Classic Baked Apple Crisp with Oat Crumble

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 6 medium firm apples (about 2 1/2 lb), peeled, cored, sliced
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar + 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, pinch nutmeg, 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp vanilla extract, pinch of salt
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• Optional: 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts; vanilla ice cream for serving

Do This

• 1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch square (2 to 2.5-quart) baking dish.
• 2. Toss sliced apples with sugars, lemon juice, spices, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Spread in dish.
• 3. In a bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
• 4. Cut in cold butter with fingers or a pastry cutter until large, moist crumbs form. Stir in nuts if using.
• 5. Sprinkle crumble evenly over apples, lightly pressing to adhere.
• 6. Bake 40–45 minutes until topping is deep golden and juices are bubbling. Rest 15 minutes.
• 7. Serve warm, ideally with vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• All the cozy flavor of apple pie with a fraction of the effort and no pie crust to fuss with.
• Perfect contrast of textures: tender, cinnamon-scented apples under a crunchy, buttery oat topping.
• Flexible and forgiving: works with many apple varieties and pantry ingredients you likely already have.
• Great for gatherings: easy to scale up, assemble ahead, and serve warm straight from the oven.

Grocery List

• Produce: 6 medium baking apples (such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or a mix), 1 lemon.
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, vanilla ice cream or heavy cream/whipped cream (for serving, optional).
• Pantry: Granulated sugar, light brown sugar, old-fashioned rolled oats, all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, vanilla extract, cornstarch, chopped pecans or walnuts (optional).

Full Ingredients

For the Apple Filling

• 6 medium firm apples (about 2 1/2 lb / 1.1 kg), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick
• 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp (25 g) packed light brown sugar
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 small lemon)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp cornstarch (or 1 tbsp all-purpose flour)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt or kosher salt

For the Oat Crumble Topping

• 1 cup (90 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup (135 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• Optional: 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped pecans or walnuts

For Serving (Optional)

• Vanilla ice cream
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream
• Extra ground cinnamon for dusting

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the baking dish and preheat the oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking dish (or a 2 to 2.5-quart baking dish of similar size) with butter or nonstick spray. Greasing the dish helps prevent sticking and makes serving easier, especially in the corners.

Step 2: Prep and slice the apples

Peel the apples (if you prefer more rustic texture, you can leave some or all of the peel on), then core and slice them into 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick wedges. Aim for slices of similar thickness so they cook evenly.

Place the sliced apples into a large mixing bowl. If you are working slowly, you can squeeze a little of the lemon juice over them as you go to prevent browning.

Step 3: Mix the apple filling

Add the granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, remaining lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt to the bowl with the apples. Toss gently but thoroughly until every slice is coated and you do not see dry streaks of cornstarch or sugar. The apples will start to look glossy and slightly juicy.

Transfer the apple mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer and scraping any juices from the bowl over the top. Those juices will help form the syrupy sauce as the crisp bakes.

Step 4: Make the oat-brown sugar crumble topping

In a separate medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, 2/3 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir with a fork or whisk to evenly distribute the ingredients.

Add the cold, cubed butter. Using your fingertips, a pastry cutter, or two knives, cut the butter into the dry mixture until it forms moist clumps. You are aiming for a mix of pea-sized and slightly larger chunks; this texture is what gives you a crunchy, craggy topping once baked. If using nuts, gently fold in the chopped pecans or walnuts at this stage.

Step 5: Assemble the crisp

Sprinkle the oat crumble evenly over the apples, covering them completely from edge to edge. Lightly press the topping down so it adheres to the apples but still retains its craggy, uneven surface. Do not pack it too firmly; you want some air pockets so the topping can crisp up rather than turn dense.

For easier cleanup, you can place the filled baking dish on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet in case the juices bubble over.

Step 6: Bake until golden and bubbling

Place the crisp in the preheated oven and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the topping is deep golden brown and you can see the apple juices vigorously bubbling up around the edges and possibly through small gaps in the topping.

If the topping looks like it is browning too quickly before the apples are tender (check by piercing through the center with a knife; it should slide in easily), tent the dish loosely with aluminum foil and continue baking until the apples are soft.

Step 7: Rest briefly and serve warm

Remove the apple crisp from the oven and allow it to rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. This resting time lets the bubbling juices thicken into a luscious sauce so the crisp is easier to scoop and not overly runny.

Serve warm, spooning down through the crunchy oat topping to scoop up the tender apples and their syrupy juices. Top each serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, and finish with a light dusting of cinnamon if you like.

Pro Tips

• Use a mix of apples. Combining tart apples (like Granny Smith) with sweeter ones (like Honeycrisp or Fuji) gives a more complex flavor and a nice balance of sweetness and tang.
• Keep the butter cold. Cold butter is key for a crisp, crumbly topping. If it starts to soften while you work, pop the bowl into the fridge for 5–10 minutes before topping the apples.
• Slice apples evenly. Aim for uniform 1/4-inch slices so they cook at the same rate. Thicker slices stay a bit firmer; thinner slices turn softer and more saucy.
• Watch for bubbling. Bubbling around the edges is your best visual clue that the filling has thickened properly and the cornstarch has activated.
• Extra-crispy finish. For a slightly crunchier top, you can broil the crisp on the middle rack for 1–2 minutes at the end of baking. Watch closely so it does not burn.

Variations

• Maple-Pecan Apple Crisp: Replace 1/3 cup of the brown sugar in the topping with 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (reduce butter very slightly to 7 tbsp) and use chopped pecans. The maple adds a deep, caramel-like sweetness.
• Caramel Apple Crisp: Drizzle 1/3 to 1/2 cup of thick caramel sauce over the apple filling before adding the topping. Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over the finished crisp for a salted caramel twist.
• Gluten-Free Apple Crisp: Swap the all-purpose flour in both the filling and topping for a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend, or use finely ground almond flour in the topping. Be sure your oats are certified gluten-free.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Let the apple crisp cool completely, then cover the baking dish tightly with foil or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

To reheat a larger portion, warm the crisp in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 15–20 minutes, uncovered, until heated through and the topping crisps up again. Individual servings can be reheated in the microwave for about 45–60 seconds, though the topping will be a little softer.

For make-ahead prep, you can assemble the apple filling in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Keep the crumble topping in a separate airtight container in the fridge. When ready to bake, sprinkle the chilled topping over the apples and bake as directed (you may need an extra 5–10 minutes of bake time if everything is very cold).

You can also freeze the unbaked crisp (well wrapped) for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F (175°C) until bubbly and golden, 55–65 minutes, tenting with foil if needed.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 6 servings (without optional nuts or ice cream): about 480 calories; 15 g total fat (9 g saturated fat); 80 g carbohydrates; 5 g fiber; 40 g sugars; 5 g protein; 220 mg sodium. These numbers are estimates and will vary based on exact ingredients and brands used.