A classic apple crisp recipe with tender cinnamon apples and a generous buttery oat topping, thoroughly retested for the right balance of juicy filling and golden, crumbly topping. Made with fresh apples and pantry staples you likely already have in your kitchen, and ready for the oven in just 15 minutes.

scoops of apple crisp on plates with ice cream on top.

Recipe summary: Classic Apple Crisp

  • Classic apple crisp with plenty of topping. Tender cinnamon apples are covered with a generous layer of buttery brown sugar and oat topping.
  • Simple, familiar ingredients. Everything comes together with fresh apples and basic baking staples.
  • Quick to assemble. It takes about 15 minutes of hands-on prep before the oven does the rest.
  • Perfect for fall. Bake it in a 9×13-inch dish and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
  • Thoroughly re-tested in 2026 to improve the ratio of apples to topping, create a thicker apple filling, and dial in the baking and resting time.

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“This was fabulous…especially the “crisp” part! I changed it up a bit and used apples and blueberries….tasty for a summertime treat!… Did I say how tasty the “crisp” part was? Loved it!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐” —from reader Nancy

In my opinion there’s no better way to celebrate fall than with a simple, classic dessert like apple crisp. This crisp recipe is pretty basic, but it’s perfect just the way it is, and I look forward to it every fall! It’s an easier alternative to my deep-dish apple pie, and don’t forget a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

If you’re looking for more ways to bake with apples this season, browse my collection of fall apple recipes.

New and improved in 2026! I have thoroughly re-tested this apple crisp recipe to get the best balance of filling and topping. I also scaled the recipe overall to bake inside a standard 9×13-inch baking dish, increasing servings so it’s perfect for sharing.

Ingredients you’ll need

ingredients for apple crisp
  • Apples: You want firm apples that will hold up during baking. Granny Smith, Gala, Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are all great varieties that I use often.
  • Old-fashioned oats: They give the topping a delicious chewy texture.
  • Butter: Cold butter cut into the dry ingredients helps create the uneven crumbs and crisp texture.
  • Flour + lemon juice: My recipe update adds these to the filling mixture. The flour thickens the apple juices while lemon brightens the flavor and balances the sweetness.

Add other fruit! For a slight fruity flavor variation, substitute 1-2 apples (depending on size) with 1 cup of blueberries, raspberries or cranberries.

You might also like my pear walnut crisp or blueberry almond crisp!

How to make classic apple crisp, step-by-step

cutting butter into dry ingredients with pastry blender in a bowl.
Step 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 to make a crumbly topping.
sliced apples tossed with cinnamon and sugar.
Step 2: Prepare apple filling. Peel, core, and slice apples and toss with sugar, flour, cinnamon and lemon juice.
sprinkling crisp topping on top of apple filling in baking dish.
Step 3: Layer into baking dish. Spread apple mixture into an even layer and sprinkle crisp topping over the top, using your hands to clump it together a bit as you go.
baked apple crisp in casserole dish.
Step 4: Bake. Bake at 375°F until apples are bubbling and topping is golden brown, 40-45 minutes.

Annalise’s expert tips

  • Use a combination of apple varieties for even more depth of flavor. I like to use a combination of really tart apples like granny smith apples and sweeter apples like honeycrisp or Pink Lady.
  • Keep the butter cold and don’t blend the topping until it’s uniform. You want a mix of small crumbs and larger clumps. As you sprinkle it over the apples, squeeze some of the topping together with your fingers to create larger pieces that bake up especially crisp and buttery.
  • Don’t skip the short rest. Apple crisp will be quite juicy straight from the oven. Letting it sit for about 10 minutes gives the hot apple juices time to thicken slightly before serving.
  • Don’t forget the vanilla ice cream (my preference) or homemade whipped cream. A spoonful over a bowl of warm apple crisp is the most perfect combination. You could also add apple cider caramel sauce for more fall flavor.
  • Enjoy leftover apple crisp for breakfast the next morning and thank me later. (Reheat or serve cold from the fridge.)

Apple crisp FAQs

What are the best apples for apple crisp?

You want apples 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.

Do I have to peel apples for apple crisp?

It’s not mandatory, but I prefer to peel the apples. The peels can be a bit tough after baking, and I want the filling as juicy as possible.

Why is my apple crisp watery?

You likely used a variety of apple that isn’t ideal for baking. McInstosh, Red or Golden Delicious, and Fuji apples are too soft and break down in the oven, creating too much extra moisture. Flour is used as a thickener in this recipe to help thicken any apply juices, and a short rest after baking allows the juices to cool and thicken even more.

a scoop of apple crisp with ice cream on a plate with a fork.

More fall apple recipes to try

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.

scoops of apple crisp on plates with ice cream on top
5 from 1 review

Classic Apple Crisp

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Rest Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
This classic and delicious apple crisp recipe is a must for fall baking! Made with fresh apples and pantry staples you likely have in your kitchen already, and ready for the oven in just 15 minutes.
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Ingredients
 

Crisp Topping:

  • 1 ½ cup (195 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (60 grams) old-fashioned oats
  • ⅔ cup (140 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (170 grams) butter , cold and cut into cubes

Apple Filling:

  • ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 lbs (1.3 kgrams) firm, tart apples
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (half a lemon)
  • Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream , for serving (optional)

Equipment

9x13 pan
9×13-inch baking pan
pastry blender
Pastry blender
mixing bowl set of 3 stacked together
Mixing bowls

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch (or similar size) baking dish.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt and stir.
    1 ½ cup (195 grams) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (60 grams) old-fashioned oats, ⅔ cup (140 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt
  • Add the butter and cut it into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly. The butter should be in small pea-sized pieces and the mixture will clump together when pressed together with your fingers. Set aside.
    ¾ cup (170 grams) butter
  • In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon and set aside.
    ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Working quickly so the apples don't brown, peel the apples, then cut into ¼-inch thick slices (or dice into ½-inch chunks if you prefer), discarding the apple cores. Immediately add the apples to the sugar mixture and toss along with the lemon juice.
    3 lbs (1.3 kgrams) firm, tart apples, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Dump the apples into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the crisp topping evenly over the top of the apples, using your hands to clump it together as you go so there's a mixture of larger clumps, smaller clumps, and some loose dry ingredients.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes until the topping is golden brown, and apples are tender when pierced with a fork and bubbling a bit at the edges.
  • Let the crisp sit for about 10 minutes to give the apple filling a chance to thicken slightly (this can prevent a runny/watery filling). Then serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream if desired. Store leftovers in the fridge.

Notes

  • The best apples to use: Granny Smith, Jonagold, Jonathan, Gala, Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are all great apple varieties for baking. Using a variety of apples will give your crisp a more dynamic flavor. (3lbs of apples is roughly 8 medium-sized apples. No need to be exact, this recipe is very forgiving.)Make-ahead instructions: Prep the crisp topping up to 24 hours ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge, or store in the freezer for up to a month. Use straight from frozen. Apple filling mixture cannot be made ahead.
  • Freezing instructions: 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, bake straight from frozen, 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: 487kcal, Carbohydrates: 80g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 46mg, Sodium: 290mg, Potassium: 278mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 48g, Vitamin A: 625IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 2mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise Sandberg
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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.