There's really nothing more exciting than knowing that Christmas is around the corner and I have an excuse to eat Apple Crisp and Mix for breakfast and dessert every day of the week! This is the dessert I reach for all fall and winter long, right alongside my Puff Pastry Apple Galette, Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Pie, and Peach Blackberry Cobbler.
Apple Crisp at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: ~1 hour
- 👪 Servings: 6–8
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: American / Dessert
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Warm, cinnamon-spiced apples topped with a buttery, crisp oat crumble — sweet, cozy, and comforting
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian; contains dairy and gluten (can be adapted gluten-free with swaps)
- 📦 Storage Notes: Store covered at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate up to 4 days; reheat gently in the oven; freezes well when tightly wrapped
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: An effortless, classic dessert that lets the apples shine. Perfect for fall baking, holidays, or serving warm with vanilla ice cream.
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Why I Love This Recipe
This classic apple crisp has been in the family for years. There are some recipes my mom would make starting at Thanksgiving and ending sometime in the new year, and this apple crisp and corn soufflé are definitely two of them. This is easily my favorite holiday dessert, especially served with a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. The streusel topping is out of this world and it's hard to control myself - because given the opportunity, I'd eat nothing but the streusel bits with ice cream.
If you are looking for a fall cake, my cinnamon apple cake captures this recipe's essence in cake form. But, it will come as no surprise to those of you who frequent my website, that I consider THIS to be a game changing recipe! It's the apple crisp to end all apple crisps! You'll absolutely love it!
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Ingredients
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below
Substitutions
🍎 Fruit Swaps
- Granny Smith apples for tart balance and structure
- Honeycrisp or Pink Lady for sweet, juicy bites
- Mix apple varieties for deeper flavor and texture
- Pears for a softer, more delicate crisp
- Stone fruit like peaches or plums for a summer spin
- Berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries) mixed with apples work beautifully
🌾 Topping Variations
- Old-fashioned oats for that classic crisp texture
- Quick oats in a pinch, just expect a softer topping
- Flour + oats combo for a sturdier crumble
- Almond flour for a nutty, gluten-free option
- Chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts for crunch
🍬 Sweetener Swaps
- Brown sugar for caramel depth
- Coconut sugar for a toasty, less-refined sweetness
- Maple syrup or honey to replace part of the sugar
- Reduce sugar slightly if your apples are extra sweet
🧈 Fat Options
- Butter for classic richness
- Brown butter for nutty, bakery-style flavor
- Coconut oil for a dairy-free swap
- Olive oil for a subtle, surprisingly delicious twist
🌿 Spice Adjustments
- Cinnamon is the classic go-to
- Nutmeg or allspice adds warmth
- Cardamom or ginger for a cozy, elevated note
- Apple pie spice for an easy all-in-one blend
🍦 Serving Swaps
- Vanilla ice cream is non-negotiable
- Whipped cream or crème fraîche for tangy contrast
- Greek yogurt if you’re serving it for breakfast (no judgment)
- Caramel sauce drizzle for extra indulgence
How to Make Apple Crisp
Step 1: Peel, core, quarter and slice the apples into ⅓ inch pieces. Pile the apple slices into decorative baking dish (about 10 inches in diameter) and sprinkle with the cinnamon, making sure to evenly layer the top of the apples.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, add the flour, oats, brown sugar, and diced butter.
Step 3: Use a pastry cutter or fork to combine the butter, brown sugar, oats and flour until it's crumbly.
Step 4: Evenly pile the topping over the apples. It's ready to bake!
How to Store Apple Crisp
If this apple crisp isn't demolished in one sitting, you can cover with tin foil and store in the refrigerator.
🍎🥧✨ 10 Tips + Tricks for the Best Apple Crisp
- Use a mix of apples. Combining sweet and tart apples gives you the best flavor and texture. Honeycrisp for sweetness, Granny Smith for structure. It’s the dream team.
- Slice the apples evenly. Uniform slices cook at the same rate so you don’t end up with mushy spots and crunchy ones in the same bite.
- Season the filling generously. Apples love cinnamon, but a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom takes things from classic to extra special.
- Go chunky with the topping. Use your hands to clump the crumble together so you get those irresistible crisp clusters on top.
- Cold butter is key. Cold butter creates a crumbly, crunchy topping instead of something greasy or sandy. If the butter gets warm, pop it in the fridge for a few minutes.
