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Our favorite Apple Crisp recipe is made with thinly sliced Granny Smith apples coated in a sauce and baked with an oatmeal crumb topping.
Want more dessert recipes? Try my Peach Cobbler, Classic Pumpkin Rolls, or Blondies!
Why this is the BEST apple crisp:
- Sauce – Unlike most apple crisp recipes, the apples are tossed in a cinnamon glaze sauce that give more flavor and really takes it to the next level.
- Easier than pie – We all love apple pie, but homemade apple crisp is much easier and quicker to prepare, and tastes just as good.
- Crowd Pleaser – Top this easy apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and it is irresistible! Double it and bake in a 9×13” pan, for a larger group.
How to make Apple Crisp:
Crumble topping: In a medium size bowl combine the crumb topping ingredients with a fork or pastry blender until well combined. Refrigerate.
Peel and Slice Apples: I use a Johnny Apple Peeler to peel, core, and slice the apples all at once. It's inexpensive and makes the process a lot faster!
Toss Apples in Sauce: Add melted butter and flour to a small bowl and stir to combine. Add lemon juice, milk and vanilla and stir well. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss the apples in the sauce, then pour mixture into a 8×8” baking dish.
Bake: Sprinkle the crumble topping over the top of the apples. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Allow the baked 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 this simple apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce, if desired. Complete HEAVEN! If you love this recipe, give my Apple Coffee Cake a try!
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 crumb topping and store separately in the fridge.
To Freeze: Prepare and bake quick 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.
Recipe Variations:
- Gluten Free Apple Crisp: Substitute Gluten-free flour and oats.
- Apple Crisp Without Oats: Omit the oats and add an extra ⅓ cup flour and ⅓ cup brown sugar.
- Crockpot Apple Crisp: Place prepared apple filling in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add crumble topping. Place a few paper towels on top of the oat topping, to keep condensation from the lid from making the topping soggy. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours until apples are tender.
- Instant Pot Apple Crisp
- Dutch Apple pie: Pour the apple filling into an unbaked pie shell. Add the crumb topping on top. Bake for about 45 minutes, until apples are tender. Cool for 2 hours before slicing and serving.
More Apple Recipes:
- How to make Caramel Apples
- Baked Apples
- Apple Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
- Apple Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
The BEST 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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 and November 2023.
Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy.
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!
Best apple crisp recipe ever! I needed a dessert for the 4th of July family gathering and didn’t want a pie crust, something a bit lighter. This was perfect! I followed the recipe as written, only doubled it for a 9×13 bake. It’s a very scrumptious apple dish that I will definitely make again. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
I have never left a comment after making anything I have found online, but today is different. I just finished putting in my oven the second pan in a week. I made it for family the first time. And it was such a hit, I’m making it to take to some friends. I used Ganny Smith and Golden Delicious apples because I like different types of cooked apples for the flavor. It has been years since I’ve made a crisp. It just never what I thought was right. This has restored my hope to find a perfect dessert (that doesn’t include chocolate) Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I’m so happy you had such great success and especially happy to improve on your opinion of apple crisp 🙂 !Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
A lot of recipe’s floating around boast of being the “best”. I’ve made quite a few Apple Crisp’s in my day, but none can get close to this recipe for BEST APPLE CRISP. I used about 10 apples (mixture of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp), left the SKIN ‘S ON, slicing them to about 1/8 inch. I used all of the same ingredients, just upped them a little bit to make a little extra. For the topping I used almost 1 cup of oatmeal, then used a little more Brown Sugar and Butter to get that lumpy texture. I did throw in about 3/4 cup fresh blueberries into the topping, (I love blueberries). Used a tad more milk than recipe called for, mixing it with a little extra organic vanilla extract. When adding the Lemon Juice, I used the juice and some pulp from 1/2 large lemon.
When all was done baking and they cooled just a little, my partner Ray sampled a few good sized spoonful’s. Didn’t take him much time, the verdict was in. Syd, this is by far the best apple crisp you have ever made, no lie.
Thanks Syd! I love your adaptations–especially the addition of blueberries. YUM! Thanks so much for sharing, and I hope you get to try more recipes here soon!
Can i make this without the oats?
Hi Missy, You could, but the topping wouldn’t have a “crumble” to it at all.
In the UK we have a traditional dish called apple crumble. It’s pretty much the same as this but traditionally without cinnamon and oats. It crumbles perfectly well. Just don’t press down the topping. Keep it loose on the top.
Giving this a go! It’s in the oven right now and smells amazing. Thank you!
Thanks Emily! I’d love to hear what you think 🙂
Lauren, you’re the best. I made this last week for my daughter’s party and it was such a hit
I made this into a fruit crumble!
Sounds DELICIOUS!
I made this a couple of weeks ago and I used gala apples since I had no granny apples (galas can be drier when used in baking so I added 3 or 4 tablespoons of cool tap water to the cut apples and stirred the water and gala apples together BEFORE I combined/tossed the same gala apples with other filling ingredients . It was AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS!!! Your ‘Best Apple Crisp’ recipe has now replaced the apple crisp recipe I’d used for over 25 years. Your recipe tastes so much better, and creamier, than my old recipe. The oats, in the topping, also make it healthier to eat.
I usually bake with gala apples because I like their sweet taste, but I must add the water or they will be very dry after baking. I learned that lesson with an apple pie I baked a few years ago. No juice in that apple pie at all… dry, dry, dry. I also used just a ‘couple drops’ of ‘Pure Almond’ Extract, as well as the 1/2 tsp of ‘Vanilla’ Extract called for in your recipe. I like the way vanilla and almond extracts, together, add extra tastiness to some baked goodies. I got hooked on that ‘taste’ when I took my first bite of Southern Pound Cake, an old recipe that includes both vanilla and almond extracts as part of the ingredients. That pound cake cake is the first Holiday Cake that my family requests that I bake every year.
Today, I’m making your ‘Best Apple Crisp’ again… with gala apples and a little water. I buy only gala apples because we like to eat them fresh, cooked, or baked. If I decide not to bake, no gala apples will go to waste in my household. Even our dog loves gala apple slices.
Finally, thank you very much for sharing your ‘Best Apple Crisp’ recipe. Now I need to get started making another one, for my family, or I’m going to have some grumpy folks sitting at my dinner table tonight.
Thank you so much for sharing, Gloria, and for your tips about using gala apples. I’m so happy you liked this recipe!
I made this apple crisp for the first time tonight. I would have to agree, this is the BEST. There was something about the buttery topping that was unlike any other one I’ve made or eaten. The melding of the flavors was amazing. I used Pink Lady apples, which I thought worked wonderfully. The filling for the apples is unique, and I thought, a lovely complement to the rest of the flavors.
To be honest, it’s so good, in my opinion, that I would be delighted to serve it for company or coworkers
What a wonderful compliment- thank you so much for sharing! Hope you get to try more of my recipes soon 🙂
I made my grandmas Apple crisp and the taste was there but the apples became apple sauce. 🙁 I want to keep her alive and make this like she did but i don’t know what I did wrong. I used granny apples but didn’t peel. I don’t remember her peeling but would that be why? Please help please!
I’ll be making this for a party that I’m going to this weekend, was looking for a cool, semi-healthy recipe and this looks like it fits the bill!! I’ll let you know how it goes…..
Yes. You need to peel and possibly cut bigger slices so it doesnt reduce to sauce. I also dust my apples with flour/cornstarch.
Your apples should be hard. Once they start to go spongey they don’t bake well. You’ll get it. Chanel grandma for help and it will work out.