The BEST Apple Crisp Recipe! | Gimme Some Oven (2024)

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This easy apple crisp (apple crumble) recipe is made with a warm cinnamon apple filling and an irresistible buttery crunchy crumble topping. Plus this no-fuss version takes less than 20 minutes to prep — no apple peeling required!

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Oh friends. This is one of those moments where I wish I could just gather you all around my table, dish you up a generous serving of this homemade apple crisp while it’s all hot and bubbly and extra-cozy fresh outta the oven, top it off with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream (plus a drizzle of my favorite bourbon caramel sauce, if you’re feeling extra), and then savor and enjoy every last bite of this fall favorite together.

Because I’m telling you, this apple crisp is simply the best.♡

I decided to go all-in on the crispy, crunchy, crumbly, buttery oat topping with this recipe, which combines the best of both the apple crumble (made with a streusel topping) and apple crisp (made with an oat topping) worlds and tastes downright irresistible. It’s also easy to whip up in just a few minutes, and complements the soft apple filling below perfectly. Also, speaking of said filling, I’ve made the executive decision to save us that time-consuming step of peeling all of those apples for this crisp because (a) I have zero space in my kitchen for an apple peeler, nor the patience to peel all of those puppies by hand (b) the peels look so pretty and autumn-ish when dished up into your serving bowls, plus (c) hey, the peels are good for us anyway!

As a result, I’m happy to report that this easy apple crisp recipe requires only about 20 minutes of prep time. Then once it has baked up in the oven — during which time, I should note, your home will start to smell absolutely amazing — I highly recommend dishing it up warm with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream and digging in with a spoon right away. Because on a chilly autumn or winter night, there’s no sweeter way to warm up.

Who’s ready for some apple crisp?!

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Easy Apple Crisp Ingredients:

To make this easy apple crisp recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

  • Apples:There are lots of different opinions out there about thebest apples for apple crisp, but I typically just keep things simple and make mine with Granny Smith apples. I like their tartness (especially balanced with the sweet topping) and how well they hold their shape. But that said, feel free to use a 50/50 mix of Granny Smiths and Honey Crisps if you would like a sweeter filling, or whatever apples youlove best!
  • Oats:I used old-fashioned oats for this recipe, whose texture I love in the filling. If making this recipe gluten-free, be sure to use certified GF oats.
  • Brown sugar:Which we will use in both the apple filling and crisp topping.
  • Flour:I went retro with all-purpose flour in this recipe. But you are welcome to sub in white whole wheat flour (or a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend) if you prefer, to make this a (slightly) more healthy apple crisp.
  • Butter:Yep, it’s essential for the streusel-y apple crumble topping.
  • Lemon juice:To toss with the apples so that they don’t get too browned as you are prepping the recipe.
  • Cinnamon:Or you’re welcome to use pumpkin pie spice instead, if you prefer.
  • Nuts (optional):I love adding a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts to the topping, but you’re welcome to leave them out if you prefer.
  • Sea salt:To bring out all of those delicious flavors.
  • Caramel sauce (optional):Pro tip — you can easily turn this into a caramel apple crisp by drizzling some of your favorite caramel sauce on top if you’d like. I’m partial myself to thissalted bourbon caramel sauce, which you can easily whip up on the stove while the apple crisp is baking in the oven.

Full ingredient amounts/instructions in the recipe below.

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How To Make Apple Crisp:

Alright, moving onto how to make apple crisp! To make this recipe, simply…

  1. Make the filling.Tosstogether the apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon until combined. Then spread everything out in an even layer in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
  2. Make the topping. Stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon and salt until combined. Then drizzle with the melted butter and toss together until the dry ingredients are moistened, yet still nice and clumpy (not over-mixed).
  3. Bake.Sprinkle the topping over the apples, then pop the pan in the oven and bake for about 40-50 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the topping is nice and crisp.
  4. Serve. Dish it up while the apple crisp is nice andwarm, topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream (plus somecaramel sauceif you’d like!).