- Don’t pack the topping down. Sprinkle it loosely over the apples so it stays crisp and golden instead of dense.
- Bake until bubbly. You want to see the juices bubbling up around the edges. That’s how you know the apples are fully cooked and the filling has thickened.
- Let it rest before serving. Give the crisp 10–15 minutes to set so the juices thicken slightly and the topping stays crisp.
- Serve it warm with ice cream. Vanilla ice cream melting into warm apple crisp is non-negotiable. Whipped cream works too, but ice cream is the move.
FAQs
How long is apple crisp good for?
This recipe will be good for 2-4 days kept in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze cooked apple crisp?
Yes! Cover with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, let thaw completely overnight and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
More Apple Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- 5-6 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2-3 Fuji Apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- Vanilla ice cream to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Peel, core, quarter and slice the apples into ⅓ inch pieces. Pile the apple slices into decorative baking dish (about 10 inches in diameter) and sprinkle with the cinnamon, making sure to evenly layer the top of the apples.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, oats, brown sugar, and diced butter.
- Use a pastry cutter or fork to combine the butter, brown sugar, oats and flour until it's crumbly. Evenly pile the topping over the apples.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes until the top is golden brown and the apples are soft.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve with ice cream
Notes
- Use a mix of apples. Combining sweet and tart apples gives you the best flavor and texture. Honeycrisp for sweetness, Granny Smith for structure. It’s the dream team.
- Slice the apples evenly. Uniform slices cook at the same rate so you don’t end up with mushy spots and crunchy ones in the same bite.
- Season the filling generously. Apples love cinnamon, but a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom takes things from classic to extra special.
- Go chunky with the topping. Use your hands to clump the crumble together so you get those irresistible crisp clusters on top.
- Cold butter is key. Cold butter creates a crumbly, crunchy topping instead of something greasy or sandy. If the butter gets warm, pop it in the fridge for a few minutes.
- Don’t pack the topping down. Sprinkle it loosely over the apples so it stays crisp and golden instead of dense.
- Bake until bubbly. You want to see the juices bubbling up around the edges. That’s how you know the apples are fully cooked and the filling has thickened.
- Let it rest before serving. Give the crisp 10–15 minutes to set so the juices thicken slightly and the topping stays crisp.
- Serve it warm with ice cream. Vanilla ice cream melting into warm apple crisp is non-negotiable. Whipped cream works too, but ice cream is the move.
Everything about this recipe is perfect. I like that you don't add extra sugar to the apples like I've seen in other recipes and the ingredients are basic enough to have on hand. The granny smith apples combined with fuji give the right amount of tart and sweet.
This over pumpkin pie any day of the year!!
Do you melt the butter to mix with flour etc? Real time question Thx
nope - just mix it and keep it chunky
Can you make this ahead and then bake on thanksgiving?
the apples would oxidize and turn a little brown. I would slice them day of
I assemble ahead the night before I want to serve, bake on day of all the time and it still turns out great!
Wow - this is hands-down my favorite fall desert to make and to eat! I get asked for the recipe every time I make it!
Made this tonight and amazing!! So easy to put together and yummm! Great recipe
love this recipe. can you make the apple filling ahead of time, refrigerate and make two days later adding the topping then?
the apples will get a little oxidized. What I've done in the past is cut the apples the day before and load them into the baking dish. Make the topping, pile it on top and refrigerate overnight max. Then bake the next day!
Just made this tonight. Verdict: delicious AF! Not too sweet, perfect for dessert and a must for breakfast - obviously.
What size pan do you use for the Apple Crisp recipe?
I've used it all - 10 inch baking round, 11x7 baking pan, whatever will fit the apples will work! You want the apples to be about 1 1/2 inches thick
This sounds amazing!! Roughly what size is the baking dish?
9x9!
Add me to the apple crisp for breakfast club!
Anytime is the right time, I love your recipes and thought you could help w this - when I make the apple crisp, so much juice comes from the apples, that more than half of the apple part is in juiceafter cooking. Any solutions?
what variety of apples are you using?
This is my favorite!! Love the apples, but let's face it - I could eat just the crisp!!!
APPLE CRISP FOR LIFE!!!!!
Your mom's famous apple crisp!! I so wish I could have that- looks amazing!
Apple crisp is my favorite thing. Your videos are so cute!!