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An overhead shot of apple crisp in a green braiser with three scoops of vanilla ice cream on top and a gold serving spoon resting in the bottom right of the braiser. The braiser is on a orange blue and green striped kitchen towel.
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5 from 30 votes

Apple Crisp

My mom's famous apple crisp recipe is loaded with baked sliced apples and a crispy oat based topping that you'll love! Bonus points for ice cream
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 people
Author: Gaby Dalkin

Equipment

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.
  • Don’t skip the acid. A little lemon juice keeps the apples bright and balances all that cozy sweetness.
  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 264mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 976IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg