Easy Apple Crisp Recipe with Oats

Nothing says comfort food like this easy Apple Crisp. Cinnamon apples are topped with a crispy oatmeal crumble topping and baked to golden perfection. This apple crisp recipe is one of the best, crowd pleasing fall desserts!

Besides this apple crisp crumble, during the fall we love making this Dutch Apple Pie, Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars and Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars!

A bowl of homemade apple crisp topped with vanilla ice cream — This Classic Old Fashioned Apple Crisp With Oat Topping Is Absolutely Delicious

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Easy Apple Crisp Recipe

This homemade apple crisp is a simple dessert that is quick and easy to throw together. The filling is as delicious as apple pie, yet there’s no need to make a pie crust. Instead, this baked apple dessert has a crispy topping that gives the warm cinnamon apples a lovely crunch and adds lots of flavor!

Warm apple crisp topped with ice cream and caramel swirl — Similar In Taste To Apple Pie, This Apple Crip Is So Much Easier To Make And Equally Delicious

The Best of All Apple Desserts

Is it a crisp, a crumble, a brown Betty, a cobbler? There are many names given to these baked fruit desserts and their differences are quite subtle. A crisp is usually topped with a buttery, sweet oat topping that sometimes includes nuts like pecans or walnuts.

The most similar to a tasty crisp is a crumble, although sometimes the streusel topping in a crumble doesn’t have any oats or nuts.

Whether you call it a cobbler or crumble, this simple apple crisp recipe is absolutely delicious, especially topped with vanilla ice cream! Check out our easy Peach Crisp recipe.

Simple Apple Crisp Ingredients

For the Fruit Crisp

Apples
Unsalted butter
Brown sugar and granulated sugar
All purpose flour
Milk and buttermilk
Baking Powder, salt
Ground cinnamon, vanilla extract

For the Streusel Topping

Regular oats
Unsalted butter
Brown sugar and granulated sugar
All purpose flour
Salt
Ground cinnamon

Ingredients to make apple crisp — No Fancy Or Complicated Ingredients In This Apple Crumble

How To Make This Easy Apple Dessert

Make The Crumbly Oat Topping: Start by making the crumb topping. In a food processor, place the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Give it a few pulses to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter resembles small peas. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the oats.
While preheating the oven, melt the butter in a 9×13 baking dish.
Bake The Apples: Toss the apples with brown sugar until the apples are well coated. Place the apple mixture in the baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes.
Make The Batter: Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the milk, buttermilk, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. When the apples are ready, remove the baking dish from the oven and pour the batter over the apples.
Add Oat Topping and Bake: Sprinkle the batter with the streusel oat topping and bake.
Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

collage of step by step photos on how to make apple crisp — This Recipe For Apple Crisp Is Very Quick And Easy To Make

What Kind of Apples Should You Use For Apple Crisp?

The best apples for apple crisp are sturdy and crisp apples that can hold their shape when baked. Granny Smith apples are slightly tart and firm so they don’t turn mushy in the oven. Honeycrisp, braeburn and galas are also good for baking.

Of course, any type of apple can be used and I usually use what I have available at home. Feel free to use a combination of apples also. This gives the baked dessert some different textures.

You have questions? We have answers!

Do I Have To Peel The Apples Before Baking?

That is up to you! Peeled or unpeeled apples can be used. I don’t mind the skin when eating fresh apples, but I must admit that when baking, I usually prefer peeled apples.

How to Store Apple Crisp or Apple Crumble

Homemade apple crisp can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

How to Reheat this Simple Apple Crisp Recipe

Individual servings of apple crumble can be reheated in the microwave until warm through.

Baking pan filled with apple crisp with a golden brown oat topping — This Easy Apple Crumble Can Be Made With Different Kinds Of Apples

What’s the Difference between Apple Crisp, Apple Crumble, and Apple Blossoms Dessert?

Both apple crisp and apple crumble are similar desserts. They both are made with apples topped with a streusel mixture. While these apple desserts bake, the sweet apple juices seep through the topping creating the most delicious combination of flavors. The crisp streusel mixture always contains oats while the crumble does not.

Why Is My Apple Crisp Watery?

To prevent a watery apple crisp, it is important to follow a two-step baking process. A crisp gets watery when raw fruit gets topped with a batter or streusel then baked. While the topping gets fully cooked and golden, the fruit doesn’t have enough time to soften. To prevent a watery crisp, the apples should be cooked first before adding the topping. In this recipe, the apples are tossed with sugar and are baked for 15 minutes, then the topping is added and the crisp bakes until golden brown. The extra step gives the apples enough time to caramelize and become tender guaranteeing a perfect crisp!

Should You Cover Apple Crisp When Baking?

No, you don’t need to cover a crisp while it bakes. The only time I cover my crisp is when the top is browning too quickly. Tenting a piece of foil on top will prevent the crumbly topping from burning.

Why Is My Apple Crisp Not Crispy?

There is nothing quite like a piping hot apple crisp right from the oven. The tender and juicy spiced apples are caramelized to perfection and the oat topping is crispy and golden brown. That’s the ultimate apple dessert (well, one that is easier than apple pie). But what if your apple crisp is not so crispy? If your apple crisp is not crispy, the problem is usually the topping ingredients’ ratio. For the perfect texture and crunch, you need to use enough butter when making the topping. Butter is a very important component when you are trying to get a crunchy, golden brown crisp topping.

How Do You Thicken Apple Crisp?

This apple crisp recipe uses flour to thicken the delicious spiced apple pie topping. It’s important that you allow the full baking time specified in the recipe so the apples have enough time to soften and release their juices which will thicken as they cook. Some crisp recipes call for a combination of two thickening ingredients, flour as well as cornstarch.

What To Serve With Or On Top of Apple Crisp?

Warm, sweet and crunchy apple crisp and vanilla ice cream are a match made in heaven! The mixture of the warm apple crisp and frozen cold ice cream is so delicious, especially when the ice cream starts melting a little bit and encounters the wonderful caramelized apple filling. The different textures from the crunchy topping, the soft baked apples and the smooth and creamy vanilla ice cream are what dessert dreams are made of! Serve this apple crisp a la mode by adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Dulce de Leche ice cream also works well. Drizzle some caramel sauce on top for extra decadence.

Dessert bowls filled with warm apple cobbler a la mode

Apple Crisp with Oat Topping Recipe Tips

Cut the apples into 3/4 inch cubes. Cutting the apples evenly ensures overall tender apples.
If you want to make this easy crisp recipe ahead of time, bake it and store it in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend storing the apple crisp unbaked as it tends to get soggy and watery in the fridge.
Baked apple crisp freezes well for up to 3 months.
This recipe for apple crisp can easily be made gluten free. Use a 1-to-1 gluten free flour replacement and gluten free oats.

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