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Apple Crisp is probably my favorite fall dessert because it’s just so ridiculously easy, and I love the way the uncomplicated recipe keeps fresh fall apples at the forefront of the dessert. Its warm apple cinnamon layer and crispy oat topping are utterly divine with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream on top. So if you’re looking for a warm and cozy fall dessert for these cool evenings, you’re going to love this Easy Apple Crisp.
“I am in love with this apple crisp! I am generous with the spices. The warmth from the ginger and the buttery crisp topping is so so good! Seriously the best apple crisp I have ever had. We usually pour some half and half over it. Thank you for this recipe, it’s a family favorite!”
Susie
Warm and Cozy Apple Crisp Recipe
Apple crisp is the easiest fall dessert ever. It’s simply baked apples that are seasoned with a little sugar and warm spices, topped with a sweet and buttery crispy oat topping. It’s what I make when I’m craving apple pie, but don’t feel like fiddling with a pie crust!
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
- I like sweet, juicy apples for apple crisp, like Gala or Fuji, but most varieties will work. If you’re using tart ones, like Granny Smith or Braeburn, just add a little extra sugar. The key is making sure your apples are fresh and juicy; otherwise, your crisp can end up dry instead of saucy.
- Use regular old-fashioned rolled oats. They hold their texture in the topping and bake up perfectly crisp, unlike quick oats, which will have a softer texture.
- Go ahead and double the topping. I know it’s everyone’s favorite part! The amount I make in the recipe below is enough to cover the apple filling while keeping costs low. But you can totally double the amount if desired.
- Sugar plays a very important role in both the filling and the topping of this apple crisp. In the filling, the sugar helps draw out the juices from the apples, creating that nice saucy consistency. In the crumble topping, it helps crystallize the crumble and make everything crunchy. If you choose to reduce the sugar, keep in mind that it will not only affect the sweetness, but also the texture.
Easy Apple Crisp
Cost $2.48 recipe / $0.41 serving
Ingredients
Baked Apples
- 2 lbs. apples ($2.08)
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar ($0.18)
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.02)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon ($0.10)
- ¼ tsp ground ginger ($0.02)
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves ($0.01)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract ($0.32)
Oat Topping
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour ($0.04)
- ⅓ cup rolled oats ($0.06)
- ½ cup brown sugar ($0.24)
- ⅛ tsp salt ($0.01)
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ($0.02)
- ¼ cup butter (room temperature, $0.40)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Core and slice the apples into ¼-½ inch wide slices (peel, if desired). Place the sliced apples in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to season the apples. Sprinkle the mixture over the sliced apples and drizzle the vanilla extract over top. Stir the apples until they're evenly coated in spices and add them to a 2-quart baking dish.
- Next, make the oat topping. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Cut the butter into chunks and then use your hands to work it into the oat mixture until it is crumbly and appears sort of damp.
- Sprinkle the crumbly oat mixture over the seasoned apples. Transfer to the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Serve hot with ice cream or whipped cream on top!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Small Bowl
- Medium Bowl
- 2-Quart Baking Dish
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Apple Crisp Step-by-Step Photos
Prep the apples: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Clean and slice 2 lbs. of apples (about six medium apples) into ¼-½ inch wide slices. You can peel them if you prefer, but I like the color and texture that the peels bring to the dessert. Place the sliced apples in a large bowl.
Make the seasoning mix: Prepare the seasoning for the apples by combining 3 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground ginger, and ⅛ tsp ground cloves. The sugar helps draw the juices out of the apples, and then the flour thickens it into a nice saucy consistency.
Make the filling: Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the sliced apples along with ½ tsp vanilla extract. Stir until the apples are evenly coated in flour, sugar, and spices.
Place the seasoned apples in a 2-quart baking dish.
Create the crumbly oat topping: Stir together ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup rolled oats, ½ cup brown sugar, ⅛ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp cinnamon in a bowl.
Cut ¼ cup (4 Tbsp) butter into chunks and add it to the oat mixture. Use your hands to work the butter into the other ingredients.
When the butter is fully mixed in, it should look kind of chunky and damp, like the photo above.
Assemble the crisp: Sprinkle the oat topping over the seasoned apples.
Bake in the oven: Bake the crisp for 45 minutes, or until the topping is deep golden brown.
Serve: Enjoy hot, topped with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream! It’s also absolutely perfect with a drizzle of caramel sauce. YUM.
Storage & Reheating
Wait until your apple crisp cools to reduce condensation, then cover with plastic and refrigerate. It’ll stay good in the refrigerator for about four days. The crumble topping will continue to absorb moisture from the apples as it refrigerates, so it won’t stay crispy, but it is still amazingly delicious all the same! Reheat leftovers in the microwave or the oven (for the best texture) until heated through.
This is a really good recipe! Next time I make it, I’ll probably double the topping, because that’s my favorite part of a crisp :)
Thanks again for the excellent recipes.
May be quibbling, but is the 2 lb before or after coring? Do I need to get a little extra to compensate?
What size dish do you cook this in?
Anything that’s pie-dish-sized should do the trick. XOXO -Monti
I’ve been making apple crisp for years but wanted to refresh my memory so after reading all the comments I made this recipe, and it was great. I didn’t quite have 2 lbs. of apples, but I used all the other ingredients as listed, and it worked very well–I had never added ginger, vanilla, or pinch of salt before, so thank you for the inspiration!
Great recipe! But this recipe needs more crumble I feel. I’ve made it twice, once with a large baking pan which fit all 5 apples, and the second time used a 9 inch cake tray which didn’t hold all the apples (I cubed them) and still didn’t have enough crumble.
I love Liz’s recipes. And I probably use Budget bytes more than any other cooking website. The chicken and lime skillet is a regular in my diet.
But I think I personally like a lot more crumble. (I’m American and have a big sweet tooth)
oh wow, this is actually what I’m going to make with the abundance of apples I have staring at me in my garage right now. Applesauce is cool, but apple crisp is oh so delicious!
What kind of oats do you use? Instant or regular rolled oats?
Regular rolled oats. Instant oats do not have as much texture. :)
I am in love with this apple crisp! I am generous with the spices. The warmth from the ginger and the buttery crisp topping is so so good! Seriously the best apple crisp I have ever had, We usually pour some half and half over it. Thank you for this recipe, it’s a family favorite!
My 11 yr old daughter made this (with help) for Thanksgiving and it turned out great. We used a non-dairy butter substitute (Miyoko’s brand) and the crumble part came out a lot wetter than in the photo, it was almost a liquid consistency. The next time around, I might try use a baking dish rather than a dutch oven, and increase the amount of crumble to account for the higher surface area.
I made bratwurst and sauerkraut last night and since I was cutting up an apple for that, I cut up another to make this recipe. Simple and Delicious! Too bad I didn’t have any ice cream…
This was AMAZING, especially with vanilla ice cream. The oat topping really makes this a gourmet dessert. Thank you Beth for another winning recipe!
Hi! Does it matter if the butter is salted vs. unsalted?
I used salted. You can use unsalted, but you’ll want to add a little salt to the topping to make up for it. :)
Lovely! I made extra crumble for the top because it’s my favorite part, and I added cardamom to the spiced apple mixture. 10/10 will be making again. Cheap, easy, delicious!
Absolutely EASY AND DELICIOUS super recommended, what a great recipe!