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Apple Crisp Recipe Variations:

Want to customize this easy apple crisp recipe a bit? Feel free to…

  • Make it gluten-free. To make this a gluten-free apple crisp recipe, you will need to use a GF all-purpose flour blend and certified GF oats.
  • Make it vegan. To make this a vegan apple crisp recipe, use vegan butter or coconut oil in the apple crisp topping.
  • Add cranberries.To make apple cranberry crisp, just omit one of the apples and stir 1 cup of fresh cranberries into the filling.
  • Add pears. To make apple pear crisp, use a 50/50 mixture of apples and pears.
  • Use different nuts. I included pecans as an option in the recipe below, but feel free to sub in chopped walnuts, sliced almonds, chopped macadamias, or whatever other kind of nuts you love best.

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More Fall Dessert Recipes:

Feel like doing more fall baking? Here are a few of my other favorite dessert recipes to make this time of year…

  • Pumpkin Roll
  • Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
  • Cranberry Crisp
  • Rum Cake
  • Bourbon Pumpkin Pie
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The BEST Apple Crisp Recipe! | Gimme Some Oven (6)

The BEST Apple Crisp

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star5 from 7 reviews

Description

This easy apple crisp (apple crumble) recipe is made with a warm cinnamon apple filling and an irresistible buttery crunchy crumble topping. Plus this no-fuss version takes less than 20 minutes to prep — no apple peeling required!

Ingredients

Scale

Apple Filling Ingredients:

  • 8 medium Granny Smith apples*, cored and thinly sliced(peeled or unpeeled)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Crisp Topping Ingredients:

  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans(optional)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup melted butter

Instructions

  1. Prep.Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
  2. Make the filling.In alargemixing bowl, toss together the apples and lemon juice until evenly combined. Add in the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon, then toss until evenly combined. Transfer theapples to the prepared baking dish and spread out in an even layer.
  3. Make the topping.In the same mixing bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon and salt until combined. Drizzle the melted butter over the mixture, then briefly toss until combined. (Try not to overmix — you want the topping to be clumpy.) Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the apple filling.
  4. Bake.Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the apple filling is bubbly and the topping is nice and crisp.* Transfer to a wire baking rack.
  5. Serve.Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce if you’d like.

Notes

*Apples:Feel free to use a 50/50 blend of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp apples if you would like a sweeter filling.

*Crisp Topping:If the topping starts to get too toasty near the end of baking, just gently lay a sheet of foil on top of the baking dish and continue baking until the filling is bubbly.

*Storage:Any leftover apple crisp can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

posted on September 26, 2019 by Ali

Desserts, Gluten-free, Miscellaneous, Thanksgiving, Vegan, Vegetarian

19 Comments »

The BEST Apple Crisp Recipe! | Gimme Some Oven (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between apple crumble and apple crisp? ›

Like an apple crisp, an apple crumble is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping. But unlike the crisp, the crumble topping rarely includes oats or nuts. Instead, a crumble's topping is more like streusel, made with flour, sugar and butter.

What is the best cooking apple for apple crisp? ›

What Makes A Good Apple For Apple Crisp? The best apples for baking keep their structure under heat, which prevents the chunks of fruit from turning into mush after baking. The firm and crisp Granny Smith and Honeycrisp varieties are popular apples to use in apple pies and apple crisps.

Why do you put lemon juice over the apples when making an apple crisp? ›

The lemon juice will keep the apples from turning brown. Set your prepared apple crisp aside on the counter until ready to bake. Put the apple crisp in the oven to bake just as you are serving dinner. And by the time dinner is over, this warm syrupy dessert will be ready.

How do you keep apple crisp from getting soggy? ›

Sogginess is not as detrimental in a crisp as a pie because the crisp does not have a lower crust layer. One of the easiest ways to avoid wet apple crisp is to use a thickener to bind the apple juices together. The most common thickener is a cornstarch slurry, mixed with the apples before being added to a baking dish.

