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A close-up of a warm, golden-brown Apple Crisp served in a bowl, topped with a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Classic Homestyle Apple Crisp

A quintessential comforting dessert featuring tender, spiced apples beneath a rich, buttery, oat-filled crumble topping, baked until golden and bubbly.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Apple Filling
  • 6-8 medium apples about 3 lbs, a mix of tart and sweet like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour or cornstarch for a gluten-free option
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • Pinch salt
For the Crisp Topping
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats not instant
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch baking dish (or 2.5-3 quart)
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Medium Mixing Bowl
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Sharp Knife
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Whisk or fork
  • Pastry blender (optional)

Method
 

Prepare Oven and Baking Dish
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch (or 2.5-3 quart) baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
Prepare the Apple Filling
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the peeled, cored, and sliced apples. Add the granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Toss gently until the apples are evenly coated.
  2. Pour the apple mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out into an even layer.
Prepare the Crisp Topping
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 cup of all-purpose flour, old-fashioned rolled oats, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
  2. Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry topping ingredients. Using your fingertips, a pastry blender, or two forks, cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Do not overmix.
Assemble and Bake
  1. Evenly sprinkle the crisp topping over the apple filling in the baking dish.
  2. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbly and tender when pierced with a knife. If the topping starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent the dish with foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.
  3. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to thicken slightly.

Notes

Apple crisp is best served warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently in the microwave or oven.