Warm cinnamon apples, a golden brown sugar oat topping, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into every bite—this easy apple crisp is the kind of dessert that makes a cool fall evening feel a little cozier. There’s no pie crust to roll out and no mixer needed, just fresh apples and a handful of pantry staples.
This homemade apple crisp with oats is simple enough for a weekend after apple picking and special enough for your Thanksgiving dessert table. The apples bake until tender beneath a buttery crumble that stays chunky and crisp on top.
If you love a warm fruit dessert, try my Brown Butter Peach Crisp, too. For another cozy fall treat, these Apple Cider Spiced Cupcakes bring plenty of apple flavor with a creamy frosting finish.
More Apple Recipes You’ll Love
Why You’ll Love This Easy Apple Crisp
- Made from scratch: Fresh apples, old-fashioned oats, butter, and warm spices.
- No special equipment: You only need mixing bowls and a baking dish.
- Plenty of crumble: A generous oat topping adds buttery crunch to every serving.
- Easy to serve: Spoon it straight from the baking dish while it’s still warm.
- Perfect for fall gatherings: A simple dessert for Sunday dinner, apple-picking weekends, or Thanksgiving.
Planning a holiday menu? Pair it with the recipes in my Thanksgiving Dinner Menu for an easy seasonal finish.
Ingredients for Apple Crisp with Oats
Cinnamon Apple Filling
- 3 pounds apples, about 7–8 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick (about 8 cups prepared)
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Buttery Oat Crumble
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
For Serving
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
- Caramel sauce, optional
Ingredient tip: Use old-fashioned rolled oats for a more substantial crumble. Quick oats can work, but the topping will have a finer texture. Steel-cut oats aren’t a suitable substitute here.
The Best Apples for Apple Crisp
A mixture of tart and sweet apples gives this dessert a balanced flavor. Granny Smith and Honeycrisp make a good combination: one adds tartness, while the other adds sweetness.
Braeburn, Pink Lady, and Golden Delicious are other options. Choose firm apples, and slice them evenly so you don’t end up with crunchy pieces mixed into an otherwise tender filling.
If your apples are especially tart, add another tablespoon of brown sugar to the filling. With sweeter apples, start with the amount listed.
Have extra apples after baking? Put them to work in my Chicken Sausage and Apple Stuffing for a savory holiday side.
How to Make Easy Apple Crisp
1. Prepare the Baking Dish
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch square baking dish. Set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any juices that bubble over.
2. Mix the Apple Filling
Place the sliced apples in a large bowl. Add the brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Toss until the apple slices are evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared dish, including any juices in the bowl, and spread into an even layer.
3. Make the Oat Topping
In a separate bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Add the cold butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work it into the dry ingredients until you have a crumbly mixture with pea-size pieces of butter. Squeeze a few handfuls gently to form larger clusters.
4. Add the Crumble and Bake
Scatter the oat topping evenly over the apples without packing it down.
Bake for 45–55 minutes, until the topping is golden brown, the filling bubbles around the edges, and a thin knife slides easily into the apples near the center. Firm apple varieties may need a few extra minutes.
If the topping browns before the apples soften, loosely cover the dish with foil and continue baking.
5. Rest Before Serving
Let the apple crisp rest for 15 minutes so the filling has time to settle. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a light drizzle of caramel sauce.
If warm desserts with ice cream are your favorite, add my Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler with Caramel Sauce to your fall baking list.
Tips for a Golden, Buttery Crumble
- Keep the apple slices consistent. Aim for ¼ inch thick so they cook evenly.
- Use cold butter. Work it into the topping just until crumbly rather than mixing it into a smooth paste.
- Leave some bigger clusters. They give the topping more texture.
- Check the apples, not just the topping. A golden surface doesn’t always mean the fruit underneath is tender.
- Don’t skip the rest. Serving immediately can leave more loose juice in the bottom of the dish.
Easy Apple Crisp Variations
Apple pecan crisp: Stir ½ cup chopped pecans into the oat topping before adding the butter.
Caramel apple crisp: Drizzle caramel sauce over individual servings. Adding it at the end lets everyone choose how sweet they want their dessert.
