Easy Apple Crisp
Updated Sep 19, 2025
Apple crisp made with cinnamon apples and a buttery oat-pecan topping. An easy fall dessert that bakes in about 40 minutes with easy prep.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
For me, the best part of an apple crisp is the oat topping. I want enough of it that every scoop gets some, with plenty of cinnamon underneath in the apples. It’s one of those desserts where I’m definitely not trying to make the topping-to-fruit ratio sensible. I usually serve this apple crisp warm, but I like it just as much once it’s been sitting in the fridge overnight. Add ice cream if you want. I’m happy eating it either way.
Recipe testing notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe multiple times before sharing it! These notes give you a peek into my process of developing and testing.
The topping is the whole reason I make a crisp, so keeping the butter cold is the thing I’m strict about. When my butter got too soft, it melted into the oats and baked into a flat, greasy layer instead of a crumbly one. Cutting cold butter in and squeezing some of it into bigger clumps is what gives you those craggy, crunchy bits on top.
The apples matter too. Over the years I’ve learned to stick with firmer baking apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, since softer ones cook down into applesauce before the topping is done. I like using a mix so some pieces hold their shape and some go soft.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Jump to Section
Apple Crisp Ingredients
- Apples: Use firm but juicy apples like Fuji or Honeycrisp. Peel and core them, then chop them into similar-sized chunks. Read more of my tips on how to cut apples.
- For the filling: Granulated sugar, lemon juice, and ground cinnamon mix with the apples to make the filling.
- For the topping: Rolled oats, all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, unsalted butter, pecans, more ground cinnamon, and salt make the apple crisp topping. Make sure you use rolled oats, not instant oats or steel-cut oats. You can sub in 1:1 gluten-free flour. Keep the butter cold and dice it into small cubes before working it into the dry ingredients.
How to Make this Easy Apple Crisp
These step-by-step photos walk you through how to make this Easy Apple Crisp. For the full ingredient list and detailed instructions, head to the recipe card below, or skip straight to the → Easy Apple Crisp recipe below
1. Make apple crisp topping
Add the oats, flour, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and salt to a mixing bowl, leaving room to work in the butter.
2. Combine the dry ingredients
Stir until the oats and pecans are evenly distributed, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar.
3. Work in the butter
Dice the cold butter into small cubes and rub them into the mixture with your fingertips (or a fork) until you have coarse crumbs with some small clumps.
4. Prepare the apples
Peel and core the apples, then cut them into evenly sized chunks and place them in the greased baking dish. Add the lemon juice, granulated sugar, and cinnamon directly to the dish. Toss until the apples are evenly coated, then spread them into an even layer.
5. Add the crisp topping
Scatter the crumb mixture over the apples, covering the filling without pressing it down.
6. Bake the apple crisp
The topping should be golden brown with bubbling juices around the edges. Check that the apples are tender, then let the crisp cool for a few minutes before serving.
Full Easy Apple Crisp Recipe
Easy Apple Crisp Recipe
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 light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter diced cold
- Vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish or a 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 the butter using a fork or your hands until the 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Dried cranberries: Toss ¼ cup dried cranberries with the apples before adding the topping.
- Ginger: Mix ¼ teaspoon ground ginger into the apple filling along with the cinnamon.
- Vanilla: Stir 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the filling with the lemon juice.
Recipe Tips
- Stop working in the butter once coarse crumbs form. If the butter starts getting soft or greasy, put the bowl in the fridge while you finish preparing the apples.
- Bake until bubbly. Go beyond just a golden topping; wait until the filling is bubbling around the edges. That means the apples are tender and the sauce thickened properly.
- Allow time to cool. This gives the gooey apple filling time to thicken. If you cut into it too quickly, it can get runny.
Troubleshooting
If your apple filling isn’t thick enough, you can add cornstarch or flour to your apple mixture before baking. This helps absorb some of the juices and thickens things up. Also, make sure you’re giving your crisp enough time to rest after baking!
The chunks may be too large, or the filling may be too deep in the baking dish. Loosely cover the top with foil to keep it from getting too dark, then continue baking until a knife slides easily into the apples.
You may not have worked the butter evenly into the dry ingredients, or you may have added too much flour. Before baking, check for loose pockets of flour and rub the butter into them until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
Comments
I’m confused about the ingredients. The video shows maple syrup but the ingredients don’t say there’s maple syrup in it. Is that a typo or is the video incorrect. Want to make sure before I make it
Sorry about that, I’ve changed the recipe since making that video in 2017. I deleted the video so there’s no confusion. Please use the recipe card for the final tested version. Thank you!
Coming back here to say that I tried this apple crisp yesterday and I can’t believe how easy yet fulfilling this dessert was! Everyone loved it! Now I need to figure out how to make it again but without the butter – for someone who loves apples but should lower his cholesterol! If you have a specific vegan butter or another alternative in mind, please let me know 🎈
Amazing!! Aww, so glad you loved it! You can use coconut oil or vegan butter instead of regular butter. Just make sure it’s cold, so you still get that crumbly texture. Hope that helps!!
I have a bunch of apple pie filling I made last year and wanted an apple crisp. Using the equivalent of 2 cans apple pie filling (1 quart jar), I dumped it into the prepared dish and proceeded with step 3. Same cook time and it was fantastic. The topping was exactly what I was looking for! Delicious!!
Amazing!! Aww, so happy the recipe worked out with your apple pie filling and that you loved the topping! Thank you, Carrie!!
Delicious! I used 3 Granny Smith and 3 Cosmic Crisp. Perfect combination!
To apple filling, I used a King Arthur spice called Speculaas Spice. It’s cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and some other warm spices and it’s awesome in apple pie! I also always put a quarter tsp almond extract in my apple pie filling. I used just cinnamon in topping.
Serving it tonight with salted caramel vanilla icecream to guests. They’re gonna love this! Thank you!
Yum! Your tweaks sound amazing!! I’ve never thought of adding almond extract to the filling, I will have to try that myself! And salted caramel vanilla ice cream sounds like the perfect pairing, too. Thanks for the inspiration, Candi!!
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!!
Aslamoalaikum
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