Description
A forgiving, flavorful, and incredibly easy apple crisp that uses pantry staples. This recipe features a mix of tart and sweet apples topped with a crunchy, buttery oat and brown sugar crumble.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6–7 medium apples (about 3 lbs / 1.4 kg), mixed tart and sweet (e.g., Granny Smith and Honeycrisp), cored and sliced into ¼-inch wedges
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15ml)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (2g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5ml)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16g)
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (90g)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (200g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (2g)
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (0.5g)
- ½ cup cold butter, cubed (113g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (1.5g)
- Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- Optional: ½ cup chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, toss sliced apples with granulated sugar, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons flour. Mix well to coat and let sit for 10 minutes to draw out juices.
- In a separate bowl, combine rolled oats, 1 cup all-purpose flour, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. If using nuts or chocolate, stir them in now.
- Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry topping ingredients. Use a fork, pastry cutter, or fingers to work the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized chunks.
- Transfer the apple mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Pour the topping over the apples, letting it sit loosely on top.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and juices are bubbling around the edges. If the topping browns too quickly, tent with foil after 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow juices to thicken.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or sharp cheddar cheese.
Notes
Use cold butter for a crunchy topping. Letting the apples rest with sugar for 10 minutes prevents a watery bottom. The crisp tastes better the next day as flavors meld. Store covered at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat in the oven to restore crunch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-55 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 32
- Sodium: 120
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 3
Keywords: apple crisp, brown sugar cinnamon, easy dessert, fall baking, comfort food, gluten-free option, dairy-free option