Apple crisp is maybe my favorite fall dessert, both to make and to eat. Easier than pie (plus, let’s face it, a crumbly oatmeal/brown sugar/cinnamon topping is better than pie crust. At least it is for me.) Feeds a crowd. Leftovers hold up like Helen Mirren in an evening gown. And I’m pretty sure there’s nothing better than cold vanilla ice cream slowly melting into warm spiced apples and crumbly, buttery topping. In fact, when I made this for my kids, it was their first apple crisp experience and they went from excitement (“What is that smell in the oven?!”) to trepidation (“What is this stuff in my bowl?!”) to “This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten!” I guarantee you’ll also be thinking this is the best thing you’ve ever eaten!
Ingredients and Equipment Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Filling
- Apples – Tart apples, like Granny Smith, peeled and sliced.
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Pumpkin pie spice – If you don’t have any pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own by mixing together 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger, 3/4 teaspoons ground cloves. Combine and store in an airtight container and use as needed.
Topping
- Rolled oats
- All-purpose flour
- Brown sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Chopped pecans – Optional. Walnuts would be great as well.
- Butter – Always use real butter if you can!
Equipment
- Apple peeler corer – If you make any apple-y desserts ever where the apples have to be peeled and sliced, you need an apple peeler corer. Even if it sits in your cupboard 364 days out of the year, for the love of apple pie, you need one.
How to Make Classic Apple Crisp
- Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Place the sliced apples in the pan. Mix together some granulated sugar, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and pumpkin pie spice, and sprinkle it over the apples, tossing to coat.
- To make the topping, you’ll need some rolled oats, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, butter, baking soda, baking powder, and more pumpkin pie spice. Also, if you’re pecan-inclined, throw those in, too. I am generally not a lover of nuts in my desserts, but I don’t mind them here. Toss together all the topping ingredients except for the butter until well-mixed. Drizzle the butter over the mixture and stir to combine. Evenly distribute the topping over the apple mixture.
- Bake until bubble and golden brown. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
Storing and Other Tips
- Apple crisp is best served warm out of the oven. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-5 days for best results.
- This same method works for nearly any fruit you’d like to use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep! Assemble the filling and topping separately, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, sprinkle the topping over the filling and bake as directed.
You can reheat individual servings in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. For larger portions, cover loosely with foil and warm at 350°F until heated through, about 10-20 minutes.
Yes. This recipe should work quite well with a good 1:1 gluten-free flour blend!
Classic Apple Crisp
Ingredients
FILLING
- 10 cups peeled sliced Granny Smith apples (about 5 medium apples)
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 6 tablespoons packed brown sugar (¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 heaping teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
TOPPING
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup chopped pecans optional
- ½ cup salted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 9×13" pan.
- To make the filling, place the sliced apples in the prepared 9×13" pan. Mix together the remaining filling ingredients: sugar, brown sugar, flour, and pumpkin pie spice. Sprinkle over the apples, then toss to evenly coat the apples. Set aside.
- To make the topping, toss together oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and pecans, if using (that's everything except for the butter) until well-mixed. Drizzle the butter over the mixture and stir to combine. Evenly distribute the topping over the apple mixture.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. When done baking, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-5 days for best results.
If you don’t have any pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own by mixing together
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoons ground cloves
- Combine and store in an airtight container and use as needed.
Questions & Reviews
Can I use any apple or does it have be Granny Smith?
Some apples bake better than others…Granny Smiths bake really well. Some apples get really mealy and mushy wheb you bake them.
I wanted to try to do this ahead of time…. suggestions on how to do that? I was thinking make the filling, bake only the filling, then freeze it? On Thanksgiving make the crumb topping and bake it while we are eating? I’m just not confident about how it will turn out?
Here’s the thing Kate…you can take your recipe and put it in a pie crust, and you will have apple crisp pie, which is amazing! Every year we host a pie party and invite our guests to bring a pie, and this year someone made an apple crisp pie and it was the winner of the party! Apple crisp is so divine!
I’d noticed your lack of apple crisp recipe and was SO excited when you posted this! We made it Friday night to share with some friends and it was delicious! Super easy and the perfect amount of crisp to apple ratio. Thank you so much all you ladies do!
I am so excited to try this recipe. Going to be our afternoon Sunday treat tomorrow. I just have to comment and say that I am in love with that bowl…seriously could it be any cuter or more perfect? Did you get it recently? If so…do share! Thanks for another fabulous recipe as always!
Check Pier 1–I got it about a year ago, but they don’t seem to cycle through things as quickly as other stores! 🙂
You read my mind! I was looking for a good apple crisp recipe this week. I am making it for a dairy-free family member, would you suggest substituting coconut oil or margarine for the melted butter?
I would probably go with a high-quality margarine like smart balance. That’s a tough one!
It turned out so delicious with margarine…I can’t wait to try it with real butter!
This was so delicious! Plus, I love any recipe that uses melted butter…so easy!
love the beautiful white bowl pictured. can you tell me where you purchased it?
I found it at Pier 1 Imports (aka the “here, take my paycheck!” store… 🙂 )
This recipe and pictures bring back great memories of falls gone by. Will make one this season! Thanks for all!
Perfect! I just picked about 30-40 apples from my tree. I have apple cake going now, but apple crisp tomorrow! (thank goodness I have 3 teenagers in the house to help eat this stuff)