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Our classic Apple Crisp recipe is the best dessert of fall! It has tender cinnamon-spiced apples topped with a buttery, golden oat crumble.
The Best Apple Crisp You’ll Ever Make
This apple crisp recipe could be my most treasured dessert recipe I make from September through the entire winter season–I will never get tired of it!
Mostly it’s such an easy dessert that gives apple pie vibes but without the time commitment. It’s definitely the biggest crowd pleaser, especially when I serve it with my homemade vanilla ice cream!
The secret to a perfect apple crisp is using a mix of apple varieties. Granny Smith apples hold their shape and add tartness, while Honeycrisp or Fuji apples add natural sweetness. If you don’t have a Johnny Apple Peeler yet, buy one (it peels, cores and slices the apples for you–making this dessert come together so FAST!)!
Try more of my apple recipes, like Fresh Apple Cake, Baked Apples, Applesauce, Apple Coffee Cake, Caramel Apple Dip, and How to make Caramel Apples!
How to make Apple Crisp:
Crumble Toppings: In a medium size bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder. Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender or fork until well combined. Refrigerate crumble while you prepare the apple filling.
Apple Filling: (I use a Johnny Apple Peeler to peel, core and slice the apples all at once.) In a small bowl, stir together melted butter and flour until smooth. Add lemon juice, milk and vanilla then stir. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour butter mixture over apples and toss to coat.
Bake: Pour apple mixture into an 8×8-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle crumble topping evenly over the apples. Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown and top is set. Remove from oven and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Serve with homemade vanilla ice cream and homemade caramel sauce, if desired.
Apple Crisp
Equipment
Ingredients
Crumble Topping:
- 2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup salted butter, , cut into small pieces
Apple filling:
- 3-4 large Granny Smith apples*, , peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 Tablespoons salted 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
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For serving (optional):
- vanilla Ice Cream
- Homemade Caramel Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Crumble Toppings: In a medium size bowl combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder. Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender or fork until well combined. Refrigerate while you prepare the apple filling.2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ cup salted butter
- Apple Filling: (I use a Johnny Apple Peeler to peel, core and slice the apples all at once.) In a small bowl stir together melted butter and flour until smooth. Add lemon juice, milk and vanilla and stir. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour butter mixture over apples and toss to coat.3-4 large Granny Smith apples*, 3 Tablespoons salted butter, 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 3 Tablespoons milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Bake: Pour apple mixture into an 8×8-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle crumble topping evenly over the apples. Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown and top is set. Remove from oven cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream and homemade caramel sauce, if desired.vanilla Ice Cream, Homemade Caramel Sauce
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe November 2017. Updated September 2021, November 2023 and September 2026.
Holy Moly!!!! Amazing! and the Caramel Sauce????? I want to eat it with a spoon!!! My husband and I have eaten Keto for 4 years – so when we splurge – we want the best and THIS IS IT!
My son and I baked this last night and it came out delicious. The crumb topping was easy enough for a 13 year old to whip through and the filling was just as easy. Great tasting simple recipe!
I just wanted to say that there is no reason to put baking powder in the crumb topping. In fact, most apple crisp recipes don’t even have baking powder in them at that’s because it’s not necessary.
Made this tonight for dessert, and it turned out better than I could have imagined!! Loved it, so easy, and we had all the ingredients on hand! Thanks for the great recipe!!
I have some left over fresh pineapple has anyone tried this with other fruit? I made with the apples it was a huge hit so was thinking of trying a different fruit… Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you
Its apple season and hubby came home from work with a bag full of apples. He is not a fruit eater, the kids only come every other weekend and I would not handle all that by myself. Already made 5g of apple jam and still had near 20 apples to go. Kids are here today so figured they’d enjoy the treat. I have never made apple crisp before but this recipe caught my attention. I doubled the recipe, baked one, wrapped the other one tight and froze it for the future. My only tweaks were that i used limes instead of lemons and i squeezed 2 in the bowl i had with the apples, as i sliced them, to avoid browning. So i didn’t add lemons or limes to the filling as i already had it with the apple, i also added 4 cloves, simply because I love cinnamom and cloves combination. I pulled it out of the oven and stole a bite while it cooled enough to give to the boys… oh yummy! I guess I will win Best Stepmom Award today. Thanks for the recipe.
I just made this last night and it was a HUGE hit! It was easy and delicious! And I never cook or bake, ever! ( My husband is a chef 😉 I also made the caramel which was beyond fantastic!
Wow, that seems a very crispy recipe activating my taste buds. Gonna try this on Halloween.
Looking forward to making this. Can this be put together and then frozen before baking?
Nevermind, I saw someone else had asked the same question as me. I’m going to make a batch of this to freeze and see how it works out. 🙂
Thanks so much for the recipe! My son made this recipe for our local 4-H fair, only we changed it to microwave directions, since his project was Microwave Foods. It was so easy and so delicious! The judge was surprised by the fact that the thinly sliced apples turned out so well in the crisp. She also commented on how great the flavor was. I didn’t realize fruit crisp in the microwave could tast so good!
How fun! Thanks for sharing Kristina–I’m happy it turned out so well!
I forgot to mention the fact that he won Champion on this dish at our local fair, he was soo excited! Thanks again Lauren! Highly recommended, can’t go wrong with this recipe, it’s top notch!
I just made this wonderful apple crisp. I had altered the ingredients due to being gluten sensitive and this came out pretty tasty…thanks for sharing the goodness of your kitchen!!!✌?️?