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This easy Apple Crisp recipe is a delicious fruit dessert – it’s your answer for what to do with all those freshly picked apples from the orchard! This apple crisp recipe is quick to make and uses simple ingredients and instructions, so it’s a perfect beginner baker recipe. It’s one of those classic fall desserts we always make!
If you’re looking for an apple crisp recipe that’s simple yet full of warm and cozy flavors, you’ve found it! This one’s easier than making an apple pie, but it’s still really tasty. You’ve got your apples with a hint of cinnamon, topped with a crispy topping that’s oaty, a bit sweet, and oh-so-crunchy. When I first learned how to make apple crisp, it became one of my favorite fall desserts–especially with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
Why you’ll love this Easy Apple Crisp
- No Eggs Needed. Perfect for those who might be out of eggs or have an allergy.
- Less Sugar, Still Sweet. I’m using less sugar than a lot of other “healthy” apple crisp recipes, but you won’t miss it. The natural sweetness of the apples really shines through!
- Versatile Serving Options. While it’s superb with vanilla ice cream, this crisp is also great with whipped cream, yogurt, or even on its own. It’s a dessert that can adapt to your sweet cravings or what you have on hand.
- Great for Gatherings. It’s easy to double or triple this recipe for bigger crowds. A surefire way to please everyone at birthday parties, cozy family gatherings, or Thanksgiving dinners.
Ingredients to make Apple Crisp
- Apples: Choose juicy apples like Fuji or Honeycrisp. They should be peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces.
- Granulated Sugar: Gives the apple filling its sweetness. If you’re aiming for a healthier crisp, you can opt for honey or maple syrup.
- Lemon Juice: Helps keep the apple color vibrant and adds a zesty kick. Freshly squeezed is the best, but store-bought will do in a pinch.
- Cinnamon: For that signature warm and comforting flavor.
- Rolled Oats: These give the topping its nice, crunchy texture. Make sure you’re using old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant.
- All-Purpose Flour: This is the foundation for the crispy topping. Whole wheat flour can be a wholesome substitute.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds a deeper sweetness to the topping. If you run out, you can mix white sugar with a dash of molasses or just use white sugar alone.
- Pecans: They give the topping an extra layer of crunch and nuttiness.
- Salt: Just a pinch to balance out the sweetness. Pink, sea, or even kosher – any will do.
- Unsalted Butter: This makes the topping all crumbly and delicious. Dice it cold so it mixes in just right.
- Vanilla Ice Cream (For Serving): The perfect pairing! However, you can serve it with whipped cream or yogurt. And if you like ice cream but are keeping it dairy-free, almond or coconut-based ice creams work wonders.
How to Make Apple Crisp
Prepare the crisp topping
- Start the the oats, flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- Mix them together until well combined.
- Dice up the cold butter into small cubes and rub them into the oat crumble streusel mixture.
Layer the apples & crisp
- Peel the apples if you prefer, and cut them into large chunks.
- Toss the apples with lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon.
- Add the streusel mixture on top of the prepared apples.
- Bake in the oven until the apples start to bubble and the crisp topping is golden brown.
When it comes out of the oven, you’ll smell a warm cinnamony sweetness that is so cozy, comforting, and calling your name! Scoop out a nice big helping of the apple crisp, and serve it a la mode.
Tips FOR MAKING THE BEST Apple Crisp
- Pick a mix of apples: For best flavor, you can combine sweet and tart apples. If they’re all sweet, the easy apple crisp will lend itself to an overly sweet apple crisp. And if you only use tart apples, you may need to add sugar to cut through the tartness. The combination of different apples will give the perfect flavor balance. Some good varieties include Honeycrisp, Fiji, Gala apples, Green Apples or Golden Delicious.
- Peel the apples for smoother consistency. You don’t have to peel the apples if you like the texture that the skin provides. But normally, the skin doesn’t break down as easily, which can create a tougher texture.
- Keep apple pieces small: Chop up the apples small because it helps them cook faster, and ensures that they are super soft by the time the crumble is browned.
- Allow time to cool: Easier said than done! But this is very important because it will give the sauce made from the juicy apple filling a chance to thicken, and the flavors to settle.
