This post contains affiliate links.
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.
Text me new recipe ideas!
Simple, tasty ideas sent once a week. No spam.
Follow Me
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!
Delicious! I doubled the recipe and made it in a 9 x 13.
Delicious! This is my new favorite apple crisp recipe.
Just made this tonight. Great taste and easy. Not over the top sweet with good apple taste. Only change was had Courtland apples from apple farm and they were small in size so used 8.
Best ever. Hands down.
This is a good recipe picky kids approved! I loved that it was made with my pantry ingredients I keep on hand. I will make it again but I may try half old fashioned oats half quick oats. My kids said the topping was chewy. While I love the extra chewiness of old fashioned oats, I wonder if my kids would prefer the quick oats?
This recipe was an instant hit at my granddaughter’s birthday party! It was her request. I made it in a 9 x 13 to accommodate 12 guests. I was happy to see in the printable version that there was a calculator to adjust quantities that I had not seen in the main recipe pages. I was still not sure about the amount of time needed to bake, so baked it for 45 minutes when I noticed it was getting bubbly and brown on top. I sliced the apples thin and thought they were a little too well done but everyone enjoyed it. There were three small portions remaining! Leftovers for breakfast the following day!
Anyone make this with Peaches?
We have a peach crisp recipe that’s PERFECT: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/peach-crisp/
Delicious recipe. Added a bit of cloves to the topping, and everything else followed the recipe (4 large apples used).
I like how the apple, sauce coating is thick and uses lemon juice and half the sugar as other recipes. Was a great balance of flavors and not too sweet. Whole family loved it (sweet tooth and non-sweet tooths a like). I didn’t have ice cream to go with it, tasty in its own.
This really is the best apple crisp recipe I’ve made, and I’ve made quite a few. I think the composition of the sauce which coats the apples is really what makes the difference. Whatever it is, I will continue to use this recipe when I want a quick and delicious apple dessert!
Can this be made in a 9 x 13. I usually have a crowd of 12 people
There are options to double, even triple the recipe above.
Great recipe! I enjoyed it immensely… not too sweet…balanced in flavours!