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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Brenda says
I made this with home canned pie filling . I sprinkled chopped pecans on top oat mixture it was delicious
Joan says
Taste great! Was easy to make.
Susan winter says
Can you freeze apple crisp???
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not frozen this recipe myself, but I know many other readers have done so successfully.
Veronica says
I had to make a couple changes but wanted to use this recipe.
I set the recipe for 4
I used 3 Granny Smiths & 1 honey crisp & omitted the added sugar to apples.
Came out amazing
C J Langellier says
Regarding the brown sugar, should it be pressed down into the measuring cup or did you use a loose “3/4 C” full?
The Chunky Chef says
It’s packed, but you could leave it unpacked if you prefer things less sweet 🙂
Jenny Shull says
Made the Old Fashioned Easy Apple Crisp
Topped it of with homemade whipped cream. Tastes so good warm.
Bonnie says
Fantastic with a great flavor.
Maria says
Delicious. But it’s pretty sweet. I think I’d cut the sugar in the apples next time.
Nancy says
This was easy to make and everyone loved it!
Doris Quinones says
Kids helped to mix the ingredients while I chopped the apples. Very easy recipe and best apple crisp. My picky eater licked her plate. Will definitely be making again.
Crystal says
This recipe was easy AND delicious. I doubled the recipe which was enough for 10 people. I used 6 Cortland apples and 6 Gibson Gold apples. A little tart and sweet rolled into one dessert.
Ami says
Very good. Picky husband approved
Charmaine says
Could you make this with almond flour due to a gluten allergy???
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tested this recipe using almond flour, so I can’t say for certain how well that would work, or whether any changes would need to be made. If you do some experimenting, I’d love to know how it turns out 🙂
Deborah says
We are gluten free. We substitute oats for the flour. Comes out great every time.
Debbie Scott says
Can I make this the day before an event and cook the morning of? Or is it better to cook and reheat the day you wish to eat?
The Chunky Chef says
My readers have found that it’s better to bake it first. Cover it after it cools 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
Kerry says
Just took this out of the oven and can’t wait to try it!
Ryan says
Best apple crisp I’ve ever made! Yummy apple mixture with a delicious, crunchy topping.
Maureen Schaffner says
Everyone loved it! I made double the topping . You can never have enough of the topping. Added ice cream and Carmel drizzle. Delish!
Anita says
Delicious. Not too sweet, not too sour. Just right!
I received compliments from the son’s of a mother who made championship apple pie! She was the wife of an apple orchard owner.
Mariah says
Did I do something wrong if it’s watery at the bottom? I used different apples so not sure if that could be it….
The Chunky Chef says
All varieties of apples have different moisture content, so it could have been the type of apple.
Jenna Crispino says
I’ve had the same problem and so now when I’m tossing the apples in cinnamon and sugar, I also add a tablespoon of flour and a tablespoon of cubed butter. Since the flour coats the apples, the sugar doesn’t which discourages the apples from seeping excess liquid. Then during baking, the flour thickens whatever juice the apples do lose. I no longer find I have a soupy mess when I cut that first piece!
Eva says
My husband said when I told him I was going to make apple pie, “Make Apple Crisp! But make sure it’s a good one!” Well let me just say this recipe checked all the boxes! He is definitely a fan, and he can be hard to please with deserts!! Thank you!!