Popular substitutions & additions
- Add different nuts. While I use pecans in this apple crumble with oats, feel free to swap them with walnuts or almonds. Each nut brings its own unique flavor and crunch, so you can play around and find your favorite.
- Make it gluten-free. Swap out the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Many brands offer a blend that acts just like regular flour, so your topping will still be crumbly and delicious.
- Use dairy-free butter. If you’re out of butter or prefer a dairy-free alternative, you can use coconut oil or vegan butter instead. Just make sure it’s cold, so you still get that crumbly texture.
- Use other fruits. Apples are the star of this recipe, but you can mix in berries, pears, or even some rhubarb for a different fruit combo that’s sure to surprise.
How to store & reheat apple crisp
Once your apple crisp has cooled down, you can cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the fridge. This is perfect for when you’ve made a big batch and want to enjoy it throughout the week.
To get that fresh-from-the-oven taste, just pop the portion you want to eat into the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, microwaving works too, but the oven keeps the topping crispier.
How long will apple crisp last in the fridge?
Your apple crisp should keep well in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. It’s a great make-ahead dessert for busy weeks or for when you want to do all your dessert baking in one go.
Can i freeze this easy apple crisp?
You can! Once cooled, place your apple crumble with oats in a freezer-safe container or wrap it tightly with aluminum foil and then a layer of plastic wrap. Label with the date, and it can stay frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw it in the fridge overnight and then follow the reheating steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
A crumble and a crisp are both fruit desserts topped with a streusel-like mixture. However, the key difference lies in the topping. A crisp, like this recipe, includes oats, giving it that extra crunch. So, an apple crisp is essentially an apple crumble with oats. On the other hand, a crumble is softer, made with just butter, sugar, and flour.
One common method is adding a bit of cornstarch or flour to your apple mixture before baking. This helps absorb some of the juices and thickens things up. Another tip is to let the apple crisp sit a bit after taking it out of the oven; as it cools, the filling will naturally thicken a bit.nths.
This is up to you! You can leave the skin on or peel the skin if you and your family prefer it that way. The consistency of the peeled apples is softer and the result is more consistent and smooth.
For more apple desserts:
- Rose Apple Pie
- Easy Apple Pie
- Cinnamon Baked Apples
- Cranberry Apple Mini Pies
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cups
This is one of the best fall desserts that you can easily whip up when you have extra apples on hand, people coming over and craving a cozy dessert when it starts getting cold outside. The great thing about it is it’s reminiscent of homemade apple pie with all the same flavors. But it’s a little healthier than apple pie and much easier to make
If you try this healthy-ish feel good Easy Apple Crisp recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Easy Apple Crisp
Video
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 6 apples peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Crisp Topping
- ¾ cup rolled oats
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter diced cold
- For Serving
- Vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish or 7-inch x 11-inch baking dish.
- Place the apples into the greased baking dish; add the sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon on top, stir and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter using a fork or your hands until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the crisp topping mixture over the apple mixture.
- Bake until the crisp topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- For the flour, you can use almond flour, gluten-free flour or even all purpose flour. I love using oat flour to keep it gluten-free and light.
- For the butter, you can use a vegan butter stick or coconut oil
- For the pecans, you can leave those out completely as I’ve done in the images or use walnuts or almonds
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
This is an excellent recipe. I appreciated the reasonable amounts of sugar in the whole deal. The sweetness was just right. I’ll never go back to using sliced apples either. Chopping them gave a great, consistent bite, especially since I prefer to leave the skins on. I added ginger cardamom and nutmeg along with the cinnamon in the topping, and toasted my pecans before adding them. We all loved it. A real keeper, thanks so much.
Love that you made it your own, your tweaks sound so good!! Thank you, Anna! So happy you liked it!!
This recipe kept coming up on my social media feeds so I knew it was a sign I had to make it. I’m glad I did because this apple crisp came out perfect! I used honeycrisp apples and it was so easy to make. I love that it’s not overly sweet. The topping to apple ratio is spot on. Highly recommend making this recipe!
Yay, so happy you loved the recipe! Honeycrisp apples are so good, especially this time of year!
Delicious and easy.
So happy you liked it!
