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Apple Crisp

Crunchy, crispy apple crisp recipe! This is the easiest of the apple desserts. Just bake sliced tart apples topped with a streusel oat topping, with plenty of brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Serve with ice cream!

Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

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Elise Bauer
Updated September 23, 2020
Elise Bauer
Easy apple crisp topped with two scoops of vanilla ice cream.
Alison Bickel

Apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, butter, and oats?

Welcome to the essential ingredients of an apple crisp, one of the most simple and easy of apple desserts!

This apple crisp recipe comes from my friend Sue Jackson of Littleton, Massachusetts. She introduced it to me years ago and it has since become a favorite.

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe

One of the reasons I love this recipe is how easy it is to make. It's as no-fuss as you can get.

  • To make it, you just layer sliced peeled apples that have been tossed with lemon juice and vanilla in a baking pan.
  • Then top the apples with a mixture of brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and oats
  • Bake!

For more information on which apple varieties are best for baking, check out our Guide to Apples.

Alison Bickel

Crunchy Apple Crisp Topping

It's the crunchy topping that makes the apple crisp "crisp." The brown sugar, oatmeal, and butter topping mixture caramelizes while it bakes, giving you a blanked of crispy, caramel-y wonderfulness over the baked apple slices.

Leftover Apple Crisp for Breakfast

Just like a slice of apple pie makes the best breakfast, so does this apple crisp! Make extra for leftovers, and serve a spoonful on top of a bowl of yogurt.

Do you have a favorite way of preparing apple crisp? If so, please let us know about it in the comments.

Apple crisp recipe topped with vanilla ice cream.
Alison Bickel

Best Toppings for Apple Crisp

More Fall Apple Desserts

Have apples? Check out more of our apple dessert recipes:

Apple Crisp

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 60 mins
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 7 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced
  • 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, and vanilla:

    Toss to combine.

  3. Layer apple slices in baking pan:

    Layer sliced apples in a 9 x 13-inch (or approximately the same size) baking pan.

    Sliced apples in a glass baking dish for an apple crisp recipe.
    Alison Bickel
  4. Make topping:

    Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and oatmeal in a bowl. Cut in the butter. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples.

    Sliced apples topped with apple crisp topping for the best apple crisp.
    Alison Bickel
  5. Bake:

    Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes or until topping looks crunchy and apples are tender.

    Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

    Apple crisp topping stirred with a wooden spoon.
    Alison Bickel