Classic Apple Crisp
Old-fashioned apple crisp with tender baked apples and a buttery brown-sugar oat topping—simple, cozy, and always loved.
Old-fashioned apple crisp is a comforting desserts that never disappoints. Tender baked apples, warm spices, and a buttery brown-sugar oat crumble come together in a simple recipe that’s incredibly satisfying. Whether you’re serving it for fall gatherings, weeknight dessert, or the holidays, this crisp fills the kitchen with irresistible aroma and cozy nostalgia.
This version is the classic style many people grew up with—soft, juicy apples under a crisp, golden topping that stays crunchy even after cooling. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart, and it works beautifully with a wide range of apple varieties. The recipe is easy to prepare, easy to scale, and even easier to enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Apple crisp also happens to be wonderfully flexible. You can adjust the sweetness, mix in other fruits, add nuts for crunch, or play with spices for a flavor that fits the season. It’s the kind of dessert you can make your own without ever losing that familiar, comforting appeal.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Simple and classic. Apple crisp is the kind of dessert that never goes out of style. With just a few pantry staples, it delivers warm flavor, a cozy aroma, and a satisfying contrast of textures. It’s the definition of a no-fuss, high-reward dessert.
Wonderful texture. Tender, juicy apples bake beneath a buttery oat crumble that turns crisp and golden in the oven. The combination of soft fruit and crunchy topping creates the perfect balance in every bite.
Flexible and adaptable. This recipe works beautifully with a variety of apples—or even a mix—so you can adjust the flavor and sweetness depending on what you have. You can also easily incorporate berries, nuts, or different spices for seasonal twists.
Great for gatherings. Apple crisp scales up effortlessly for holidays and potlucks, travels well, and reheats without losing its texture. It’s also a dessert that tastes just as good the next day, making it ideal for make-ahead baking.
Ingredient Notes
- Apples – Choose firm, sweet-tart apples with good structure. Pink Lady, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, and Fuji all hold their shape well and won’t collapse into applesauce. A mix of varieties adds complexity and a blend of sweetness and acidity. If using very tart apples like Granny Smith, you may want to bump up the brown sugar slightly to maintain balance.
- Brown sugar – Light brown sugar offers classic sweetness, while dark brown sugar adds deeper molasses notes that complement fall flavors. Brown sugar also helps the topping caramelize and crisp in the oven.
- Oats – Quick oats give a more uniform, finer-textured crumb topping, while rolled oats give a chunkier, chewier feel. Either works—choose based on your preferred texture.
- Flour – The flour helps the topping bind and crisp, preventing it from melting into the apples. It also helps achieve that bakery-style crumble that breaks into golden clumps as it bakes.
- Cinnamon & nutmeg – These classic spices anchor the crisp’s warm flavor profile. A pinch of allspice, ginger, or cardamom can be added to personalize the spice blend without overpowering the apples.
- Salt – Just a small pinch enhances the apples’ natural sweetness and balances the topping. If using salted butter, you can skip it entirely.
- Unsalted butter – Softened, not melted, butter blends more easily into the dry topping ingredients and creates better crumb structure. As the crisp bakes, the butter melts slowly, helping the topping brown evenly and crisp around the edges.
Steps to Make Classic Apple Crisp
- Preheat the oven and butter your baking dish so the topping browns evenly and the apples release their juices without sticking.
- Peel and slice the apples into even pieces so they bake uniformly. You can slice them thinly for a softer result or dice them for a chunkier bite. Arrange them in the dish so the fruit cooks in a single, even layer.
- Combine the brown sugar, oats, flour, spices, and salt in a bowl. This mixture forms the base of the crisp topping and determines how crunchy and flavorful it will be.
- Work the softened butter into the dry ingredients with your hands or a fork until the mixture forms clumps and loose crumbs. This texture is what creates the crisp, crumble-like topping once baked.
- Scatter the topping evenly over the apples, making sure to cover the fruit completely. Exposed apples may dry out slightly, so a full layer gives the best texture.
- Bake until the apples are bubbling and tender and the topping is a deep golden brown with crisp edges. The juices should thicken slightly as the crisp cools.
- Let the crisp rest for 10–15 minutes before serving so the fruit layer can set and the flavors can meld.
Pro Tips
- Use a mix of apples for complexity. Combining sweet and tart varieties creates deeper flavor and better texture after baking.
- Don’t over-soften the butter. Butter that is too warm blends into a paste instead of forming crumbs, which prevents a crisp topping.
- Adjust for juiciness. Extra-juicy apples may release more liquid; adding a teaspoon of flour over the fruit helps the juices thicken naturally.
- Bake until deeply golden. The topping should be caramelized and crisp, not pale. A longer bake improves both flavor and texture.
- Rest before serving. Allowing the crisp to cool helps the juices set and prevents the topping from softening too quickly.
Recipe Variations
- Add berries. Add blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries for pops of color and extra juiciness.
- Add rhubarb. Swap one cup of apples for chopped rhubarb for a sweet-tart spring variation.
- Make it nutty. Stir chopped pecans or walnuts into the topping for crunch and toasted flavor.
- Change the spice profile. Use cardamom, ginger, or allspice to give the crisp a fresh twist.
- Make it gluten-free. Use certified gluten-free oats and your preferred 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Drizzle with caramel sauce for a decadent finish.
- Add lightly sweetened whipped cream or crème anglaise for a special-occasion dessert.
How to Store
Refrigerate: Cover and store for up to 4 days. The topping will soften slightly but reheats beautifully.
Freeze: Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
To Reheat: Warm individual servings in the microwave, or reheat the entire crisp at 350°F for 10–15 minutes to refresh the topping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Classic Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- 6 apples, (large e.g., Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Fuji)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup quick oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Dash fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, (about 76 grams)
Instructions
- Prep the oven and pan. Heat the oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
- Prep the apples. Peel the apples and slice them thinly or dice them. Arrange the apples in the baking dish.
- Make the topping. In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Work the softened butter in with your fingers until well blended and crumbly.
- Add the topping to the apples. Sprinkle the crumbs over the apples.
- Bake. Transfer the apple crisp to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until they are tender and the topping is crisp and browned.
- Serve. Serve in dessert dishes with ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of sweet cream.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
