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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Kathy D. says
Best apple crisp recipe I’ve ever made! So delicious. Perfect ratio of apples to toppings.
Kimberly says
Came out great Used honey crisp and pink lady apples. Served with real whipped cream.
Natalie says
I am 52 years old and have lived in New England my whole life so I have made quite a few apple crisps in my day.
I found this recipe a few years ago and will never use a different one.
Thank you so much-it is delicious!
Lisa T Sican says
I had an abundance of apples and was trying to think of something to make. I found this recipe and made it. Easy and SOOOO delicious!!!!
Marty says
Hi, i had to try this and it was delish. I used Cosmic Apples which are a fairly new variety and they bake well and it turned out great! Will be making it again and will experiment a little but will def make it again,,
Carol kuala says
Can quick oats be used in this receipe?
The Chunky Chef says
The texture might change slightly, but yes, you can use quick oats if that’s what you have available.
Todd says
Not sure where we went wrong but this did not turn out at all. Took way longer than 40 minutes at 350?? Turned out cruddy.
The Chunky Chef says
Oh no, did you make any changes or substitutions? Different apples will take different amounts of time in the oven
Cole says
Can all purpose flour be substituted with almond flour to make it more low carb?
Love to try this recipe.
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tested this recipe using low carb flours, so I can’t say for certain whether any changes would need to be made. If you do some experimenting, I’d love to know how it turns out 🙂
Therese says
Delicious!!
Michelle CA says
This is just fabulous. I doubled to use a 9×13, baked about 50min, and watched it at the end to ensure the top was just browned. Used non-dairy butter (miyoko’s) and dotted some extra on top before baking, along with a sprinkle of turbinado for crunch. Served with non-dairy whipped cream (plant cream by country crock, whipped with vanilla and powdered sugar). It..is..PERFECTION. Thank you so much for publishing. ♡
Teresa says
We make the for family and guest. Everyone raves about it.
Jeannie says
Wow! Just what I was looking for! With Vanilla ice cream Yum
Sally says
I’m always trying recipes and half the time I don’t like them this 1 was terrific
Carolyn says
Can I prepare the apple crumble th ed night before and bake the following 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.
Laurie says
Can you double this and make in a 13×9 pan? If so how long for baking time?
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t specifically tested doubling this recipe, but I know many other readers have done so successfully in a 9×13 pan. The bake time will be a little longer, maybe start testing the apples for doneness around 50 minutes?
Susan says
Oh my gosh! Just how I remembered my Grandmother making it!! I love the gooey crisp!! I will save this and pass it to my daughters!!♥️
Jim says
Just came out of the oven! Yum!
Holly says
can I freeze this and for how long?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not frozen this recipe myself, but I know many other readers have done so successfully. I would suggest freezing it for up to 3 months.
Erin says
Very nice recipe! Will make again.
LJ says
oh my goodness! I’m sooo happy I tried this. I have so many leftover apples and I didn’t know what to do with them. This was a hit for me and my husband! I baked it in 8×8 dish and we finished it in just 2 consecutive nights! I have added this to my Thanksgiving dessert!!
Candy says
Thank you! I made this with gluten free flour and vegan butter and it was perfect!
Jenny says
The absolute best apple crisp.
Lea says
How about this recipe in an air fryer? I’m going to try it ….
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tested this recipe in an air fryer, so I can’t say exactly what temperature you’d need and how long you’d need to cook it. If you experiment, I’d love to know how it goes 🙂