Apple Crisp
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This is my go-to apple crisp recipe—tart apples bubbling under a buttery oat-pecan topping. Simple, rustic, and so, so good.
This rustic apple crisp, made with tart apples bubbling away in their juices under a crispy, buttery oat-pecan streusel, is a longtime favorite of mine. In fact, it’s one of the very first recipes I shared on this blog many years ago. It’s wonderful warm from the oven, but honestly, I love the cold leftovers with my morning coffee just as much. Serve it plain, or take it up a notch with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or even caramel sauce.
“We went apple picking with the grandkids. When we got back we used this recipe. It was a total hit and gone quickly.”
Crisp vs. Cobbler vs. Crumble vs. Buckle: What’s the Difference?
Crisps, crumbles, cobblers, and buckles are all fruit desserts, but the toppings are what set them apart. A crisp has a buttery oat topping (often with nuts) that bakes up crisp and crunchy. A crumble is similar but traditionally made without oats. Cobbler swaps in a biscuit-dough topping instead—like my apple cobbler—while a buckle is a tender cake with fruit folded into the batter.
What You’ll Need To Make Apple Crisp
- Tart baking apples: Go for tart-sweet varieties like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, Jonagold, Jonathan, or Golden Delicious—or better yet, use a mix for the best balance of flavor and texture.
- Granulated and light brown sugars: Granulated sugar sweetens both the apples and the topping, while brown sugar adds moisture and a subtle caramel flavor to the crisp topping.
- All-purpose flour & old-fashioned rolled oats: Together they create a crisp, buttery topping with plenty of texture.
- Ground cinnamon & salt: Cinnamon adds warm spice, while salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor.
- Cold unsalted butter: Creates tender, crumbly clusters that bake up crisp and golden.
- Pecans: Add delicious crunch and a rich, nutty flavor. Walnuts work well, too, or omit them for a nut-free crisp.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Make the streusel topping: Combine the flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt, then work in the cold butter until you have coarse, clumpy crumbs. Stir in the oats pecans. You’re looking for a mixture that holds together in small clusters rather than a fine, sandy texture.
Toss the apples and assemble: Toss the sliced apples with the sugar and cinnamon until evenly coated, then spread them in a buttered baking dish. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples, making sure it reaches all the way to the edges so every bite gets plenty of crisp topping.
Bake and serve: Bake until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife. If the topping browns before the apples are done, loosely tent the dish with foil to prevent the pecans from over-browning while the apples finish cooking. Let the crisp cool for about 20 minutes before serving so the juices have a chance to thicken, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use other fruits? The oat topping works beautifully with other fruits, but the filling isn’t one-size-fits-all. Different fruits require different amounts of sugar, fruit, and sometimes a thickener. For the best results, try one of my fruit-specific recipes, including peach crisp, strawberry rhubarb crisp, or plum crisp.
Can I make apple crisp ahead? Yes, partially. You can make the topping up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it. The assembled crisp can also be refrigerated for a few hours before baking, but for the best texture, I recommend assembling it just before it goes into the oven.
Note: This apple crisp recipe was updated in August 2026 to skip the food processor in favor of an easier hand-mixing method, and to add cinnamon based on reader feedback.
More Apple Desserts You’ll Love
Apple Crisp
Ingredients
For the Topping
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup chopped pecans
For the Filling
- 2½ pounds tart baking apples (about 5 large), peeled, cored and sliced between ⅛ and ¼-inch thick
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For Serving
- Vanilla ice cream or Whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Make the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter and, using your fingertips or a pastry blender, work it into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms coarse, clumpy crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Stir in the oats and pecans. Place the bowl in the fridge until ready to use.
- Make the filling: Generously butter a shallow 2-quart (2-L) baking dish. In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the granulated sugar and cinnamon.
- Assemble and bake: Transfer the apple mixture to the prepared baking dish and cover with the topping. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife. If the topping is nicely browned before the apples are tender, loosely tent the dish with foil to prevent the pecans from over-browning and continue baking until the apples are done. Let the crisp cool for at least 20 minutes, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jenn, Can wait to try this! Your recipes haven’t failed me. What type of apple is the Granny Smith one? Thank you.
