This easy Apple Crisp recipe is so cozy! Deliciously spiced baked apples with a crunchy oat & nut topping, with just 20 minutes of hands-on time. Vegan and gluten-free adaptable.
The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.
WB Yeats
Homemade Apple Crisp is hands down one of our go-to desserts when we need to whip up a quick and tasty treat. Warm spiced apples nestled beneath a lightly sweetened oat and nut crumble topping so comforting and homey! And the best part? It’s not fussy to make! It comes together in less than half the time it takes to bake an apple pie.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This!
- Quick and easy to make with simple ingredients. The crunchy oat topping is made with common pantry staples that are mixed together. The apples are tossed with a few delicious ingredients then all you have to do is assemble and bake!
- Vegan and gluten-free adaptable. Swap the butter in this recipe for coconut oil or vegan butter to make it plant-based. Use a gluten-free flour blend to make gluten-free.
- Versatile! You can substitute any fruit for the apples, from pears to peaches! Add in fresh or frozen berries, dried cranberries, currants, or dates if you wish. Get creative here!
The Best Apples for Apple Crisp
Use a combo! The best apple crisp recipe is made with apples that have the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. We like to use a combination of tart apples and sweet apples to achieve this mouthwatering flavor. The mixture of apples also provides a lovely texture balance. Our favorite apples for apple crisp include:
- Granny smith
- Pippin
- Crispin
- Cortland
- Honeycrisp
- Braeburn
- Pink lady
- Gala
Apple Crisp Ingredients
Oat Topping
- All Purpose Flour: Contributes to the texture of the topping by providing structure and binding the ingredients together. Or sub gluten-free Flour.
- Rolled Oats: Add a pleasant chewiness and nutty flavor to the topping. They also help create a crispy and crumbly texture. Or sub- gluten-free oats.
- Brown Sugar: Brings a hint of sweetness to the topping, balancing the flavors of the other ingredients. It also adds moisture and helps create a caramelized crust while baking. If you like dessert on the sweeter side, you may want to increase the sugar.
- Raw Almonds, Pecans, or Walnuts: If added, these chopped nuts contribute a delightful crunch and a rich, nutty flavor to the topping.
- Butter (olive oil or coconut oil): Makes the topping rich and crispy.
- Maple Syrup: Not only adds a touch of sweetness to the oat topping but also contributes a subtle maple flavor.
Apple Filling
- Apples: The star of the filling, providing natural sweetness, juiciness, and a pleasant tartness. The specific apple variety chosen can greatly influence the overall flavor and texture of the filling.
- Lemon Juice: Serves two purposes: it prevents the apples from browning and adds a hint of tartness, enhancing the overall flavor of the filling.
- Brown Sugar: Adds just enough sweetness to the apple filling without sacrificing flavor. Also helps to draw out the natural juices of the apples, creating a luscious syrup.
- All Purpose Flour: Helps to thicken the juices released by the apples as they cook, creating a cohesive texture and preventing a runny filling. Gluten-free works too.
- Cinnamon: A warming spice that enhances the apple flavor, giving the filling a cozy and comforting taste. It adds depth and complexity to the overall flavor profile.
- Ground Ginger: Provides a subtle hint of warmth and adds a mildly spicy, aromatic note to the apple filling. It complements the cinnamon and enhances the overall flavor.
How to Make Apple Crisp (instructions)
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Make the Crumble Topping: In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, nuts (if using), and salt. Add the cubed butter (or coconut oil or olive oil) and drizzle in maple syrup. With a pastry cutter or forks, cut the butter in until it is evenly distributed and the mixture is crumbly. Set the streusel toppings aside.
Make the Apple Filling: Peel (see notes), core, and slice apples. Cut them into chunks or thick slices. (Softer apples cook faster- these can be cut larger. Crisp apples take a little longer to cook, cut them smaller.) Place cut apples in a large bowl with lemon juice, brown sugar, flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon salt toss and stir until they are well coated.
Assemble: Butter a 9 x 13 pan (or close to that size). Pour the apples into the pan, scraping the bowl to get all the good juices and flavor onto the apples. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top. Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes. It should be bubbling and the topping will be golden brown.
Serving Suggestions
- Dessert: Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, freshly whipped cream, or even a drizzle of caramel sauce!
- Breakfast: This apple crisp is wholesome yet luxurious at breakfast time. Serve warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Storage & Making ahead
You can bake the apple crisp a few hours ahead of time and serve at room temperature, or you can prep it a day in advance and store in the refrigerator, then bake it to serve.
Leftover apple crisp can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place in a baking dish in the oven at 375F for 10 minutes, or until warm all the way through.
Making ahead: Freeze the apple crisp before baking. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
FAQs
The difference is between the apple crumble and apple crisp toppings. Apple crumble doesn’t traditionally contain oats or nuts in the topping. We love apple crisp because of the warm and nutty flavor of rolled oats and nuts!
