Old fashioned apple crisp is a classic fall dessert. Learn how to make apple crisp with this easy recipe. The apple crisp topping is too good to resist served warm with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
Apple crisp has been a staple in my family for as long as I remember. Growing up my mom would take me and my siblings apple picking. We’d use the apples to make a delicious dessert and serve it with vanilla ice cream!
Haley here from If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen. Today I’m sharing my favorite recipe easy apple crisp recipe. It’s a classic fall dessert and is the perfect use for all the apples in season!
This old fashioned apple crisp is a classic recipe made with apples, oats, sugar, butter and spices, plus a few other basic ingredients. It comes together with only 10 minutes of prep before baking in the oven for 30 minutes.
Ingredients You Need
For the Crisp Topping:
- Flour: You will need all-purpose flour. You can use a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour substitute that contains xanthan gum, to make this gluten free.
- Old Fashioned Oats: Do not use quick cook oats as they do not have the same texture.
- Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar is preferred, but you can use dark brown sugar, if needed.
- Cinnamon: Adds a classic apple crisp flavor.
- Other Baking Ingredients: You will also need baking powder and salt.
- Unsalted Butter: Use chilled butter. You can use salted butter, if needed, and omit the salt in the oat topping.
For the Apple Filling:
- Apples: Firm and crisp apples are the best choice for apple crisp. Granny Smith Apples and Honeycrisp are two good options.
- Unsalted Butter: You can use salted butter, if needed.
- Flour: You will need all-purpose flour. You can use a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour substitute that contains xanthan gum, to make this gluten free.
- Lemon Juice: Adds fresh flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Helps create the classic apple crisp flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar is preferred, but you can use dark brown sugar, if needed. It may alter the flavor of the crisp slightly.
- Cinnamon: Don’t forget the cinnamon for the old fashioned flavor.
What I truly love about old fashioned apple crisp is that it is very difficult to mess up. Think of the recipe as two parts—the filling and the crisp topping. All you have to do is make those two parts, put it in a dish and bake!
How to Make the Best Apple Crisp
- Prepare the apple crisp topping: Whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Add cold cubbed butter and combine the butter with the dry mixture with clean hands. It should come together into small crumbles. (You can also use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients.)
- Prepare filling: Whisk together melted butter and flour until slightly thick in a small bowl. Stir in the water, lemon juice and vanilla. Add brown sugar, cinnamon and pinch of salt. Stir until the ingredients are combined.
- Combine. Place sliced apples in a large bowl and pour butter mixture over the apples. Use a rubber spatula to toss and evenly coat the apples in the butter mixture. Transfer the apples to the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the crisp topping over apples. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes, or until top is golden brown and the apple juices are bubbling at the edges of the pan. Remove the crisp from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
You know the crisp is ready when the juices start bubbling and the crumble is golden brown.
This easy apple dessert will undoubtedly put you in the mood for fall. It tastes delicious right out of the oven or chilled in the fridge a few days later. Serve apple crisp warm with vanilla ice cream and homemade caramel sauce.
FAQs
A crumble rarely includes oats or nuts but usually increases a streusel-like combination of flour, sugar and butter. This peach crumble is a good example. A crisp, on the other hand, includes fruit baked with a crisp and crunchy layer of ingredients.
We recommend refrigerating apple crisp so that it keeps longer. However, you can technically leave it out on the counter for up to 24 hours.
There are a variety of recipes to use fresh apples. Use lots of apples to make apple pie, instant pot apple butter, apple pie egg rolls, or apple crumb bars.
Did you make this Old Fashioned Apple Crisp recipe? Leave a recipe rating and review below!
Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
Ingredients
For the crisp topping:
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, (78g)
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, (40g)
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, (100g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes, (76g)
For the Apple Filling
- 2 pounds baking apples, about 6 apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin (about 1/8-inch)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted (42g)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, (50g)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- caramel sauce , for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly butter an 8×8-inch glass baking dish and set aside.
- Prepare the Topping: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, oats, light brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add cubed butter and, using clean hands, combine butter with dry mixture until it comes together into small crumbles. Transfer to refrigerator to chill while preparing filling.
- Make the Filling: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and flour until slightly thick. Stir in water, lemon juice and vanilla. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Stir until ingredients are well combined.
- Place sliced apples in a large bowl and pour butter mixture over the apples. Use a rubber spatula to toss and evenly coat the apples in butter mixture. Transfer apples to prepared baking dish.
- Remove topping from the refrigerator (separate into crumbles if necessary) and sprinkle evenly over the top of the apple layer.
- Bake at 375° F for 35 minutes, or until top is golden brown and the apples juices are bubbling at the edges of the pan. Remove crisp from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce if desired.
Notes
- We recommend using Gala, Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Golden Delicious for this crisp to get the best flavor and texture.
This recipe and pictures bring back great memories of falls gone by. Will make one this season! Thanks for all!