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    Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes

    Old Fashioned Easy Apple Crisp

    Published: Jan 12, 2023 by Chef Dennis Littley

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    5 from 29 votes
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    Pinterest image for apple crisp

    My Old Fashioned Apple Crisp is packed with gooey sweet cinnamon apples and a crunchy brown sugar oat topping. Top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’ve just elevated this simple dessert to legendary status.

    white bowl of apple crisp with ice cream next to whole red and green apples

    My mother wasn’t the best cook, but growing up, Apple Crisp was one dessert she made every apple season. This is the recipe I learned to make at her side and it is the best apple crisp recipe I’ve ever had.

    white bowls of apple crisp with ice cream next to whole red and green apples

    Apple crisp is definitely my favorite fall dessert, but these days fresh, delicious apples are available year round. And apple crisp is easier to make than apple pie, so it’s a dessert that I make all year long.

    If you love apples and apple desserts, my easy-to-make Buttery Apple Cake is guaranteed to please.

    Ingredients to make Apple Crisp

    ingredients to make apple crips

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Apple Crisp. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

    Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    Simple Ingredients

    • Granny Smith apples
    • granulated sugar
    • ground cinnamon 
    • lemon juice
    • brown sugar
    • old fashioned oats
    • all-purpose flour
    • unsalted butter 
    • salt

    What type of apples should I use?

    I used Granny Smith apples, but you can use Honey Crisp, Braeburn, Northern Spy, Jonathan, or your favorite baking apples.

    Frozen sliced apples work really well with this recipe.

    How to make crisp topping

    collage of images showing how to make brown sugar oat topping
    • Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl.
    • Mix the dry ingredients until well blended.
    • Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture.
    • Use your hands to cut the butter into the oat mixture until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.

    If you have a pastry cutter, it’s a great tool for making the crunchy topping for the apple crisp. But my favorite way to make the crisp topping is using my hands. That’s how my mom taught me.

    How to make Apple Crisp

    • Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
    • Prepare an 8×8 baking dish by buttering the dish or spraying it with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside until needed.
    collage of images showing how to assemble recipe
    • Add the sliced apples, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice to a large bowl.
    • Mix the ingredients together until the tart apples are well coated with the cinnamon sugar creating the perfect apple filling.
    • Pour the apple mixture into the prepared baking dish.
    • Add the crumble topping on top of the apples. Smoothing the topping so its evenly distributed.
    white baking dish with apple crisp next to apples

    Place the baking dish on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.

    white bowl of apple crisp with ice cream

    There is nothing more delicious than warm apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream….sigh. It’s my favorite apple dessert, and I’m sure after one bite, it will become one of yours too.

    Recipe FAQ’s

    What’s the difference between apple crisp and apple crumble?

    Apple crumble is comparable to a crisp as they are both baked fruit desserts with a layer of topping. But unlike the crisp, the crumble topping rarely includes oats. The topping used for a crumble is basically a streusel topping made with flour, sugar, and butter.

    Can I use quick oats for the crisp topping?

    Either quick oats or old-fashioned oats will work with the topping. What you don’t want to use is steel-cut oats.

    Should the crisp be covered while baking?

    If you prefer a lighter topping on the apple crisp, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil for the first 20 minutes of the baking process. Then remove the foil for the remainder of the time in the oven.

    More Recipes You’ll Love!

    • Caramel Apple Torte with a Dark Caramel Sauce
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    • Sunday Morning Apple Pie Fold-Overs

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    white bowl of apple crisp with ice cream next to whole red and green apples
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    5 from 29 votes

    Easy Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

    My Old Fashioned Apple Crisp is packed with gooey sweet cinnamon apples and a crunchy brown sugar oat topping.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Total Time1 hr
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 436kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    • 6 large apples Granny Smith – peeled and chopped
    • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
    • 1½ tsp ground cinnamon divided
    • 1½ tsp lemon juice
    • 1 cup light brown sugar
    • 1 cup old fashioned oats
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ¾ cup unsalted butter cold – diced into small cubes
    • ⅛ tsp salt
    US Customary – Metric
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    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
    • Prepare an 8×8 baking dish by buttering the dish or spraying it with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside until needed.
    • Add the dry ingredients (with half of the cinnamon) to a large bowl.
    • Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture.
    • Use your hands to cut the butter into the oat mixture until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs. Set aside while you prepare the apples.
      If you have a pastry cutter, it’s a great tool for making the crunchy topping for the apple crisp.
    • Add the sliced apples, granulated sugar, the other half of the cinnamon, and lemon juice to a large bowl.
    • Mix the ingredients together until the tart apples are well coated with the cinnamon sugar creating the perfect apple filling.
    • Pour the apple mixture into the prepared baking dish.
    • Add the crumble topping on top of the apples. Smoothing the topping so its evenly distributed.
    • Place the apple crisp on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
    • Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

    Notes

    I used fresh Granny Smith apples, but you can use Honey Crisp, Braeburn, Northern Spy, Jonathan, or your favorite apples.
    Frozen sliced apples work really well with this recipe.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 49mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 607IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

    More Dessert Recipes

    • Blueberry Coffee Cake
    • Double Chocolate Banana Bread
    • Old Fashioned Rice Pudding
    • Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Yash patel

      January 19, 2023 at 4:25 am

      Good

      Reply

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