Crisp, tart apples do best when baked, and they have delicious flavor. We use a mixture of sweet and tart apples. Try Granny Smith and Honeycrisp, or see the list in the section above for more ideas!
Make sure to evenly distribute the butter into the oat mixture. The butter helps provide a crispy topping.
We can’t wait to hear what you think of this Apple Crisp in the comments! Enjoy!
More recipes you may enjoy
- Baked Apple Pancake (Pannekoeken
- Baked Apples
- Cinnamon Apple Toast
- Baked Oats w/ Maple Glazed Apples
Apple Crisp Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8–10 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This healthy and easy apple crisp recipe features cinnamon-spiced baked apples with a crunchy oat and nut topping. Vegan and gluten-free adaptable.
Ingredients
Oat Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or use a gluten free flour blend)
- 1 cup rolled oats, regular
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (just a hint of sweetness, if you like it sweeter add more!)
- 1/2 cup raw almonds, pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed (or use coconut oil or vegan butter)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Apple Filling
- 3 pounds of apples before cutting, about 10 cups of chopped apples (see notes on apple varieties)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- Crumble Topping: In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, nuts (if using), and salt. Add the cubed butter, and drizzle in maple syrup. With a pastry cutter or forks, cut the butter in until it is evenly distributed and the mixture is crumbly. Set the crumb topping aside.
- Apple Filling: Peel (see notes), core, and slice apples. Cut them into chunks or thick slices. (Softer apples cook faster- these can be cut larger. Crisp apples take a little longer to cook, cut them smaller.) Place cut apples in a large bowl with lemon juice, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and salt toss and stir until they are well coated.
- Butter a 9 x 13 pan (or close to that size). Pour the apples into the pan, scraping the bowl to get all the good juices and flavor onto the apples. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top. Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes. It should be bubbling and the topping will be golden brown.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, freshly whipped cream, or Greek yogurt. Add a drizzle of caramel sauce if you are feeling decadent!
Notes
Should I peel the apples? It’s up to you! Some apples have thin skins and we just leave them. The peel does add a texture and often the apple cooks faster when peeled.
The best apples for apple crisp have a balance of sweetness and acidity. We use a combination of tart apples and sweet apples to achieve this which also gives a nice texture balance. Some varieties of apples we like to choose from: are granny smith apples, pippin, Crispin, Cortland, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, pink lady and gala apples.
Feel free to swap out some of the apples and add in other fruits such as fresh cranberries, pears, or berries. If you want, throw in some dried cranberries, dates, or currants. Add more spice like cardamom, nutmeg, or cloves. Orange zest or freshly grated ginger adds a nice brightness.
Apple crisp can be served immediately or baked a few hours ahead and served at room temperature. You can also make it a day ahead, store it in the refrigerator then bake it to serve.
Leftovers keep up to 4 days in a sealed container in the fridge. To reheat, place in a baking dish in the oven at 375 for 10 minutes or until warmed.
Freeze Apple Crisp before baking, and let thaw overnight in the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 302
- Sugar: 19.6 g
- Sodium: 73.6 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 43.2 g
- Fiber: 5.7 g
- Protein: 4.9 g
- Cholesterol: 20.4 mg
I can’t eat coconut oil or vegan butter… Can I also try it with olive oil? Thanks!
Sure! It may not be as tender but I think it will still be delicious!
Yum! My favorite now.
Yay, happy you are enjoying!
Perfectly acceptable and delicious basic recipe. Lots of room to make variations.
Awesome to hear!
I missed the part about freezing BEFORE baking. What will this be like if it goes into the freezer after baking and gets reheated? As always, thanks for all of the Feasting at Home deliciousness produced in my kitchen!
It’ll be fine! Let it fully thaw before reheating.
One of my favorite desserts! This was easy and just the right amount of sweetness- I appreciate that is was not too sweet!
Great to hear!
Loved it!
I didn’t think there was enough oat topping for the apple filling. It must have been the apples we used because it took quite a bit longer for the crisp to get done. In fact we finally covered the dish to help the apples get cooked.
Hi Edith, We’d love to make this better! It would be helpful to hear more specifics- What size pan did you use? What kind of apples? Did you peel the apples? Thanks for the feed back.
We used a 9×13″ pyrex pan. We used a mixture of apples from our CSA farm. I’m not sure of the varities and we did peel them. We thought it was better the second day.
Thanks Edith, that is helpful!
I confess to eating this right out of the pan while still warm and going back for more! Made half the recipe…that was a mistake but guess I’ll just need to make it again soon. Recipe as written except I added a cup of fresh cranberries so I doubled the brown sugar in the topping. I could have possibly doubled the brown sugar in the filling as well but I prefer desserts that aren’t overly sweet and this was just perfect for me. Used stayman winesap apples. Thanks Tonia this was great!
This is so great Lyn! Really appreciate hearing your process. Cranberries sound yummy!