What is the secret to good crumble? ›

❓FAQ
  • Use cold butter. This will help to create a crumbly texture that will not stick together when baking.
  • Use a mix of flour and oats. The oats will add a bit of crunch and texture to the topping.
  • Don't overmix the ingredients. The crumble topping should be made with a "coarse" crumb.
Jun 5, 2023

What's the difference between brown betty and apple crisp? ›

Both are very similar apple desserts, but the difference mainly comes down to the crumble topping: Instead of the flour and oat mixture used in an apple crisp, an apple brown betty uses breadcrumbs for its crumbly, delicious topping.

How many apples for 6 cups? ›

If the recipe calls for 6 cups of sliced apples, you'll likely need about 8 medium-sized apples, or about 2 pounds of medium-sized apples. Now go fill your home with the scents of the season and bake the day away.

What is the sweetest and most crisp apple? ›

Fuji: Fuji is the sweetest apple variety that Stemilt grows. Each crisp bite will remind you of the sweet taste of apple juice due to its naturally high sugar levels! Fuji apples are ideal for fresh applications like snacking, juicing, or freezing.

How many apples is 4 cups? ›

Generally speaking, one pound of roughly chopped apples yields four cups.

Can I substitute vinegar for lemon juice in apple crisp? ›

Due to its tartness and acidity, vinegar is an excellent substitute. However, only substitute vinegar for lemon juice in cooking or baking when the amount called for is relatively small so it won't impact the flavor of your finished dish.

What can I use if I don't have lemon juice for apple crisp? ›

What can people use as lemon juice substitutes?
  1. Lime juice.
  2. Apple cider vinegar.
  3. Orange juice.
  4. Grapefruit juice.
  5. Celery juice.
  6. White wine vinegar.
  7. Other tips.
Jul 29, 2021

What makes apples crispy? ›

Why are some apples mealy while others are crisp? A. “When apples are mealy, the cells split apart from each other when you bite into the fruit, whereas with crisp fruits the cells rupture and release juice,” said Susan Brown, an expert in apple breeding at Cornell University who has helped develop several varieties.

Should you refrigerate apple crisp before baking? ›

You can prepare the crisp through step 3, then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day before baking. You can also freeze the unbaked crisp for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then continue with step 4. Bake time will be a little longer since the crisp will be cold.

Why is my apple crisp not crunchy? ›

How do you keep Apple crisp from getting soggy? You need enough butter in your topping, try both melted or cold cut into the dry ingredients. Also, there needs to be enough texture to keep it from just flattening into the fruit below.

Does apple crisp need to be covered when baking? ›

Baking: Start baking the apple crisp covered with foil. This allows the apples to soften without any risk of the topping over-browning. After about 20 minutes, remove the foil and let the crisp finish cooking uncovered. Once the juices are bubbling, the topping is golden brown, and the apples are tender, it is done!

What is the difference between crumble and crisp? ›

So what's a crumble vs. a crisp? A crumble is just a crisp without oats in the streusel. It may feature nuts, but the streusel topping is usually a simple combination of butter, flour, and sugar that is more clumpy than that of a crisp.

What is the difference between a crumble and a crisp and a cobbler? ›

Cobbler: A fruit dessert made with a top crust of pie dough or biscuit dough but no bottom crust. Crisp/crumble: In Alberta, the terms are mostly interchangeable. Both refer to fruit desserts similar to cobbler but made with a brown sugar streusel topping sometimes containing old-fashioned rolled oats.

Why is my apple crumble topping not crunchy? ›

The main reason your crumble topping isn't crunchy is probably because you haven't used Demerara sugar. Although, it could also be that you've got your topping ingredient quantities wrong: either too much or not enough flour and butter alongside the sugar.

Is apple crisp and Apple Pie the same thing? ›

A traditional apple pie features a buttery, flaky crust encasing the apple filling. Apple crisps, on the other hand, have a crunchy, crumbly coating on top (and nothing on the bottom). Check out our recommendations for the best apples to use in apple pie.

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