Go Back

Classic Apple Crisp

Perfectly spiced jammy apple filling under a thick, genuinely crunchy oat and brown sugar topping — the quintessential fall dessert, easy to make and impossible to resist.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 395
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apple Filling
  • 3 lb apples about 7 medium — use Honeycrisp + Granny Smith mix. Peeled, cored, sliced 1/4-inch thick.
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour thickens the filling juices
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ground cardamom optional but lovely
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 pinch salt
Oat Crisp Topping
  • 1.5 cup old-fashioned rolled oats NOT quick oats — they turn mushy
  • 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 10 tbsp cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes — must be cold
  • 0.5 cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional but highly recommended
To Serve
  • 4 scoops vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish
  • 2 Large mixing bowls
  • 1 Pastry cutter or fork

Method
 

Apple Filling
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, toss sliced apples with both sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt until every slice is evenly coated. Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
Crisp Topping
  1. In the same bowl, combine rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold butter cubes. Use your fingertips to press and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms clumps from pea-sized to almond-sized. You want uneven clumps for textural variety. Add pecans if using.
  2. Refrigerate the bowl of topping for 15 minutes. This keeps the butter cold and ensures maximum crunchiness when baked.
Bake & Serve
  1. Scatter cold topping evenly over the apple filling, covering it completely. Press down gently. Bake for 45-55 minutes until the topping is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling vigorously around the edges.
  2. Let rest at least 10 minutes before serving — the filling is extremely hot. Serve warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

Notes

The topping can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Use a mix of at least two apple varieties for the most complex filling — Honeycrisp for sweetness and Granny Smith for tartness is the ideal combination. Reheat leftovers in a 325°F oven for 15 minutes to re-crisp the topping.