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.
Looks delish! Want to make for Thanksgiving. Do you have a crumble topping without the oats? Thank you!
I dont have it on the blog - but you can use this ratio but ditch the oats and add more brown sugar!!
I made this yesterday. Delish. My crumble topping wasn’t crumbly though. I used room temp butter. Should I have chilled the butter? Going to make it again next week for a dinner party.
chilled butter is def easier to work with!!
I just made the apple crisp, it looks delicious. I’m bringing it to a friend’s house in about 6 hours, should I leave it on the counter or in the fridge?
counter!
Can I make this in a cast iron skillet?
sure can
If I were to bake this in individual ramekins (~6 oz), how long do you think they'd take in the oven?
25 mins
Incredible! The two different apples really are amazing . The whole family was talking about this and the au gratin potatoes also featured on the site!
I ended up taking the topping off and split it in 2 and added more oats, etc to both parts! Looks much better. I’ll put other part in freezer for next time I make. I LOVE everything you post. I make something of yours at least 2-3 times a week. Thank you for the wonderful recipes!! ❤️
Hi Gaby! I just am wondering about the butter. In the recipe it calls for 1 1/4 cup butter but in your video it looks like you just used 1/4 cup. I’m about to bake mine but I used 1 1/4 cup butter and it doesn’t look right. Can you please clarify amount of butter?
butter is correct as printed
If you're making the morning of thanksgiving should you put a little lemon juice on the apples to keep from oxidizing prior to adding the topping?
nah, no need
If I needed to make a larger quantity (we have a lot of kids coming for Thanksgiving!), do you think I could 1 1/2x or double it and put it in a 9x13?
without a doubt
Have you tried this with gluten free rolled oats? Taste much difference?
totally delish
Can you make the morning of Thanksgiving.but bake it before I serve? Will it be ok in the fridge all day before baking? Thank you!
totally - my mom does the same thing
We somehow managed to have leftovers- can we freeze it or how long can it last in the fridge for?
Fridge 3-4 days. Freezer - a few months
Can i add pears to this?
sure can!
So simple and so good. I added a little salt and extra oats to the crumble and the end result was delicious. I've made it twice within a three week span!