This classic and delicious apple crisp is a must for fall!

classic apple crisp on plates with ice cream

I know a lot of you are giddy about pumpkin right now, but I’m all about the apples. Apple season is my fave! And there’s no better way to celebrate fall than with a simple, classic dessert like apple crisp.

This recipe is pretty basic— just apples and a simple topping made of oats, flour, sugar, butter, and cinnamon. No embellishments or twists needed, this apple crisp is perfect just the way it is!

Why You’ll Love this Apple Crisp

What’s not to love about apple crisp? Saucy sweet apples topped with a crispy spiced oat topping is a wonderful fall dessert. There’s only 8 simple ingredients required and you likely have everything already in your kitchen. All you need is about 15 minutes to get everything prepped and then your oven will do the rest.

Let’s get baking then, shall we?

ingredients for apple crisp

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Apples
  • All-purpose flour
  • Old-fashioned rolled oats
  • Light or dark brown sugar
  • Granulated sugar
  • Butter
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Salt

What Are the Best Apples for Baking?

The best apples to bake with are ones that are tart, firm, and won’t break down in the oven. Granny smith, jonagold, jonathan, gala, honeycrisp, and pink lady/cripps pink are all great varieties to choose from. Stick to one type of apple, or feel free to combine several varieties to get even bigger flavor.

making crisp topping

How to Make Classic Apple Crisp

  1. Prepare crisp topping. Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Add cold butter cubes and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry blender.
  2. Prepare apple filling. Peel, core, and slice apples and add them to a greased baking dish. Toss with granulated sugar.
  3. Layer into baking dish. Spread apples into an even layer and sprinkle crisp topping over the top.
  4. Bake. Bake at 375° until apples are bubbling and topping is golden brown.
  5. Serve and enjoy! Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, or as desired.

putting apple crisp together in a baking dish

Tips for this Recipe

  • Make sure you start with the right kind of apples to make sure your crisp doesn’t turn out soggy or mushy. Granny Smith, Jonagold, Jonathan, Gala, Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are all great options.
  • Use a combination of apple varieties for even more depth of flavor.
  • This is how I peel and core apples for baking. It’s fast and easy!
  • Leftover apple crisp (if you have any!) should be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
  • To make ahead: this recipe can be frozen before or after baking. Wrap in a double layer of plastic wrap and store in the freezer for a month or more. To bake, follow instructions in recipe, adding at least 5 minutes to baking time. To reheat, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes till heated through.

baked apple crisp

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close up of classic apple crisp on plates with ice cream

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This recipe was originally published October 2010.

close up of classic apple crisp on plates with ice cream

Apple Crisp

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Classic apple crisp is perfect for fall!

Ingredients
 

Crisp Topping:

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour (30 grams)
  • ½ cup old-fashioned oats (25 grams)
  • cup packed light or dark brown sugar (70 grams)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons butter , cold and cut into cubes

Apple Filling:

  • 6 medium tart apples , peeled, cored and sliced
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • Whipped cream or ice cream , for serving (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a small casserole dish (2-3 quart).
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt and stir. Add the butter and cut it into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly.
  • Add sliced apples into the casserole dish along with the granulated sugar and spread into an even layer.
  • Sprinkle apple filling with the crisp topping.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes until the topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Notes

NOTES:
  • Granny Smith, Jonagold, Jonathan, Gala, Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are all great apple varieties for baking.
  • To make ahead: This recipe can be frozen before or after baking. Wrap in a double layer of plastic wrap and store in the freezer for a month or more. To bake, follow instructions in recipe, adding at least 5 minutes to baking time. To reheat, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes till heated through.
Calories: 292kcal, Carbohydrates: 53g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 152mg, Potassium: 189mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 36g, Vitamin A: 336IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 23mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.