Hi Kathy, Glad you’ve had success with the recipes. Granny Smiths are bright green in color, have crispy, juicy flesh, and are tart in flavor. Here’s some more info about them. Hope you enjoy the crisp if you make it! 🙂
Hi I love this recipe, never thought about using pecans in it. Suggestion– instead of using a baking dish, you can make individual crisps, just put ingredients in ramekins. It makes it look more personal and elegant. Good luck. serves 6-8.
Love this idea!
Hi Jenn,
Can this be made with Royal Gala apples, or do you need tart ones?
Thanks,
Mary
Hi Mary, I generally like this with more tart apples but Galas will definitely work here. Hope you enjoy!
I made it last night and it was delicious!!
I’d like to make this recipe but have a guest who is dairy-free. What can I substitute for butter?
Hi Beth, I haven’t used coconut oil for this, but I think you could get away with substituting it (in its solid form) for the butter. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Hi! I make a dairy free crisp using a light oil, maple syrup, light olive oil with the oats mixed in. Equal quantities of the oil and maple syrup. Liquid coconut oil would work too.
Really crispy & super tasty too. Worth a try, if too wet add more oats. My first try is always an experiment🙂
Sorry, I forgot, of course, add the flour, cane sugar too and mix with the oils, and maple syrup! We prefer it to the butter! Ground almonds added for a nice crunch too.
I use Earth Balance as a non-dairy butter substitute. I’s great as a spread and perfect for sautés or baking … my vegan friends recommended it to me
Hi Jen, I plan to make this tonight and will let you know how it turns out. I am posting now because my husband and I absolutely LOVE your recipes!! Every single one is delicious and easy to make…AND you give the best instructions and pictures!! When we want to make something new, we come to your website first. Now we plan to buy the book. Thank you for sharing your talent with us 🙂
Aww, thank you, Joy. 😊 I hope the crisp turned out well!
I had a few red delicious apples that needed to be used. Made recipe exactly and turned out amazing! Love how it filled the kitchen with such a yummy baked smell. Just came out of the oven and my family loves it!!!! I will definitely make this again!
Hi Jenn! First, let me say that I love your recipes and your cookbook. Everything I’ve made has been amazing. I’d like to make this Apple Crisp for a larger family gathering, if I make it in a 9×13 dish=3 quarts, how long do you suggest I bake it? Thank you!
So glad you like the recipes, Tracey! I think you’d need to bake it for 60 to 70 min, but keep an eye on it.
Thank you for the quick reply! I baked it for 60 minutes and it was perfect!
I can’t wait to try this. I’ll bring to my friends home-they love being my guinea pigs 😊
A question about the pan size: I thought my 7x11x1.5″ rectangular baking dish which is labelled 2 liter/2.2 quarts (the recipe calls for a shallow 2 qt baking dish) would be great for the crisp. However, the apples (they weighed 2.6 lbs before peeling & coring ) alone reached the top of the sides. I thought about leaving a “hump” in the center and then applying the topping. While I know the apples bake down, I decided to take some out and put into another, smaller dish. It worked out fine, but I’d prefer it all in one dish, especially for company. My question: Is “full to the brim” what one should expect, or should I find a larger pan? If the latter, any suggestions? I think 9×13 would be too large. Are you using a 9 or 10″ deep dish pie pan? Thank you. It was delicious, by the way!
Hi Maret, It’s fine to fill the pan to the brim as the apples cook down and settle quite a bit. Also, it helps to arrange the apples so that there aren’t a lot of gaps, similar to how you would when making an apple pie. I believe that pan is 9×2 inches. Hope that helps and glad you enjoyed!
Hi Jenn –
If making this in advance should the crisp be baked before it’s frozen? And when taken out of the freezer should it sit in the fridge overnight or does it go straight from the freezer to the oven? Thanks!
Yes, I’d suggest baking it first and thawing it in the fridge overnight before reheating. Hope you enjoy!