The Apple Crisp was the first recipe of yours that I made. It was fresh, easy, and the instructions were very clear, which I love. I probably overbaked it because the juices were almost gone when I went to reheat, but I will make again. I used Honeycrisp and Jazz apples. Looking forward to making more of your recipes.
Yum! Honeycrisp and jazz apples sound like the perfect combination. So happy you liked it, Marie!
GREAT and super easy to make
So glad you liked it!
Can I use sprouted rolled oats instead of old fashioned oats. Would that change the taste or baking time?
Yes, it should work without having to change the time. Let me know how it turns out!
I made this recipe so many times- with quick rolled oats, or regular whole rolled oats, without pecans, with a mix of ambrosia and gala apples (cored and sliced thin and I have also tried diced, but prefer the former), and it has always turned out so tasty. I come back to Yumna’s recipes because the prepping/cooking/baking process is explained so well via text/photos/videos, and because the food turns out tasting very good.
This recipe is just that versatile! I’m so glad to hear it. Thank you so much for your feedback! I truly appreciate it.
This apple crisp is just the best thing ever, I made it for my wedding anniversary and I think my husband fell in love with me all over again 🙂
Thank you! Aww, that’s amazing!
Will try this
Hope you enjoy!
I made your apple crumble for thanksgiving it came out soooo good!!!! Everyone really liked it! Thanks for the recipe!
That’s amazing! You’re so welcome!
I made your apple crisp today and EVERYONE LOVED it!!!!! 💜
That’s amazing!!
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U have done an absolutely incredible job by creating this website . The content is amazing . Best ever seen .
I need to know the nutritional value mentioned in this recipie is for while recipe or one serving ?
Waiting for ur reply.
Thank you so much! The nutritional value can be found on the bottom of the recipe card.
These recipes look amazing, can’t wait to try them
Thank you so much! Excited to hear what you think once you get a chance to try them!
This apple crisp recipe was so simple and easy. It was very delicious and my family really enjoyed it! I will definitely make this again! Thank you for your recipes!!
Thank you so much! So happy you all enjoyed it!!
I tried it it’s so delicious if you craving cinnamon roll in healthy way try this one thank you Yumna 🌟🌟
Thank you so much! Glad it satisfied the cinnamon rolls craving!
This recipe is absolutely amazing! Everyone loved it. Will definitely make again!
Thank you! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you so much! That’s amazing!!
Loved this recipe! Made it with my 8 year old son last night and it was such a big hit with my family. Thank you so much 💝
Thank you so much! Such a fun bonding activity. You’re so welcome!
This was so easy to put together and my family loved it!! My daughter requested it be our dessert for thanksgiving!!
That makes me so happy to hear! I love that!
So easy and amazing!
Thank you so much!
Made this with my roommate with fresh apples that I picked from an orchard and LOVED IT! Can’t wait to try again with ice cream this time!
That sounds so fun! Ice cream is always a good addition to apple crisp!
My roommates and I made this to use up some extra apples, and it was great! It disappeared very quickly.
That makes me so happy to hear! Yay!!
Hello from Germany 👋 I made this with plums for my family just last weekend – sooo delicious! Will do it again tomorrow evening for friends 🤩 Thank you for this simple and yet so good recipe!
Yay! It sounds delicious with plums too. You’re so welcome!
I made this for my family yesterday and served it with vanilla bean ice cream. Oh my gosh! It was so delicious. My family also loved it! I used walnuts instead of pecans because it’s all I had, but it was still so incredible!! Thanks for the easy recipe!
That’s amazing! So happy you all enjoyed the recipe!
I made this recipe and it was incredible and delicious. I love all your recipes thanks!
Aww, thank you so much!
I made this last night and it was delicious!! So good!!
That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you!
Made the apple crisp tonight, and it is incredible! Such a perfect fall treat to enjoy on a chilly October evening as an after-dinner dessert. I will definitely be making this again! Great juxtaposition with the warm apple crisp and cold icecream. 5 star rating from me and the rest of my family who devoured this!
Thank you! It really does hit the spot!
I just made this so it’s still in the oven but my house smells sooooo yummy!! I can’t wait until it’s ready to eat!!
Love when the house starts filling up with the smell of apple crisp! Hope you enjoy!
