
WOW!!! Just moved and didn’t want to dig for my Grandmother’s recipe. Saw yours and thought it was similar. I truly thought no one could beat my Grandmother’s apple Crisp, but you did, hands down!! I read all the reviews before I tried it. Gonna remember you next time I’m looking for a recipe. I’ll check your blog first.
Thanks for sharing!!
Stella
Deb Grenwood says
Very good recipe! I added some pecan pieces and a little minced crystalized ginger to the topping.
christine wilson says
I have been making apple crisp for many, many years and this is the BEST I have ever had I mean WOW and I am not exaggerating!