Easy Apple Crisp Recipe

A classic apple crisp with a tart cinnamon apple filling and a thick, buttery brown sugar oat topping.

Prep time: PT20M

Cook time: PT55M

Total time: PT75M

Rating

5 stars (49 reviews)

Keywords

apple dessert recipe, Autumn, Crisp recipes, crumbles, easy dessert recipe, Fall, heirloom recipe, mother's day

Ingredients

5 cups tart apples (Granny Smith and Cripps Pink recommended, peeled, sliced, and cut into ¾-inch pieces)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup rolled oats (not instant)
½ cup unsalted butter (cold, cut into cubes)

Cuisine

American

Steps

Combine sliced apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle.
In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, and oats. Add cold butter cubes and toss to coat. Work the butter into the dry ingredients by hand, squeezing and mashing until the mixture clumps together with only a few remaining butter pieces. Work quickly to keep the butter cold.
Give the apples one final stir and pour into an 8-inch square baking dish. Cover with the streusel topping, pressing some down into the apples. Use as much or as little as you like.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the topping is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the sides. For very soft apples, bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 221 kcal
Carbohydrates: 37 g
Protein: 2 g
Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Trans Fat: 0.3 g
Cholesterol: 20 mg
Sodium: 56 mg
Sugar: 25 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g

Reviews

Sarah on 2026-06-23 (5 stars):
I made this for a dinner party and doubled the streusel just like the recipe suggested, and the topping came out perfectly crisp even after sitting for a while. The macerated apples were tender without turning mushy, which is exactly what I was hoping for. I used a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp and it was spot on. This is my go-to from here.
Lauren on 2026-03-25 (5 stars):
I almost skipped the maceration step, but I’m so glad I didn’t. The filling was perfectly thick and flavorful, and pressing some topping into the apples made such a difference in texture!
Mara on 2025-10-13 (5 stars):
This apple crisp was the best dessert I have had in a while! The oat streusel, I had to stop myself from just eating that part. My sister-in-law said it was the best dessert I've ever made. I think we should be putting that streusel on everything!
Toni on 2021-09-11 (5 stars):
After picking apples this week, I made this apple crisp last night for my husbands birthday and it was indeed INCREDIBLE!!! I double the recipe and holy moly, the crisp was indeed crisp and a huge hit. I was able to send some home with my dad and I’m pretty sure I’ll be having some this morning with my tea!!!! I did save a little bit more of topping and going to make my BFF a two serving birthday crisp today! This will definitely be my go to recipe!
mobasir hassan on 2021-07-20 (5 stars):
A recipe like this always inspire me and i truly appreciate the way you made this yummy apple crisp. Everything is so nicely described that really helped.