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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LivingTheDream says
Super easy with perfect apple crisp flavor!!! Thank you!!!
This was a great way to use up some older, banged up apples that were too sad to eat whole. I ended up wearing nitrile gloves, and using my hands to incorporate the butter into the oats and sugar for the topping, after a spoon wouldn’t quite do the job. I used a mix of honey crisp, envy, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady apples. I doubled the recipe and cooked in an oval ceramic pan (9×13), plus a soup bowl for the extras. I cooked in a gas convection oven for about an hour. It turned out great- crispy, oatmeal cookie type topping on delicious, perfectly spiced apples. I really liked the variety of apple flavors, and would use a mix of apples again! I took this to a neighborhood dinner party, served with Kirkland premium vanilla ice cream and everyone loved it!
Shareesa says
I’ve used this recipe a few times now and it’s delicious every time! I love a lot of crisp so I double the amount of crisp for the top and usually split the apples into two 8×8 dishes to get more of a 50/50 ratio. So awesome!
Tina says
So easy I love this recipe, I use it as a guide never quite fallow it exactly but it always turns out great.
sandra Nelson says
I love all your recipes
Destiny says
made this recipe tonight and it turned out WONDERFULLY! will be keeping this recipe on hand for the holiday season and beyond
Jaycee says
Amanda ~ this looks like a wonderful recipe and I’d like to try it. I’m just confused about “making ahead.” In your notes you said, “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 thought I had my answer but, then right underneath it said,
“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).” That made me feel like you weren’t really offering “make ahead” advice. I’ve diligently read through almost all of the comments and I did see someone who had the exact question I have about exactly what “make ahead” means but I didn’t see a response to that. I’d sincerely love clarification of exactly how much can be done one day and still have the dish turn out successfully the next day. If anyone has done that, I will be extremely grateful for your guidance/comments. Many thanks! ‘Can’t wait to smell this dish baking. 🙂
The Chunky Chef says
The “assembling” ahead of time would mean you put it together but don’t bake it, just refrigerate until you’re ready to bake the next day. The “making” ahead is as described. Baking, cooling, refrigerating, and reheating. Assembling it would mean the apples could be exposed to oxygen too much and end up browning, and I haven’t tested it, hence why I directed people to look in the comments (there are over 3,000 – and this recipe gets commented on daily, so the comments about assembling it ahead of time are likely way back).
Melissa says
This is delicious!!!! Probably the best I’ve tasted since my grandma’s! I followed the recipe to the t and baked for 45 minutes… perfect!!!
Carolyn says
I have made this a couple of times so far and its excellent.
Lynn Condie says
I made this with half Granny Smith apples and half honey crisp. It was delicious!
Don Waller says
Like your recipes.
Jennifer Lanphere says
My family loves this recipe. I have made it three times with apples from my yard. I cut the sugar in the topping by half as I don’t like it that sweet.
Lori Kaye Coleman says
Love the recipe! Couldn’t find oven temp. I assumed 350°.
The Chunky Chef says
Glad you enjoyed. Step one says to preheat the oven to 350.
Valerie says
Love this recipe! Have made numerous times and have gifted during apple season here in Michigan! The Ida Reds made an absolutely delicous crisp! We do love nuts and have added which we love. We toasted walnuts.
Sandra Lee Perry says
The best apple crisp I’ve ever made! Since I don’t have a pastry cutter I sliced my cold butter and put it in my Food processor with all the topping ingredients. It blended perfectly and turned out perfectly this way. Of course I doubled the recipe so we had leftovers….but they didn’t last long!
Jordan says
Did you adjust the bake time at all when you doubled the recipe? I am wanting to double it and put it in a 9x 13 pan. Thanks!
Debbie from NY says
Excellent!! Easy to make. Will definitely make again. My family loved this recipe! I don’t usually use oats, but was pleasantly surprised! My new go-to recipe.
Joanne says
This apple crisp was delicious. Made for a family gathering and everyone raved about it. Recipe has been shared!
Tobyn says
The absolute best!!!!!!!!!!
Lisa Hird says
Very easy to make and a real crowd-pleaser. I’ve added this recipe to my favorites.
Jan says
I ADDED chopped walnuts for extra deliciousness!