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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!
Made it and it was amazing.I baked it in a round 8×8 cake pan and it turned out fine.I will definitely be repeating in the future. It’s perfect comfort food:)
This was the easiest and most amazing recipe ever ! It turned out absolutely awesome ! There was strawberries and cream on the side and together with this it was delicious ! It finished in no time !
I plan on making this for Thanksgiving! Just wanted to know if I make it in the morning, then bring it to families house will it be ok just sitting until we eat it after dinner?
Sure! You could always stick it back in the oven for 5-10 minutes to rewarm it!
This is so good! I didn’t have milk so used water in its place. It still turned out amazing. I will definitely be making this again!
Would I need to prebake a crust if I wanted to use the filling for a pie?
Hi Alicia, No you don’t need to pre bake the pie shell. 🙂 YUM!
I made this the other day and it was fantastic. Would I be able to prepare this in advance and then freeze it (baking it afterwards)?
Hi Michelle, I’m so happy you liked it! I’ve never frozen it, but I’m just not sure the apples would freeze well. I’ve made it a day ahead of time (you can see my instructions for doing that in the “notes” and that worked great! Good luck!
I’m a veterinary student & just made this for our “Friendsgiving,” substituting coconut sugar for the brown sugar. I used apples we picked from an orchard down the road and it was a HUGE hit! Thanks so much for the simple, wholesome, and delicious recipe!
This was just okay. Not great. Much too sweet. And layering the apples in one layer made it the crisp come out thin. The crisp part on top was sugary and never really fluffed up to any sort of cake-like texture in spots. I would not make this again.
I made this twice in the past two weeks! It’s absolutely delicious!
I made this last night. It was super easy, and I followed the recipe exactly as stated. This was the most delicious, best tasting apple crisp I have ever made- probably ever tasted! My husband agreed. I had coolwhip with mine, & my husband had ice cream w/ his. I also did make the homemade caramel sauce and drizzled some over the top, & O-M-G!! YUMMM!!! I saved the rest of the caramel to dip fruit in, etc. These 2 recipes are very VERY good! I don’t usually post, but as many posts state how good it “looks”, I had to let everyone know- it IS!!! 🙂 Thx for sharing these awesome recipes. I now follow all of your boards. :)))
Thank you so much Kelly! I’m glad you liked the caramel sauce too! So happy to have you following along!