Apple cranberry crisp: Replace 1 cup of the sliced apples with 1 cup fresh cranberries and add 2 tablespoons more brown sugar to the filling for a tart holiday variation.
What to Serve with Apple Crisp
Vanilla ice cream is a classic choice because it melts into the warm cinnamon apples and buttery crumble. Lightly sweetened whipped cream works well when you want something a little lighter.
For a casual fall dinner, serve this dessert after Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork. The pork can cook during the day while you bake the crisp closer to dinner.
For a Thanksgiving dessert spread, offer it alongside Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler so guests can choose between apple and pumpkin—or have a little of each.
PrintEasy Apple Crisp with Buttery Oat Crumble
This easy apple crisp combines tender cinnamon apples with a golden, buttery brown sugar oat crumble. Made with simple pantry ingredients, it’s a cozy fall dessert to serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Rest Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the apple filling:
- 3 pounds apples, about 7–8 medium, peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick (about 8 cups prepared)
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
For the oat crumble topping:
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
For serving, optional:
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch square baking dish that is at least 2 inches deep. Place it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any bubbling juices.
- Place the sliced apples in a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Toss until evenly coated.
- Transfer the apple mixture, including any juices, to the prepared baking dish. Spread into an even layer.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the cold butter. Work it into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly with pea-size pieces of butter. Gently squeeze a few handfuls to create larger crumble clusters.
- Scatter the topping evenly over the apples without pressing it down.
- Bake for 45–55 minutes, until the topping is golden brown, the juices are bubbling around the edges, and a thin knife slides easily into the apples near the center. If the topping browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil and continue baking until the apples are tender.
- Let rest for 15 minutes before serving warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or caramel sauce.
Notes
- Best apples: Use a mixture of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp for a balance of tart and sweet flavor. Braeburn, Pink Lady, or Golden Delicious also work.
- Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats give the topping more texture. Quick oats will produce a finer crumble. Do not substitute steel-cut oats.
- Baking time: Firm apple varieties may need additional time. Check the apples in the center for tenderness before removing the crisp from the oven.
- Make ahead: Prepare the crumble topping up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Prepare the apples when ready to assemble and bake.
- Storage: Cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Microwave individual portions in short intervals, or warm in an oven-safe dish at 350°F until heated through.
- Freezing: Freeze the cooled, baked crisp tightly covered for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The topping may soften after freezing.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
Make ahead: Prepare the oat topping up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Slice and mix the apples when you’re ready to assemble and bake.
Refrigerate: Once cooled, cover the baked crisp and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave in short intervals. To refresh the topping, reheat in an oven-safe dish at 350°F until warmed through, about 15–20 minutes for a smaller portion. Cover loosely if the topping begins to darken.
Freeze: Freeze the cooled, baked crisp tightly covered for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The topping may be softer after freezing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between apple crisp and apple crumble?
The names are often used interchangeably. In many American recipes, apple crisp includes oats in the topping, while apple crumble uses a flour, sugar, and butter mixture without oats. This recipe uses an oat crumble topping.
Do you need to peel apples for apple crisp?
Peeling gives the filling a softer, more consistent texture. You can leave the skins on if you prefer, but they will be noticeable after baking.
Why is my apple crisp watery?
Juicy apples, underbaking, or serving straight from the oven can leave a loose filling. Measure the prepared apples, include the flour, bake until the juices bubble and the fruit is tender, and let the crisp rest before serving.
Can I double this apple crisp recipe?
Yes. Double the ingredients and use a deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place it on a rimmed baking sheet and allow extra baking time as needed. Check the apples in the center for tenderness before removing it from the oven.
Can I make apple crisp without oats?
You can make an oat-free crumble, but it needs a different topping ratio. Simply leaving out the oats will change the balance of butter, flour, and sugar in this recipe.
A Cozy Fall Dessert Worth Making
You don’t need a complicated recipe to turn a bag of apples into something worth gathering around. This easy apple crisp brings together tender fruit, warm cinnamon, and a buttery oat crumble in one simple baking dish.
Serve it warm, let the ice cream melt into the edges, and save this recipe for your next apple-picking weekend or holiday dinner. For another fall baking idea, try my Apple Cider Spiced Cupcakes next.
