Warm slices of baked apples covered with cinnamon brown sugar streusel topping are all that’s required to make this old fashioned apple crisp.
I love a warm apple dessert spiced with cinnamon and slightly sweetened but I don’t love eating the soupy dish that sometimes masquerades as an “apple crisp.”
This fruit-filled dessert recipe is not at all soupy, with soft apples covered with just enough crunchy topping to make it perfect.
All by itself or topped with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, this is one of our favorite desserts year-round. If you manage to have any leftovers after serving apple crisp for dessert, it makes a spectacular breakfast too!
You could also make this recipe for a big weekend brunch, coupled with a Breakfast Sausage Skillet or a Breakfast Hash.
In case you’re wondering, my favorite way to eat this is with my morning coffee and a scoop of ice cream. It’s probably a good thing that I don’t usually have a fresh apple crisp waiting in the kitchen in the morning.
Every now and then, though, it’s a delicious way to start the day and always puts me in a terrific mood.Apple CrispPlay Video
How To Make An Apple Crisp
This recipe is so easy to pull together and only takes a few minutes of prep time. The most labor-intensive part is slicing your apples. To save time, I don’t peel the apples for this recipe, though you certainly can.
You can use any kind of apples you like in this old fashioned apple crisp and it will come out tasting good each and every time.
Granny Smith apples yield a little bit more tartness and pair nicely with the brown sugar and cinnamon. My favorite combination is a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples.
Slicing the apples thinly and evenly is important for getting the perfect apple crisp texture. Apples that are sliced too thick will still taste good but may not end up as buttery soft.
Apple Crisp Topping
Apple crisps and fruit crisps are the ultimate in forgiving dessert recipes. There’s no pressure to decorate anything or make it look super fancy, no measuring out batter or shaping of dough.
To make the Apple Crisp Topping, combine softened butter with brown sugar, oats, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Blend with a spoon or your fingers until crumbly.
Sprinkle the topping over the apples in the baking dish. Pop the whole pan in the oven and wait until everyone in your house wanders into the kitchen to find out what smells so good!
Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
I have made this apple crisp with both all-purpose flour and oat flour. Both ways come out extremely well and I don’t have a preference for one over the other. The oat flour works so well with the oats in the crumb topping!
Tip: If you’re cooking for someone with Celiac disease, be sure the oats and oat flour you use are certified gluten-free. Some oats are processed on the same equipment as gluten containing products which can be an issue for those with severe gluten allergies.
Apple Desserts
There’s no end to the ways you can use fresh apples in desserts and baked goods. I love them in a traditional pie or a homemade applesauce, of course, but apples are also fun in unexpected dishes like Apple Nachos. (Your kids will LOVE those, believe me.)
For more great apple desserts, check out this German Apple Pie, the Slow Cooker Stuffed Apples, this Apple Cheddar Galette, and these Apple Cheesecake Crumb Bars are all terrific ways to use fresh apples.
And if you haven’t made apple butter before (or if it’s been a while), you NEED to go make a batch of Slow Cooker Apple Butter. It’s total apple heaven and so easy to make!
If you’re looking for more fruit crisps, this Blackberry Coconut Crisp and this Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp are both brilliant ways to enjoy summer fruits in your dessert. Can’t decide whether to make a fruit crisp or bars? These Apricot Crisp Bars are the absolute best of both worlds!
Gluten Free Desserts
It’s so easy to make delicious gluten free desserts that everyone can enjoy. Gluten free baking sometimes has a reputation for requiring lots of unusual, hard-to-find, special ingredients but that definitely doesn’t have to be the case!
Most of my gluten free dessert recipes can be made with items you already have in your pantry or can easily find at most grocery stores. I even wrote a short e-book with my favorite gluten free desserts!
Looking for even more gluten free dessert recipes? I’ve got a full list of gluten free desserts on this site here.
Check out all of the Gluten Free Dessert Recipes on this website!
Apple Crisp Recipe
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a small baking dish with butter.
- Spread the apples across the greased baking pan.
- Combine the butter with brown sugar, oats, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Blend with a spoon or your fingers until crumbly
- Sprinkle the topping over the apples and bake for 30-32 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.
- Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
Baking tip: If when you add the butter to the dry topping ingredients it is not soft enough to easily mix into crumbs, you can place the whole bowl (dry ingredients and butter both) in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, just long enough to soften the butter and make it easy to blend into crumbs for the topping.
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Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
4.74 from 23 votesButtery brown sugar and oat topping over sweet baked apples is a heavenly dessert year round. Topped with vanilla ice cream this is a classic dessert that’s great for any occassion.SavePinPrintReviewPrep Time: 5 minsCook Time: 30 minsTotal Time: 35 minsCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanServings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- ▢4 thinly sliced apples, about 6 cups worth
- ▢1/4 cup light brown sugar
- ▢1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Topping Ingredients
- ▢1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or oat flour for a gluten free recipe)
- ▢1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ▢2/3 cup light brown sugar
- ▢1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ▢1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- ▢1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢1/3 cup softened butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a small baking dish with butter, 8, 9, or 10 inch pans will all work great. Place the sliced apples in the baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Toss with your hands.
- Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt for the topping in a medium-size bowl. Add the softened butter and blend with a fork, spoon, or your fingers until crumbly.
- Sprinkle the topping over the apples and bake for 30-32 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!
