This is my favorite easy apple crisp recipe made with a gooey cinnamon apple filling and a buttery, old-fashioned oat topping that stays crisp. It’s one of my best apple desserts, and the house smells amazing while it bakes!
If you love this old-fashioned apple recipe recipe, be sure to try more fall baking ideas like my festive cranberry apple crisp and this quick apple bread.
Classic apple crisp has always had my number. I think it’s one of the best apple desserts for fall, especially when it’s made the old-fashioned way with crisp, juicy, just-picked fall apples. Minnesota has so many apples to offer, I love it! For those of you who haven’t yet fallen in love with apple crisp, this recipe, with its crispy, buttery oats topping, is the clincher. The topping is thicker than most, crispier than most, and it’s rich with real butter flavor. Plus, it’s SO easy! This recipe will make anyone a homemade apple crisp lover.
Case in point: My husband and I were married in September 1999, so apple season was in high gear during our first month together. I was so excited to make him my favorite apple crisp (this one). As I was peeling apples, I asked him if he liked apple crisp. It was small talk, really. But his exact words were, “I’ve never been a fan.” Excuse me?!
So I just kept peeling apples. Because I knew deep down that I could eat the whole thing by myself if it came down to it. In the end, I didn’t have to because he loved it! He said it was ALL about the topping, that he’d never had an apple crisp that tasted so good. All this to say, this really IS the very best apple crisp recipe.
What Makes This The Best Apple Crisp Recipe
- As classic as it gets. This easy apple crisp is my family’s favorite traditional recipe, packed with gooey cinnamon apples baked beneath a classic, buttery oat topping. There’s nothing fancy here, but why mess with perfection?!
- The perfect apple crisp topping. The flavorful topping has an old-timey vibe, with lots of oats, brown sugar, and plenty of butter. It’s heftier and crunchier than most, with a bit of baking powder to add a little bulk and a light, ultra-crisp texture that stays crispy long after this dessert is out of the oven.
- Quick and easy. Apple crisp is my solution when I’m not up to the task of baking a whole apple pie. It’s still packed with cozy apples and spice, minus the effort of preparing a pie crust. All you need is 15 minutes to prepare it for baking.
What You’ll Need
I’ve included some notes below on the ingredients you’ll need to make the ultimate apple crisp. You’ll find a full list with recipe details in the recipe card after the post.
For the apple filling
- Flour – I use flour to thicken to the apple mixture. If you’re making this apple crisp gluten-free, you can replace the flour with half the amount of cornstarch.
- Sugar – Either granulated sugar or brown sugar, to sweeten the filling.
- Spices – Cinnamon and nutmeg. Simple, classic warm spices for apple crisp. You could also use a blend, like apple pie spice.
- Apples – Peeled and sliced. Some apples are better for baking than others (see my recommendations below).
For the topping
- Flour and rolled oats – The best oats for an apple crisp topping are old-fashioned rolled oats. They have a better, hardier texture than quick oats in baking.
- Brown sugar – I like the more caramelized flavor of brown sugar but granulated sugar works, too.
- Kosher salt – Not table salt! I use Morton kosher salt.
- Baking powder – Helps to puff the topping, for a bit more bulk. It also adds crispness. Make sure to use baking powder and not baking soda, as they aren’t the same ingredient.
- Unsalted butter – Softened to room temperature.
What Kinds of Apples are Best for Apple Crisp?
I like toothsome bites of apples in my apple crisp, and it all starts with using the right kind of baking apple. My favorite are Haralson apples, no contest. They’re a Minnesota variety that’s firm and tart, and hold their shape when baked. I grew up with this late-fall variety on the farm in South Dakota; they’ve been a longtime favorite.
When I can’t find Haralsons, I turn to Granny Smith and Honeycrisp, which are available year-round. They both work great in apple crisp. To add a little more flavor and texture interest, I often use more than one apple variety when making this recipe.
Do You Need to Peel the Apples?
I recommend peeling the apples. The skin doesn’t break down during baking, so peeling your apples is the best way to get that classic apple crisp texture. (But if you’re a fan of leaving the skin on the apple, go ahead!)
Tips on How to Make Apple Crisp
The beauty of an old-fashioned apple crisp recipe is how simple it is to make: gather up your baking apples and cut them big and chunky. Then, mix up the topping, and bake! Scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe with printable instructions. Meanwhile, these are my tried-and-true tips for the best apple crisp:
- Choose your apple varieties. As mentioned in the Ingredients section above, use apple varieties that hold their shape when baked. I also prefer a tart apple, but I know many people like to lean sweeter. But you can always mix and match! Incorporate more than one variety of apple for more flavor and texture.
