Easy Apple Crisp is the ultimate easy dessert! Simple ingredients come together in a single bowl and bake in a single dish. Serve it all year long and no one will go away unsatisfied. This apple crisp can be served warm, room temperature or cold. It pairs perfectly with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, yogurt or even caramel sauce.
I must confess that apple desserts are not my favorite. That being said, there is something irresistible about this easy apple crisp that keeps me coming back for more. It’s appeal lies beyond the fact that it is simple and straightforward to make. This crisp is full of texture, flavor and can be served in a variety of ways with a variety of toppings. But it is also completely satisfying on its own without any additional bells and whistles. The selling point for me is the crisp’s topping. Once baked and cooled a bit, it tastes like the best cinnamon oatmeal cookie you could possibly imagine.
HOW THIS RECIPE COMES TOGETHER
- Step 1: Sliced apples are tossed with cornstarch or potato starch. This step is optional. If you are concerned about the apples you selected releasing too much moisture, this step helps counteract that.
- Step 2: Flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla are mixed together. Cold, cubed butter is added and mixed to form the crumble that will top the crisp.
- Step 3: The apple slices or chunks are covered with the crumb topping and baked at 350 degrees F for about 40-45 minutes.
INGREDIENTS & NOTES
- Baking apples: I love using a mix of tart and sweet apples. For example, Granny Smith and Honeycrisp would be an excellent combination. See my notes about baking apples below for a more complete list!
- Cornstarch or potato starch: This ingredient is optional. If the apples I’m using are a little old or a variety that I know isn’t ideal for baking, tossing them with a little starch before baking will help absorb the moisture they will release in the oven.
- All purpose flour: I have not tried other flours in this recipe, but I imagine whole wheat pastry or spelt flours could be used in place of all purpose.
- Old fashioned oats: Quick oats will also work well in this recipe. Do not use steel cut oats!
- Granulated and brown sugar: I enjoy using both in this recipe because the brown sugar adds extra flavor and a little moisture.
- Cinnamon, salt and vanilla: These three ingredients really add to the flavor of the crisp topping so don’t skip them!
- Salted butter: Unsalted butter can be used instead if preferred.
WHAT APPLES ARE BEST FOR BAKING?
In general, a good “baking apple” is one that will hold its shape and that does not release a ton of moisture during the baking process. I also recommend using a mix of one tart kind of apple and one sweeter apple for a better balance of flavor in apple desserts. However, if I could only choose one kind of apple to bake with, my favorite apples of all time are Pink Lady. They are the perfect balance between tart and sweet, have a firm, crisp texture and are excellent for both baking and eating raw!
- Best sweet baking apples: Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Pink Lady (sweet/tart), Ambrosia and Mutsu (Crispin).
- Best tart baking apples: Granny Smith, Pink Lady (sweet/tart), Empire, Braeburn
Looking for more apple desserts? Be sure to try my Triple Apple Cake!
Easy Apple Crisp
Equipment
- 1 kitchen scale
- 1 vegetable peeler
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 set measuring spoons
- 1 9 x 13 glass or ceramic baking pan
Ingredients
For the apple filling
- 12 medium (1800 g) baking apples peeled, cored and cut into chunks or slices
- 2 tbsp (14 grams) corn or potato starch optional
For the crumb topping
- 3/4 cup (90 grams) all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (46 grams) old fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (105 grams) brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) salted butter cold and cubed
Instructions
To make the apple filling
- Preheat a conventional oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 glass or ceramic baking dish.
- In the greased dish, toss the slices or chunks of apple with the cornstarch. Corn or potato starch is optional. Feel free to use it if you want to make sure and soak up any extra liquid in the apple filling. Pat the apples down evenly into the dish.
To make the crumb topping
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine. Add the vanilla and cubed butter and begin kneading with a clean hand until the butter incorporates into the dry ingredients to form a crumble. You can also do this in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until just combined.
Assemble and bake
- Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the apples. You can set the 9 x 13 baking pan on a sheet tray to catch any bubbly butter while the crisp bakes. Bake the crisp for about 40-45 minutes until the topping is browned and the filling is bubbly.
- Let the crisp cool to slightly above room temperature before scooping and serving. Keep leftovers covered and in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