Love this recipe so much! Easy to make, delicious and love how my kitchen smells! 😃
Thank you! I love that so much.
I love apple crisp and have tried many recipes in the past but never found the one I’m fully satisfied with. This recipe is perfect and so easy! Thank you
That’s perfect! Yay!! You’re welcome.
I did this today and my baby boy loooooved it. We all did actually. Thanks Yumma for the best recipes as usual 😍😍😍
Thank you so much! That’s amazing! You’re so welcome.
Easy and delicious!
Thank you!!
Tastes like fall!
Exactly what I was going for!
Loved this!! Every bit as good and just as easy to make as your peach crisp!
Thank you so much!!!
Scarlett is giving this month’s review:
It is very tasty and I would definitely recommend making this again. It’s delicious using a combination of fruit for example peaches and apples mixed. Sooo good☺️ And I can’t wait for next month’s cooking challenge👏
Aww, that is so sweet! Thank you! Looking forward to another challenge too!
Love the soft texture of the apples combined with the crispy, buttery streusel topping and great cinnamon flavour perfect for fall!
It just goes so well together! Thank you!
This was super easy and quick to make. I substituted maple syrup for sugar and almond flour for all-purpose flour. Turned out DELICIOUS! Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you! That’s great to hear. You’re so welcome!
A truly easy and delicious recipe, I added hemp to the dry ingredients for extra proteins. It was amazing!!!!
Thank you so much! I love that idea!
I love how simple this was! It turned out amazing and my three year old loved hellping to mix the butter in with her hands!
That’s such a great way to bond! Yay!!
It’s a true fall recipe, easy and tasty. I’m in love with the apples and oatmeal, so the Apple Crisp is the best combo for me. I used linseed oil instead of butter. But promise it was really good. And crispy as well:)
Thank you! I love that!
This is the best apple crisp I’ve ever tasted (and made!). My mom and I baked it together in her new house and we couldn’t have asked for a better recipe to christen the kitchen. It was so easy and so delicious. And not too sweet, making it the perfect cozy, fall dessert. Thank you, Yumna!
Wow, thank you so much! Such a fun bonding activity. Happy to hear it!
I baked this today and loved it! So easy and simple to make – the perfect cosy dessert. I had made apple crisp before but no other recipe was this quick to make, I’ll definitely keep coming back to this. Minimum clean up afterwards as well – always a plus 😉 Thank you Yumna! So good!
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear!! You’re so welcome.
Absolutely delicious!!! My kitchen smelled like fall… even though the outdoor temperatures were definitely still summer-like!!!!
I loved the method of making the crumble – instead of mushy, cake-y topping, it was crispy but chewy and delicious!!! Will make again!!!
That’s amazing! Thank you so much!
I was planning on making apple crisp to celebrate fall, and it turned out perfectly that it was this month’s cooking challenge! It was super simple to make and sooo delicious
Love that! Yay!!
Hi Yumna! I made this recipe today and it was delicious! I used 5 tbsp of butter instead of 8 but it still turned out great. Thank you!
Thank you! Glad it worked out that way too!
Just made this easy Apple Crisp recipe! Like Yumma says, SO GOOD! 😋
That makes me so happy to hear!
Loved the easiness of this Crisp! I baked mine a little too long bc I like it crunchy and chewy!
Yay! A good crunch really makes a difference!
Yes, like Janet, I also used Walnuts and when overcooked, the walnuts are crunchy and toasted so it’s totally delicious.
Love that! So good!
The Apple Crisp recipe was super easy and delicious. I used all Cortland apples since they were on sale and subbed walnuts for pecans since that’s what I had on hand. I topped it with a dollop of Greek vanilla yogurt.
Thank you so much! Love the sound of walnuts in this too. Yum!!
Loved it. My husband who isn’t a huge fan of apples but will eat them for the streusel topping said the filling is just a good at the topping!
Yay! That’s amazing!
My first time making apple crisp! This recipe is so easy and turns out SO good! I did forget to peel the apples, which my boyfriend wasn’t a fan of but my brother and Mom didn’t mind. This is a new favorite & I’ll definitely be making it again! 🍎
That makes me so happy to hear! Hope you continue to enjoy it!
