Homemade Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp with oats is a classic, cozy bake with a buttery, crispy oat topping and a jammy, cinnamon-kissed apple filling.
The Easiest Apple Dessert!
The fresh fall apples on my counter are just begging to be turned into apple pies and apple muffins – And they will be – but not before I whip up a quick batch of my husband’s favorite apple dessert, this easy, old-fashioned apple crisp made with oats.
Apple Crisp is my go-to dessert recipe in the fall and winter when I want to make up something sweet, but I don’t want to go buy extra groceries or spend a ton of time in the kitchen.
You can make this with ingredients you probably already have sitting around in your fridge and pantry. The hardest part of the prep is peeling and cutting the apples, and your whole house will smell amazing while this buttery, cinnamon-spiced bake is cooking.
I’m giving you options when making this recipe! Slice the apples thinly so that they cook down and create a jammy, saucy texture, or just do a rough dice if you want a dessert with more bite.
Either way, I know that you’ll absolutely love the crispy oat topping! Serve this in bowls with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with caramel sauce for the perfect end to a cozy evening.
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Apples: I think that the best apple crisp recipe is made with Granny Smith apples. Their distinct tart flavor and firm texture make them ideal for pies, too. That said, you can make apple crisp with any type of apples you like, just note that some will be more flavorful than others, and most will bake up softer than Granny Smiths will.
- Cinnamon: The classic spice that makes apple desserts smell so good! I add the cinnamon to the apple mixture and not to the oats mixture so that the flavors of the two layers are more distinct.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the apples, while light brown sugar makes the perfect crumb topping.
- Salt: To balance the sweetness from the sugar. I add a little bit of fine sea salt to the apple mixture and a little bit to the crisp as well.
- Flour: Regular all-purpose flour works the best in this old-fashioned recipe. I’ve tested it with all-purpose gluten-free flour as well, and it was perfection.
- Oats: For the best texture, use old-fashioned rolled oats here, rather than quick or instant oats.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter, and keep it cold. Cut the stick up into smaller cubes so that it can be easily blended in with the oats and flour.
Recipe Tips
- The way you slice your apples will determine the texture of your apple crisp filling. In the images here, I’ve sliced Granny Smith apples into very thin ⅛-inch slices. As the crisp bakes, the slices will bake down and soften into a restaurant-style, jam-like texture. A mandolin slicer makes this simple. If you want to see pieces of apple in your crisp, slice the apples thicker or dice them.
- Sweet or Tart Apples: I recommend using a tart apple for apple crisp. If you aren’t using Granny Smith apples, you may want to adjust the recipe a bit to make up for their tart flavor. For very sweet apples like Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Fuji, reduce the sugar in the apple mixture by 1 to 2 tablespoons. It’s also a great idea to mix your tart apples with a sweeter, more aromatic one.
- Use Firm Apples: Soft apples such as McIntosh or Cortland will turn into applesauce in a recipe like this one, so I’d avoid them.
- Pan Size: A 9-inch pan will give you the ideal ratio of filling to topping, but the recipe will work in an 8-inch square pan if that’s what you have. Increase the baking time for a deeper dish pan as needed.
Make Ahead Apple Crisp Instructions
- This recipe can be assembled and stored in the fridge for several hours before you bake it as directed.
- You can also bake the apple crisp, then cover and refrigerate until the next day. Rewarm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.
- I haven’t specifically tested freezing apple crisp, but I do believe that you can freeze the crisp, unbaked. Bake directly from frozen, covered for about 20 minutes, and then uncovered for 30-45 minutes, or until it’s done.
These make-ahead tips will work with my blueberry crisp and pear crisp too!
More Apple Dessert Recipes
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Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
Equipment
- 9-inch (23 cm) square baking dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Vegetable peeler
- Mandoline or chef’s knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Pastry cutter or 2 forks
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 g) apples peeled, cored, and sliced or diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (90 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar lightly packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter cold and cubed
- vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9 inch (23 cm) square baking dish.
- Peel and core the apples, then cut either into ⅛ inch slices for a jammy texture or ½ inch dice for more texture.
- In the baking dish, toss the apples with cinnamon, granulated sugar, and salt until evenly coated. Spread the apples into an even layer
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt.
- Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or 2 forks until clumps form and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples, lightly pressing it into place.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
- Serve warm with ice cream and caramel sauce, if desired.
Notes:
- Apple cut options: ⅛ inch slices give a soft, restaurant-style, jammy filling. A ½ inch dice keeps more texture. A mandoline makes even ⅛ inch slices easy.
- Apple Choices: Choose firm, tart baking apples that hold their shape, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Pink Lady, Jonagold, and Golden Delicious. In the UK, Bramley is a classic cooking apple with bright, tangy flavor. For the best balance, mix two varieties, pairing a tart apple with a sweeter, aromatic one. Avoid very soft apples like McIntosh or Cortland if you want distinct pieces, as they break down quickly. If your apples are very sweet, reduce the granulated sugar in the filling by 1 to 2 tablespoons, and if they are quite tart, add 1 tablespoon more to taste.
- Pan options: For a deeper dish, use an 8 inch (20 cm) square pan and add a few extra minutes of baking time as needed.
- Make ahead: Assemble and refrigerate unbaked for up to 6 hours. Bake straight from the fridge, adding a few minutes to the cook time.
- Storage: Cool completely, then refrigerate covered for up to 4 days. Rewarm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Does apple crisp need to be refrigerated?
Yes! Any time fruit is cooked, it should be refrigerated to prevent spoilage. Apple crisp can be stored in the fridge, well-covered or in an airtight container, for up to 3-5 days.
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