Classic Apple Crisp

Tender cinnamon apples tucked under a crunchy, buttery oat topping that bakes up golden and crisp — Classic Apple Crisp is the easiest fall dessert you’ll make all season. No pie crust, no fuss: just slice, toss, sprinkle and bake. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into every bite.

How to Make Classic Apple Crisp

Step 1: Preheat and prep the dish

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×9-inch (or 8×11) baking dish with butter so the bubbling juices don’t stick.

Step 2: Toss the apples

Toss the sliced apples with the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of flour, then spread them evenly in the dish. The flour thickens the juices as they bake.

Step 3: Make the oat topping

In a bowl, mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture is clumpy — those clumps become the crunchy bits.

Step 4: Add the topping

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples, all the way to the edges.

Step 5: Bake

Bake 40–45 minutes, until the topping is deep golden and the apple juices are bubbling up around the edges.

Step 6: Cool and serve

Let it cool for 10 minutes so the juices thicken, then scoop into bowls — a scoop of vanilla ice cream is non-negotiable.

Tips & Variations

• Mix your apples. Half Granny Smith for tartness, half Honeycrisp for sweetness gives the best balance.
• Keep the butter cold so the topping bakes into crunchy clusters instead of melting flat.
• Add nuts: stir ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts into the topping.
• Mix up the fruit: swap in a cup of cranberries or sliced pears for some of the apples.
• Extra crispy top: bake 5 minutes longer, or broil 1–2 minutes at the end, watching closely.
• Gluten-free: use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and certified GF oats.

Storage & Reheating

• Room temperature: covered, up to 1 day.
• Fridge: covered, up to 4 days.
• Freezer: wrap well and freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Reheat: 350°F oven for 10–15 minutes to re-crisp the topping (the microwave works but softens it).

Classic Apple Crisp

Cinnamon apples under a crunchy, buttery oat topping.

Servings: 8Prep: 20 minCook: 45 minTotal: 1 hr 5 min

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• Topping: ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup old-fashioned oats
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) cold butter, cubed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×9-inch (or 8×11) baking dish.
2. Toss apples with sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and 1 tbsp flour; spread in dish.
3. For topping, mix flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in butter until clumpy.
4. Sprinkle topping evenly over apples.
5. Bake 40–45 minutes until topping is golden and apples are bubbling and tender.
6. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe by Crave & Save Recipes · Best served warm with vanilla ice cream.