- Make thick slices. Next, cut the apples into thick slices (about 1/2″ thick) for a more toothsome texture. If you slice the apples super thin, you’ll end up with an “apple mush” under your topping once it’s baked. That’s a no-no in my book!
- Leave some larger topping chunks. Then, when making the topping, be sure to cut the butter in evenly, while still allowing some larger chunks.
- Make sure the filling is bubbling. Bake until the apple filling is bubbling and the topping is nicely browned. That’s when you know the apple crisp is done!
- Cover the pan with foil. If the topping is browning quicker than you like, lay a piece of foil loosely over the top of the crisp to hold back further browning.
- Enjoy while still warm. Serve warm and freshly baked for optimum flavor and texture. See below for ideas!
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to serve apple crisp is a la mode. It’s hard to resist warm homemade apple crisp topped with melty ice cream! While the crisp is still nicely warm, transfer a big spoonful of it to a bowl and top it with a scoop of vanilla or salted caramel ice cream. For a real fall treat, try pumpkin ice cream. Then grab a spoon and see if you don’t enjoy it just as much as we do. I’m betting that you will!
How to Store Apple Crisp
While this old fashioned crisp is at its peak when it’s still a bit warm from the oven, you can also make it ahead if you’re really in a pinch. Earlier in the day works great, but I would caution against making it any more than 24 hours in advance.
- To store. After baking the crisp, store it on the countertop, uncovered if you’re serving it the same day. If you cover it, the crispy topping will get softer much faster. If you’re storing leftovers, cover the pan with foil. After a day, keep the crisp in the fridge.
- Reheat. When serving this to company, I like to turn the oven on low (about 250° F) and heat the crisp back up again. If the topping has softened too much, I’ll also place the pan under the broiler just a bit to crisp it up. And then I serve it warm (with ice cream!). You can also reheat portions in the microwave.
more apple desserts
- Cinnamon Apple Puffs
- Apple Muffins
- Homemade Applesauce
- Overnight Baked Apple Oatmeal
- Apple Bundt Cake
Apple Crisp
Ingredients
for the apple filling:
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 8 cups peeled apples quartered and then sliced crossways 1/2″ thick – I like Haralson apples, but Granny Smith and Honeycrisp also work well
for the topping:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup rolled oats not quick cooking oats
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon Morton kosher salt not table salt!
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature (do not melt)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- For the filling: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg with the sliced apples. Spread in an even layer in a 9'' x 13'' pan.
- For the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the first five topping ingredients. Add butter and cut in with a fork or pastry cutter until you have large pea-size crumbs. Sprinkle over the apples.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the topping is nicely browned and some of the apple juices are bubbling through the topping.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Where this Recipe Came From
This recipe has been tweaked from one found in this giant family cookbook. This is where I’m from.
My dad was born of a long line of Braun-German descendants. And a good many of them live in close proximity, near my own family’s farm in South Dakota. To give you a little perspective of my own generation of this line, when our family celebrated my Great Grandpa Braun’s 90th birthday in 1985, he had 97 great-grandchildren. Isn’t that fantastic?! And mind boggling?!
One of my favorite photos, this is my dad with his mom and grandparents on the farm I grew up on.
This post was originally published in 2010. I updated photographs and text in September 2019.
I’m making this for the first time and want to bake them in mini pie dishes that hold about 1 1/2 cups of apples. How long would you recommend baking them for?
I just made this for Thanksgiving. I did not have unsalted butter, so i just cut back on the Kosher salt that I used. My stepson is has celiac disease, so i used gluten free flour and gluten free oats. I only had Paula Reds on hand, so I used those. Just fantastic!! We all loved it! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Brynne – I’m wondering if you used salted butter?? I specify unsalted butter in the recipe, and that does make a difference. Also – I specify kosher salt – if you used regular table salt, that would also make it more salty. I hope you give it another try and get the salt figured out! Thank you so much – enjoy!
This sounds like an amazing recipe!! My 14 and 16 year old sons like the topping best!! I prefer my apples slightly tender. Not crunchy!! But this recipe is definitely a must try!! Just got a bag of apples yesterday, I cheated and bought one of the white bags from the grocery store (I work too much to go to an orchard) but still can’t wait to make this all the same!! Thank you for sharing!
