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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Catherine says
This was so tasty…easy to prepare too.
I used gluten free flour and added a few dried organic cranberries….I only used a scant 1/2 cup brown sugar and next time I could even add less and it would still be amazing 🌟🌟🌟 A family fave for sure 😊
Jorie says
I love this! Easy, fast and delicious every time.
Deborah Grunn says
easy and delish!!@
Theresa Nowek says
Can this be made ahead of time?
Amanda says
I haven’t tried it myself, but I know several other readers have done so successfully 🙂
Michelle Falls says
I have made this receipe many, many times and I LOVE it. Its simple and amazing. I have tried other AC recipes online and this one is the best! The only thing I have done just a little different is that I only bake it for 30 min. because I like the apples to be a little less done. Otherwise it’s perfect!
Otis says
Thanks for putting this great recipe out there for us all to enjoy.
Miranda says
Recipe turned out great
Laura says
Simple and delicious for all the family. Truly a repeat.
Kiera Spencer says
It’s a really good recipe but I definitely think I might try a little more oats or some chopped nuts for texture! It’s very delicious! I’m almost wondering if this would work good for other fruits like peach or even strawberry rhubarb! 🥰 None the less, it’s super tasty.
Michelle says
I have substituted peaches and blueberries in this receipe and it’s just as good.
Linda says
This was a simple and truly delicious apple crisp. It filled the house with the most heavenly aroma while it was baking. I loved the ingredient list because I always have them in my cupboards. Thank you.
Lily Beauchamp says
Just delicious! My family and I love your recipe! The only apple crisp recipe I use 💝
Karen says
I am going to try it, sounds good. Thank you
Jenn says
Great Recipe!! 🍎🍏
Zeynep says
This is my go to recipe. Love it. I cook this every other week.
Heidi says
Absolutely delicious
Stacey says
Made this this morning and it was to die for! I used Envy apples and they were terrific. Instead of the white sugar, I used about 3 Tbsp. maple syrup with the cinnamon and lemon juice on the apples, and it was really good. Not overpowering, just a hint of maple. This is my new go-to recipe!
Donna says
Scrumptious!!!!!
Slippery Jenkins says
Used this as a desert at my wife’s Alcor party. Everyone wanted some for the afterlife as well..Satan be praised.
Catherine says
What is your recipe for your salted caramel sauce?
Amanda says
https://www.thechunkychef.com/browned-butter-salted-caramel-sauce/
tricia says
fast and easy
Bridgette says
This was very tasty. 😋😋😋😋I made it as it is. It’s a little bit sweeter than I like. But with the addition of vanilla ice cream it balances it out. Also the next time I will try it with Chopped pecans or walnuts.