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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!
I’ve made this a couple times and it’s delicious! It’s so simple! I use Honey Crisp apples because I like it extra sweet. A great recipe that he whole family enjoyed.
I just made this today !! OH MY GOODNESS!! So good !! I had to triple the recipe to feed my crew .. So easy and delish!
Taste AMAZING and so easy to make! It’s my husbands favorite!!! Thanks you!!!
Hi! I found your recipe while looking for a good ‘from scratch’ apple crisp. PERFECTION, thank you!! I doubled the recipe but followed it to a T and it’s my new recipe for this dessert. Thanks again!
Thanks for your comment! I’m glad you found my site and you like the recipe :)!
I’ve made this twice this week, once for family and once for company. I doubled the recipe for company. Yum! This is excellent apple crisp.
This is the best apple crisp! I only sprinkled sugar and cinnamon on a 3lb bag of peeled and sliced small granny smith apples in a 9×13 baking dish, and then tripled the topping, but used a little less flour and more rolled oats and baked as directed, delish ?
This Apple crisp was delicious! I will make again. I had Fuji apples on hand, which are very sweet. So I did not add the 1/4 cup brown sugar to the apples and it turned out to be the perfect sweetness. The best apple crisp I’ve ever made.
I’m allergic to apples. Seeing my family loves apples I decided to try out this receipe. my husband always says his grandmothers apple crisp is the best. Well I think this receipe put hers to shame. My family devoured it. It lastest 5 min in my house. Huge hit!!!
I made it tonight for family dinner and everyone loved it! Some apple crisp recipes, the apple mixture is watery and flavourless, but not this one! I doubled the recipe and it was perfect for a 9×13 Pyrex dish. I’m throwing out my old apple crisp recipe and printing this one out!
Did you have to increase the baking time for a 9×13 baking dish?
It may take just a few exta minutes–just wait until the crust is golden and the edges are bubbling 🙂
Hey! I’ve made this ALOT & love it & it’s simplicity! BUT- I’m wondering if anyone has tried this with substitutes for the milk, butter & flour to make it gluten and dairy free (but we also need nut free). Handful of allergies in the fam. Thanks!
I would hazard a guess that GF rolled oats, almond milk, all purpose GF baking or flour mix, and Earth Balance “butter sticks” would probably be just fine.
Oh my word, made this gluten and dairy free yesterday for the family and it’s the best we’ve had.
I like Earth Balance Olive Oil spreading LOVE the earth balance coconut spread or Olivio’s coconut spread (but I can’t find these in the stores anymore). I don’t love the other Earth Balance Vegan or Soy etc. In Canada we can buy vegan Becel which is also decent.
Anyhow, substituted Earth Balance Olive Oil Spread and for the milk substitute used Ripple Half & Half Vanilla Creamer. Used Bob’s Red Mills Gluten Free Flour.
IT. WAS. AMAZING!!!
I made a normal batch and also a batch for my husband and I with diet restrictions. I substituted the flour with all purpose gluten free flour, the milk for coconut milk, the butter with ghee, and the sugar with maple syrup. It had a totally different consistency, I also had to bake a bit longer but still tasted delicioussss.
Thanks for sharing your adaptions! Sounds wonderful.
I just made it with coconut oil instead of butter and rice milk in place of the milk and it came out great. I always use less coconut oil then the amount of butter called.