Apple Crisp

This is the best Apple Crisp and the only recipe you’ll ever need! It’s loaded with tender, spiced apples and covered with a crisp, crumbly oat topping.

If you love the flavor of Apple Pie, but hate the time and effort it takes to make it, this Apple Crisp is for you! It’s so much easier than pie, but still tastes amazing. We love it so much, we even created a cranberry apple version.

A scoop of apple crisp topped with vanilla ice cream

A Holiday Staple

With Thanksgiving only weeks away, I thought it was about time to start sharing some of my favorite dishes to serve when hosting a big feast! Don’t worry, lots of side dishes are on their way, but today we’re starting with dessert… duh!

While I absolutely love pie, I LOOOOVE fruit crisp. Apple crisp has always been a holiday staple in my family. It’s easy, delicious and can feed a crowd. This is one of my favorite recipes because it turns out amazing every time! The apples are soft and tender, the filling is perfectly spiced, and the topping is crisp and crumbly. 10/10 for sure!

What is the difference between apple crisp and apple crumble? The main difference between the two types of dessert is the topping. An apple crisp is topped with an oatmeal mixture, an apple crumble is topped with a more streusel like topping.

Apples covered in cinnamon coating for apple crisp recipe

How to Make Apple Crisp

APPLES. Grab your 5 apples and peel them. After peeling them, slice them about 1/4-inch thick. They should all be the same thickness. Sometimes if I’m feeling extra lazy (or in a rush), I’ll grab my mandoline and use that.

TOSS. Once the apples are prepped, toss them into a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, flour, butter, milk, lemon juice, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and vanilla. Using a spatula, toss everything together until the apples are evenly coated. Pour them into a 9×9-inch baking dish (if you like a thicker crisp) or a 9×13-inch dish if you prefer a thinner crisp (or if you want to bake this in less time).

TOPPING. Then, in a medium size mixing bowl whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Yes, you read that right, there are leaveners in the topping. They help produce a crisp, puffy topping instead of a dense, hard one. Using a pastry blender, cut the cold butter into the mixture until pea-size clumps form. Sprinkle the topping over the filling.

BAKE. Place in the oven at 350 degrees and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the apples are tender and topping is golden brown (note, if you’re using a smaller pan, you may need to tent the top with foil and cook for the full 50 minutes).

COOL. Remove the crisp from the oven and allow it to cool for 20 minutes. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!! Dishing it up right away doesn’t allow the juices to set/thicken. You’ll end up with a soupy mess instead of a thick filling. Be patient, I promise it’s worth it!

How to make apple crisp topping using a pastry cutter

Recipe Tips + Troubleshooting

Best apples? When I make any apple dessert, I like to use at least two varieties. It gives the dish a more complex flavor. In this recipe, I used Granny Smith and Envy apples. Feel free to use your favorites!

How do you know when Apple Crisp is done? The fruit mixture will be bubbling and the crisp will be golden brown when the crisp is done.

Why is my apple crisp runny? The filling may have not been thickened properly and that’s why your apple crisp is runny. I recommend that the next time you make it you use more flour or butter and less milk.

Baked apple crisp in a glass baking dish

Serving Apple Crisp

Serve warm with a big scoop of  ice cream, or a drizzle of salted caramel sauce — it’ll disappear in seconds. Some of our favorite homemade ice cream recipes to serve it with include:

And of course, it’s great on it’s own!!

Apple crisp recipe in baking dish

Storing + Freezing

Keep your leftover apple crisp STORED in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

You can either REHEAT the crisp in the oven at 350° for about 15 minutes, or in the microwave at 30 second intervals for individual servings.

You can FREEZE prepared crisps (unbaked) in a foil pan in the freezer for 3-4 months. Then bake as normal.

A scoop of the best apple crisp topped with vanilla ice cream

If you love crisp and/or dislike making pie, this one is for you. It really is the best apple crisp I’ve ever had!

For more apple desserts, try:

Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!

The Best Apple Crisp | lifemadesimplebakes.com

Apple Crisp Recipe

This is the best apple crisp and the only recipe you'll ever need! It's loaded with tender, spiced apples covered with a crisp, crumbly oat topping.
5 from 15 votes
Pin Rate
Course: Pastries, Pies & Tarts
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 242kcal
Author: Andrea
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Filling

  • 5 cup apples* - peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter - melted
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Topping

  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp kosher sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 7 tbsp unsalted butter - cold

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside an 9×9-inch or 9×13-inch baking dish. 
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the apples, brown sugar, flour, butter, milk, lemon juice, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and vanilla. Toss until evenly coated.
  • In a medium size mixing bowl whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the mixture until pea-size clumps form. Sprinkle the mixture over the filling.
  • Place in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the apples are tender and topping is golden brown (note, if you're using a smaller pan, you may need to tent the top with foil and cook for the full 50 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
  • Serve warm with a big scoop of ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce!

NOTES

* I like to use at least two varieties of apples in any apple dessert I make. For this particular recipe I used Granny Smith and Envy apples.

Nutrition

Serving: 10serving | Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 353IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

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About the Author

Andrea

Hi I'm Andrea!

Hotelier turned Food Blogger to help make your life simple, one recipe at a time.

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