This was so good. Family loved it.
Yay!! That’s great to hear.
Now I’ve made apple crumble before but not this way and certainly not with oats and my goodness my children went crazy!!! The picky eater said he would wake at 3am to gobble up the rest! It was sooooo delicious I can’t thank you enough my kids said they would want me to make it for their kids so it would be grandma special desert. Thankyou again 🙂
So glad you all enjoyed it! That’s amazing!! You’re so welcome.
I made the apple 🍎 crisp and its a wonderful recipe and topped it with chocolate chips it brought some chocolatey flavor to interest the kids . I love how easy and testy this apple crips recipe is , thank you for bringing.
Need to try it with some chocolate! Yay!!
I tried making the apple 🍎 crisp recipe it’s wonderful it tests awesome I topped it with chocolate chips it gave chocolatey flavor to interest the kids. Thank you for the recipe.
Wow, thank you so much! You’re welcome!
An amazing, easy to make and delicious recipe!
Thank you so much!
I loved this recipe! It was so easy to make and came out delicious my whole family loved it.
Thank you! That is so amazing to hear!
It’s a cloudy but beautiful day in TN & this was the PERFECT, easy recipe for a comfort dessert. I got apples from the farmers market & ran home to make this yummy. I will definitely be adding this recipe to my cook book!
That sounds so perfect! Glad to hear how much you enjoy this dish!
Turned out so good! I made a few replacements to make it even healthier: 1) Truvia brown sugar blend in place of regular brown sugar and 2) Swerve Confectioners sugar in place of granulated sugar! Will be making this more often!
That’s amazing! Glad it worked with those substitutes too.
Oh this was delicious!! Didn’t even last an hour in my house, ready to make it again.
Wow, that’s amazing! Yay!
Would love to try this but my daughter is allergic to oats, any suggestions for a substitute, or would that just ruin the dish?
You could try making it with a streusel topping, which usually consists of brown sugar, flour, seasonings, and butter.
Oh my, that is a fantastic idea & I know how to make it, too!! Thank you ever so much for taking the time to reply & help me out, I truly appreciate it!
Of course! That’s perfect. You’re so welcome!!
This recipe was so easy to make! It tastes amazing! Thanks for another great recipe! 🎃🧡
That makes me so happy to hear! You’re so welcome!
Thank you for the recipe!! Been wanting to try this and finally made it. I don’t think mine turned out as good as yours but it did have a really good flavor.
You’re so welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!
It looks so yummy! I’m definitely going to try it because I have a lot of apples.
Thank you! Hope you enjoy!
OMG!! That’s the 3rd recipe of yours I tried and I couldn’t believe how it turned out. It was delicious. Thank you for all the easy and healthy recipes. You’re a savior for me since I’m a student and don’t have enough time to cook. Thank you.
Wow, thank you so much! That makes me so happy to hear!!
Just in time as I needed to use up some apples and this was super easy and so flavorful and quick and made the house smell delicious. Can’t ask for more than that with the family loving it. Eat with your nose, then your eyes, and oh, so good!
That’s perfect! So glad to hear it. Yay!!
Looks great!
Thank you!
I wish you would make a printable version of your recipes as I don’t want to print off all the adds on your site.
Hi! If you hit the print button it takes you to a printer friendly version that includes the ingredients, instructions and helpful storage/freezing information. I hope that’s helpful!
I would like that too
This looks great. What type of apple would you use? I love Honeycrisp – but as lot of these recipes call for granny smith. Thoughts?
Thank you! For best flavor, I like combining sweet and tart apples. You can see I have a variety of colored apples that are all different kinds from the apple orchard. If they’re all sweet, the easy apple crisp will lend itself to an overly sweet apple crisp. And if you only use tart apples, you may need to add sugar to cut through the tartness (which I’m sure you don’t want to do!) The combination of different apples will give the perfect flavor balance!
Delicious! My kids loved it!!!!
Love that!
We threw in a banana and some blueberries we had left over at the end of the week. we will definitely make again!
That sounds amazing!! So glad you liked it and thanks for sharing! 🙂
This I like. Simple and effective.
Yes for sure!
Love it. Great recipe