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The Best Apple Crisp Recipe

4.6 from 128 reviews

This classic apple crisp combines tender, cinnamon-spiced apples with a buttery oat and brown sugar topping that bakes to golden perfection. It’s a comforting dessert perfect for cozy nights and can be served warm with vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Apple Filling:

  • 6 cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples (such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or a mix)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For the Crisp Topping:

  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Optional Toppings:

  • Vanilla ice cream
  • Caramel sauce

Instructions

  1. Prepare the apple filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced apples with granulated sugar, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Toss well to evenly coat the apples with the spices and sugar mixture.
  2. Make the crisp topping: In a separate bowl, mix together the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, and packed light brown sugar. Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to blend everything together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter chunks remaining.
  3. Assemble the crisp: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Pour the apple filling evenly into a greased 9×9-inch baking dish. Spread the oat topping evenly over the apples, covering them fully.
  4. Bake the apple crisp: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges.
  5. Cool and serve: Remove the apple crisp from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. For an extra special treat, serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream or drizzled with caramel sauce.

Notes

  • Use a mix of tart and sweet apples for balanced flavor and texture.
  • Chilling the butter before mixing helps create a crisp topping texture.
  • You can prepare the apple filling a few hours ahead and refrigerate before adding the topping and baking.
  • Leftovers store well covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the oven.
  • For gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.

Keywords: apple crisp, apple dessert, baked apple dessert, fall dessert, easy apple crisp, apple crumble, classic apple crisp