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.
NEVER MISS A CHUNKY CHEF RECIPE:
FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM / PINTEREST / TWITTER
Sarah says
Made this tonight for Thanksgiving. Apples took a bit longer to get soft. It cooked for 1.5 hours. Very good!
EVELYN MARSH says
Awesome and easy recipe, yummy kids can help.
Adelaide Bacon says
Making this on thanksgiving and it is great I just melted the butter because I thought it would work better and it did.
Angela says
Quick, easy and delicious..
Amanda says
I made this earlier in the Apple picking season and my husband and I loved it. Making it right now for Thanksgiving. So easy and it tastes delicious. Thanks!
Laura says
I always misplace my mom’s version, so have this bookmarked. I am celiac with an egg allergy, so this is an easy recipe to sub gluten free flours and no one can tell. It also lets me bring a dessert I can eat to family and group celebrations. Try it with pears – Its great.
Michele Knoll says
This is my go to recipe 😍😍😍 but I double the crisp….
Sue says
Making for thanksgiving. Have done several times and love this recipe.
Amanda Hotts says
My boys LOVE this recipe best! I tend to use two or three different apples in my version, but know this is wonderful with all golden delicious or with your favorite baking apples mixed in. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Chelsea Fry says
This is so easy and was such a hit!! This will definitely be my go to apple crisp recipe.
Martha says
Looks wonderful. But I want to make a bigger pan for a crowd. I see how to adjust the # servings, but it doesn’t adjust the pan size. How does it change if one uses a 13×9 pan?
The Chunky Chef says
It may take a little longer to bake, but no other changes are needed if you double it in a 9×13″ pan.
Sheria says
I made this recipe last year and making it again this year. Taste like apple pie without all the crust. I love this. Thanks so much for sharing.
Victoria says
Love this recipe!! I live alone, so I cut the recipe into 1/6, using one apple, to make a single serving in a ramekin!! It’s a nice treat, AND I don’t have a big dish taunting me.
Laura G says
I’ve been making apple crisp for years, using different versions. This is, by far, the best recipe that I’ve ever made! Making it for Thanksgiving tomorrow.
Mindy says
One of my favorite recipes. I make it at just about every holiday! It’s easy and delicious!
Kyrie says
So delicious and classic
Michelle says
Would you recommend baking and reheating or preparing then refrigerating but not baking if making ahead 1 day?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not tested this recipe that way, so I can’t say for certain, but I believe many other readers have done this successfully. It may take a little longer to bake since the dish will be cold.
Helen says
Can I cut up the apples and prepare everything for the oven, but cook it the next day?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not tested this recipe that way, so I can’t say for certain, but I believe many other readers have done this successfully. It may take a little longer to bake since the dish will be cold.
Barbara says
Hi, I don’t have unsalted butter, can I use salted? TYSM
The Chunky Chef says
Yes, just omit the pinch of salt.
Jessica M Jones says
Honestly, that’s all I’ve used so I can’t “compare” but it was delicious.