There’s nothing like a good apple crisp topping – I hope you like this!
Hi there! Do you use unsalted butter in this recipe?
Hi Natalie – I always use unsalted butter when baking. Thanks for the heads-up, I’ve updated the recipe. :)
This recipe looks so delicious! All your choices are wonderful. The only thing we like to do which is a little different is that we don’t peel one of the apples. This makes the pieces with peel on them stand up to the cooking process, keeping them a bit on the crunchy side. Very delicious!! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful family recipe!!
Hi Laura – thanks for the tip, I’ll give that a try! :)
This was so GOOD! Made a few substitutions though and worked with what I had in the house. Used almond flour and coconut sugar for both regular and the brown sugar ingredients and also added a little more cinnamon and it was DEEEEEEELICIOUS! Thank you!! There’s so much you can do to alter this recipe as well to accommodate tasty add-ins like nuts or cacao nibs…endless yumminess options! This is my new favorite apple crumble recipe for sure !
So glad to hear this! :)
okay so first time as single guy (63) cooking apple crisp. Really like this recipe. easy to read and follow, good hints. thanks for the measurements, even tho had to have explained T (big T) vs little t for measurement. Plus, after first batch no salted butter. There are 23 apple trees in my downtown anchorage alaska …. so went to neighbors and got permission to pick apples. There was mix of varieties. Some sweet, some tart, so each time is slighty different.. Apples small here, so lots of peeling listening to music. The crisp were a great and hit with folks at work and grandkids!
Thanks and Blessings for nice new experience and tasty treat.
Hi Tom – so glad to hear this recipe was a hit! I love how you mixed up the apple varieties. And my bad, I should have noted UNsalted butter. I’ve updated the recipe.
What Other apples could be used in this crisp? Thanks
Just use an apple that stays crisper when baked. Granny Smith would also be a good choice that’s always readily available.
I tried this tonight. It tasted delicious but was not at all crispy….more like a french apple pie. I followed the directions exactly….any suggestions?
I really don’t know what to tell you, Gabriela. I’ve made this recipe too many times to count and always have a crispy topping. Was your butter at room temperature (not melted), so you got pieces of crumble for the topping, at least the size of peas?
Ohh my this looks amazing!
This is now officially my “go-to” apple crisp recipe!
Yay! :)
Jonah hadn’t been to Hoversten’s Apple Orchard yet this year, so we decided to go last Friday when he arrived home from school…one last time before the end of the season… We played with the puppies and picked apples…Haralsons!!! We left with 20+ pounds. I made two batches of this apple crisp this week…one for home and one for work… Everyone loved it!
Yeah, and I love the picture too! I can remember it being taken!!!
Your little apple orchard is so dang quaint – wish we had one like that, without all the commercialization. Yay for Haralsons!! Glad your family enjoyed the apple crisp and that you shared with all your work friends!
That is THE best cookbook! I am jealous I was born a year too late! haha :)
This is my grandma’s recipe! I think it’s about time she made it again… Yum!
Hi Renae – well, having just met you this week, and now knowing it’s your grandma’s recipe…all I can say is, wow, this is fun!!
Adoring your blog… everything is wonderful!!
Thank you so much, Amanda!
Hi Paula! Please let me know how this compares to your MIL’s recipe. I would love to try the recipe you use, too! Yep, my Great Grandpa was something else. I am so blessed to have memories of him and my Great Grandma. His signature was Juicy Fruit gum. He was NEVER without a pack in his pocket, to share with everyone.
I love apple crisp and have only baked my MIL’s recipe. This is one I will definitely try. It looks wonderful and the crunchy topping is what is enticing me!
Your Great-Grampa certainly looks fit & healthy at 90 in the picture. WOW!
LOVE this post! Will be trying the apple crisp this week. Love the family photo too.
Oh yay!! Makes me wonder what apple varieties you have over there? And, yes, that last photo is a very special one. :-)
I can’t wait to try this. My favorite part of apple crisp is a crunchy topping–I just throw in apples for the fun of it. Thanks for sharing your story!
Hi Staci, I’m so glad us two SD girls got introduced today – thanks for stopping by!
Your Dad and I love this apple crisp too! When we left the farm four years ago we thought we were done with apple trees, but not so. We missed going out to pick a crisp, sweet apple right off the tree, so this spring we planted one in the back yard. Now for the waiting—!
Can’t wait to pick from your new tree, Mom & Dad!