Ultimate Apple Crisp is a fall favorite full of sliced apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, butter, and crispy baked oats.
We have a passion for apple crisp in this house, and in our kitchen this week we’re cooking up Apple Crisp Crumb Cake, Apple Crisp Cookies, and my Legendary Apple Crisp Pie!
Ultimate Apple Crisp
Ultimate Apple Crisp is a MUST in our house when this time of the year rolls around. My favorite part is that it tastes a lot like apple pie, with less than half of the work!
Plus the topping. The topping is the best part of any dessert because it’s crispy, buttery, full of brown sugar and it has (in our house at least) a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over it making it this mix of hot and cold and buttery. Did I mention the apple and caramel-y goodness in the apple mixture? This dessert is heaven.
The apples cook down with the brown sugar and spices to make something really close to apple pie filling. And the soft texture of the apples are perfectly matched with the crispy crunch of the oat crumble topping. My kids LOVE having this dessert with vanilla ice cream on the holidays.
You can assemble this apple crisp recipe ahead of time or even freeze it so it’s ready when you are. You can also throw nuts into the crisp streusel topping, like pecan or almonds, to add even MORE crunchy texture.
HOW DO YOU MAKE APPLE CRISP TOPPING?
Apple crisp topping uses all-purpose flour, butter, and sugar as the base. From there, you can add ingredients like oats, nuts, seeds, or pieces of dried fruit for sweetness and crunch. Each apple crisp recipe does it a little bit differently. You want to cover the entire dessert, so make enough for the length of the baking dish.
Make sure you’re using rolled oats for this topping and not quick oats or oatmeal. You need the firmness of the rolled oats to stand up to the baking, the others will disappear into the topping when baked.
I also consider ice cream a topping, even if it’s not technically part of the apple crisp recipe, because it really completes the dessert.
WHAT KIND OF APPLES DO YOU USE FOR APPLE CRISP?
Fuji, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Braeburn or Granny Smith apples all great choices for this because they are all sweet / tart apples, and hold up really well in this crisp recipe. These are also great for baking other recipes, like Apple Slab Pie With Spiced Glaze.
Choose your favorite apple and it’ll likely work, just please don’t use apple filling from a can or store bought caramel sauce.
HOW TO MAKE OLD FASHIONED APPLE CRISP IN THE SLOW COOKER
Add apples to slow cooker and stir together with orange juice, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a separate bowl mix together your all-purpose flour, sugar, and other topping ingredients, and add on top of apples.
Bake on high for a total time of 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours. In the last half hour, open top slightly. This will help the top crisp up of the dessert.
Serve warm with ice cream.
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CAN YOU MAKE APPLE CRISP IN ADVANCE?
Apple crisp is a great make ahead dessert because it can be assembled in a baking or casserole dish and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before baking. You can also seal it tightly and freeze it, then defrost in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before baking.
HOW DO YOU STORE APPLE CRISP?
Cooked apple crisp should be cooled and tightly sealed either in a container or with plastic wrap, and stored in the refrigerator. It will keep about 2-3 days. You can also wrap the apple crisp tightly and freeze it. When you’re ready, defrost in the refrigerator.
TIPS FOR HOMEMADE APPLE CRISP
- Make sure you’re using rolled oats. They are less processed then quick cooking or instant oats, so you’ll get a crispier crust this way.
- Don’t skip the brown sugar. It adds some of those deep molasses notes to the apple crisp that make it really flavorful instead of just sweet.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can pulse the topping ingredients a few times in the food processor. Just make sure to not over-process, or the topping won’t turn out as crispy.
- Once you add your butter you want about pea-sized pieces.
- If you cut your apples ahead of time, add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice to keep them from browning.
- For the full dessert experience, top warm apple crisp with cold vanilla ice cream!
- If you want a fun topping that isn’t caramel sauce use apple cider that you cook down to a glaze. You’ll love it so much you’ll never use caramel sauce again.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Fuji or Granny Smith apples peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar , packed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
- 1/2 pound cold unsalted butter , diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl add the apple slices, orange juice, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- To make the crisp topping, mash together the flour, ¾ cup sugar, ¾ cup brown sugar, salt, oats and butter.
- Add the apples to a 8x8 pan and add the crisp topping on top before baking for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
The topping for the crisp, as written, is too much to top two pounds of apples in an 8″ square pan. Also 1 tablespoon of Nutmeg is WAY too much! I knocked that down to 3/4 teas of fresh ground nutmeg.
Absolutely delicious!!! I substituted 1/4 c Triple Sec for the orange juice! Thanks for sharing!
This is the best apple crisp I’ve ever had!!! I did use the 8 X 8 glass pan and it was right up to the top! The edges were beautifully crispy, crunchy and the center perfection! Thank you! This is a keeper for sure!
Does it have to be a 9×13 glass pan or can it be a 9×13 can pan?
That should work
Delicious! I used a 9×13 based on others reviews. Helpful hint: double the apples, 1/2 the topping. Great flavor!!
Amazing, Barbara! so glad you enjoyed it!
I have fresh cherries I need to use. I would like to add them to this recipe. How would you suggest I do that? I would like to add 2 cups of fresh, pitted cherries. Thank you!!
This is the best apple crisp I’ve ever eaten!!!!
Wow! Thanks, Vicki!
It is really good.
I didn’t have any orange juice so I used apple juice.
I will make it again.
Thank you for the recipe.
We had friends over to play cards so I made this as our dessert. It turned out great and everyone really liked it. One small change I made was I added a sprinkle of cinnamon to the topping as I was preparing it. Also, I had to use a larger baking dish; this would not fit in an 8 x 8 pan. I used my 9 x 13 dish. Will definitely make again.
Thanks for the feedback, Dianne.
I used a 8×8 as directed and I would definitely use a 9×13 next time. I couldn’t get all the topping on.
I think in a 9×13 with a little more apples would be perfect ?
Agreed on the topping…to much. I didn’t want to add cinnamon to the topping, as a tablespoon in the apple part seemed a bit much going in.