Apple Crisp

This simple old-fashioned dessert is baked with sweet and tart apples and topped with a brown sugar oat crumble. Apple Crisp is one of the best homemade fall desserts. Serve with vanilla ice cream for extra decadence.

It’s fall so you know what that means? Bring out all the yummy apple desserts! 

Pumpkin desserts get enough attention and I think apple desserts deserve a little bit more recognition. That’s why I wanted to share this easy classic recipe. Everyone needs to make at least one Apple Crisp during the fall season.

I mean, what’s not to love? Tart apples are baked from scratch in sweetness with a brown sugar oat crumble topping. I love mine with a scoop of French Vanilla ice cream. The cold and creamy ice cream melts with the heat. It’s pure heaven.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe

• Simple apple recipe when you’re feeling all the fall apple vibes
• Only uses pantry staple baking ingredients
• Ready in under an hour
• Easy to duplicate so you can make more servings for parties, fall festivals, and bake sales

Ingredients Needed

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You’ll need to grab these ingredients to make this recipe.

• Lemon juice
• Cinnamon
• Sugar
• Honeycrisp apples

For the oat topping:

• All-purpose flour
• Large flake oats
• Brown sugar
• Salt
• Butter

How to Make Apple Crisp

• Step One: Start by preheating the oven to 350F.
• Step Two: In a large bowl, mix together lemon juice, cinnamon and sugar. Add apple slices and mix to combine. Spread into a 9×13 baking pan.
• Step Three: To make the oat topping, stir together the flour, large flake oats, brown sugar and salt in another bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Spread the topping on top of the apples in the baking pan.
• Step Four: Bake for 40 minutes. Serve hot.

Helpful Kitchen Equipment Needed

These kitchen tools will help you make this recipe.

This post contains affiliate links.

• 9×13 baking pan
• Mixing bowls
• Apple peeler
• Measuring cups and spoons

What to Serve with Apple Crisp 

Here are some other easy desserts to enjoy:

• Caramel Apple Cupcakes
• Caramel Coffee Milkshake
• Caramel Rice Krispie Treats
• Big scoop of vanilla ice cream, caramel ice cream, or cinnamon ice cream
• Drizzle some homemade Caramel Sauce on top before serving

Helpful Tips and Tricks

• While there are better apples for baking that hold up better and tart apples are usually preferred in an Apple Crisp recipe, any apple variety will work if needed to sub with a different one.
• You can use a kitchen gadget that cores, slices, and peels apples all at the same time if you want to save time.
• Don’t scoop straight from the flour bin with a measuring cup when measuring out your flour, as this is not an accurate way to measure flour. Instead, use a spoon to transfer some flour from the bin to your measuring cup and use a knife to level it off.
• The lemon juice helps prevent the apples from turning brown and discoloring. While brown apples are totally okay to eat, a lot of people won’t eat them if they look off, so the lemon juice acts as a natural preservative for the apples once they’ve been cut and peeled.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

• Theoretically, you can trade the apples out for other fruit options. Just be careful because other fruit choices may not be as hearty while baking. Peach slices and pear slices would be good options to use.
• You can also make individual servings of this crisp recipe, similar to how we made these Raspberry Crisps. They’re the perfect portion for just one person and they are already made that way.
• Add nuts or flavored oats to the topping to bring out another flavor. 

Leftover Storage

Store any leftovers in the fridge, covered, for up to three days. You can eat it cold if you like, but I prefer to heat mine in the microwave first.

Can I Freeze This 

Yes, Apple Crisp freezes well. Bake it as directed and then let it cool completely. Cover it with aluminum foil and store in the fridge for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw it in the fridge overnight. Heat in the oven at 350F for about 20 minutes or until warmed all the way through.

What Kind of Apples to Use for Apple Crisp

I like Honeycrisp Apples for baking, but there are other good varieties you can use as well.

You could also try:

• Granny Smith Apples
• Braeburn Apples
• Pink Lady Apples
• Cortland Apples
• Fuji Apples
• Jonagold Apples
• Golden Delicious

Topping Ideas

Apple Crisp is amazing on its own, but if you want it up it a notch you could add some toppings.

Try some of these suggestions:

• Caramel Sauce (try my homemade caramel sauce or store-bought).
• Vanilla Ice Cream (make your own homemade vanilla ice cream or use your favorite brand).
• Butterscotch Sauce
• Whipped cream (try my homemade Cool Whip).

What is the difference between apple crisp and apple crumble? 

These are very similar desserts, but the topping layer are usually different. In an apple crisp, it usually has nuts or oats. In my apple crisp recipe, we use an oat topping. 

However, an apple crumble usually uses a streusel like topping made from sugar, butter, and flour. 

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, you can make each layer or part and then store them separately in different airtight containers and place them in the refrigerator. Then when you are ready to make your dessert, assemble the layers together, put the topping on the apple mixture and then bake it as you normally would.

When making the apple layer ahead of time, it’s very important to not skip out on the lemon juice part because without the lemon juice, your apple slices will start to turn brown and discolor.   

More Apple Dessert Recipes

• Caramel Apple Dump Cake
• Apple Crisp Bars
• Apple Raisin Cake
• Deep Dish Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
• Apple Cake with Butterscotch Sauce
• Maple Apple Pudding
• Cracker Barrel Fried Apples
• Instant Pot Apple Butter
• Apple Slab Pie
• Apple Compote
• Air Fryer Apples
• Apple Pie Egg Rolls
• Nobby Apple Cake
• Apple Dump Cake
• Caramel Apple Cake Cups

You’ll also like Rhubarb Crisp and Sugar Pie.

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