The BEST Apple Crisp recipe ever is made with thinly sliced Granny Smith apples and baked with a cinnamon glaze and oatmeal crumb topping.
Apple Crisp is one of those recipes that a lot of people have in their personal recipe book. Let me just say, if you do already have a recipe for apple crisp, you will probably never make it again after trying this one! I fell in love with this recipe years ago from Cooking Classy, and I loved the “sauce” that the apples get coated in before the crumble topping goes on them. If you are serving a crowd, this recipe can easily be doubled and cooked in a 9×13” pan.
How to make apple crisp:
- Make the oat crumble topping. In a medium size bowl combine the crumb topping ingredients with a fork or pastry blender until it resembles small crumbs. Refrigerate.
- Peel and slice your apples. I use a Johnny Apple Peeler to peel and slice the apples all at once. It makes the process a lot faster!
- Toss in apples in sauce. Add melted butter and flour to a small bowl and combine. Add lemon juice, milk and vanilla and stir well. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Toss the apples in the sauce, then pour mixture into a 8×8” baking dish.
- Top with oat crumble and bake. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the top of the apples. Bake for about about 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Allow the baked apple apple crisp to rest and cool for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. This will give the sauce a chance to thicken a little more as it cools.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce, if desired. Complete HEAVEN!
Should I peel apples for apple crisp?
Yes! For apple crisp
Tips for Perfect Apple Crisp:
Choose the right apples for baking: Granny Smith apples are my favorite for baking because they bring a tart flavor and crisp texture that blends well with sweet desserts. Gala apples, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, or any tart apple will also work great for baking.
Peel, Core, and Slice at the same time: I suggest peeling apples for apple crisp because the skin or the apples will not break down during baking and can make for a tougher texture. I use my Johnny Apple Peeler for this part because it PEELS, CORES and SLICES the apple all at once! I once made this apple crisp for a party of 200 people and the Johnny apple peeler was a life saver.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Make the apple filling as instructed but add an extra splash of lemon juice to keep the apples from turning brown. Store in an air-tight container, in the fridge, for up to one day. Make the crumble topping and store separately in the fridge.
To Freeze: Prepare and bake the apple crisp as directed. Cool completely, then cover with a double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
CONSIDER TRYING THESE POPULAR APPLE RECIPES:
- Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp
- Caramel Apple Bundt Cake
- Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars
- Baked Apples
- Apple Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
- Apple Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!
Apple Crisp
Video
Ingredients
For the crumb topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- dash of salt
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter ,cut into small pieces
For the Apple filling:
- 3-4 large Granny Smith apples , peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 Tablespoons butter , melted
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- dash of salt
For serving (optional)
- vanilla Ice Cream
- Homemade Caramel Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
For the topping:
- In a medium size bowl combine the crumb topping ingredients with a fork or pastry blender until it resembles small crumbs. Refrigerate while you prepare the apple filling.
For the Apple Filling:
- (I use a Johnny Apple Peeler to peel and slice the apples all at once. It makes the process a lot faster!)
- In a small bowl, combine melted butter and flour until well blended. Add lemon juice, milk and vanilla and stir well. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour butter mixture over apples and toss to coat. Pour apple mixture into an 8x8-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over the apples.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and top is set. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream and homemade caramel sauce, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
I originally shared this post October 10, 2014. Updated November 2017 and October 2020.
*This post contains affiliate links. I like to share my favorite products with you!
Trish says
So good!! I keep making it. I accidentally left it in the oven for 40 min – it was kinda caramelized and wonderful!! Happy Accident!!
Maddie says
I’ve been using this recipe for YEARS and it always turns out amazing. I do double the batches, and double the topping cause who doesn’t love more topping. I do have a question: This last time making it my apple filling seemed to curdle(?) slightly? I did every step as I usually would and by the time I poured the filling over the apples it looked chunky. Milk & butter were both in the clear for expiration. Any thoughts as to why this happened?
Sarah says
Is it possible it curdled because the butter was melted and the milk and lemon juice cold? A good rule of thumb is if the recipe calls for melted butter that you have the other ingredients at room temperature. I did not do this when making this recipe for the first time tonight and it did curdle a little. I just assumed it was the milk and lemon juice cooling the butter back to a solid. Idk though.
This recipe sounds much better than what I used in the past. Still in the oven but it smells good!!
Keith says
What size baking dish are you using?
Lauren Allen says
An 8×8 baking dish.
Eileene Payne says
I used gluten free old fashioned oats and Granny Smith apples. A very tasty recipe! I used an Apple slicer but the peeling of the apples with a paring knife, while easy, was the most time consuming part of the recipe prep. A definite repeat dessert for sure!