Apple Crisp
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Apples bubbling under a crunchy oat-pecan streusel, this rustic apple crisp is the ultimate fall dessert.
This rustic apple crisp recipe with tart apples bubbling away in their juices under a golden brown buttery oat-pecan streusel is a longtime favorite of mine, thanks in part to its irresistibly crisp topping. In fact, it’s one of the very first recipes I shared on this blog many years ago. It tastes wonderful served warm out of the oven, but honestly, I like the cold leftovers with my morning coffee just as much! This crisp is perfect on its own, or you can 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.”
What You’ll Need To Make Apple Crisp
- All-Purpose Flour: Adds structure to the streusel topping, helping it to hold together and bake into a perfect crumbly texture.
- Light Brown Sugar: Provides sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor to the topping. When measuring brown sugar, always pack it tightly to eliminate air pockets.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens both the apples and the streusel, balancing the tartness of the fruit and adding a lovely caramelization as it bakes.
- Butter: Creates a rich, crumbly texture in the streusel and helps it to crisp up in the oven. The streusel will come together best if the butter is very cold.
- Pecans: Add a nutty crunch to the topping.
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Contribute to the crisp texture of the streusel, making it more substantial and giving it a rustic feel.
- Baking Apples: For the best results, use tart-sweet apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, Jonagold, Jonathan, or Golden Delicious. I love using a mix of different varietals for a more balanced and complex flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
In a food processor, pulse the flour with the brown sugar, ¼ cup of the granulated sugar, and salt until combined, then add the chunks of butter.
Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and stir in the pecans and oats. Set aside.
Generously butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish. In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the remaining 6 tablespoons granulated sugar. Transfer the apple mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle with the oat topping and make sure it’s evenly distributed.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the apples are tender when pierced and the topping is toasted. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anytime you’re baking with apples whether it’s apple pie or applesauce, it’s a good idea to use a blend of tart and sweet baking apples for the best flavor. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, Jonagold, Jonathan, and Golden Delicious are all good options—try different varietals and see what combinations you like best.
You could just omit the pecans; the topping will still be deliciously crisp. Or you can substitute walnuts or almonds or a handful of unsalted pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
Sure! The baked apple crisp can be frozen, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. Before serving, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it, uncovered, in a 300°F oven until heated through and crisp on top.
Video Tutorial
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Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- Pinch salt
- 6 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter cut into ½-inch dice
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2½ pounds tart baking apples (about 5 large), peeled, cored and sliced ¼-inch (6-mm) thick
- Whipped cream or Vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a food processor, pulse the flour with the brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) of the granulated sugar, and salt until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and stir in the pecans and oats. Set aside.
- Generously butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish. In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the remaining 6 tablespoons granulated sugar. Transfer the apple mixture to the prepared baking dish and cover with the oat topping. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the apples are tender when pierced and the topping is toasted. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The baked crisp can be frozen, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. Before serving, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it, uncovered, in a 300°F (150°C) oven until heated through and crisp on top.
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.
Comments
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Made this tonight and enjoyed it but would add a thickening agent to the apples next time, as my crisp came out watery.
Making this again tonight and the oven went out! The crisp had been in five minutes or so. I have a backup toaster oven but it took a few minutes to preheat. It got me to wondering why the butter needs to be really cold for a crisp? I know with pie dough it’s to create steam and flakes but, not sure of the purpose in this dish. I like to know the science and why in baking.
Hi Kerrie, The butter should be cold as it helps to create the crunchy, craggy texture you’re looking for in the topping. If the butter is too warm, the topping will spread as it bakes.
Thank you! I had been making another version that called for melted butter but my topping never seemed right. My crisp turned out great last night even with a few minutes out of a hot oven.
How many days in advance can this be made? Thanks!
I’d say a day or 2.
I made this last week for my Bunco group. Everyone loved it and wanted the recipe! I did add some spices spice to it: a pinch of nutmeg and a generous pinch of cinnamon. This is definitely a new Fall favorite.
This was delicious; I omitted the white sugar and added 4T honey instead. Added 1t cinnamon and 1/4t nutmeg.
Absolutely delicious! Made this for a dinner party for a group of 12 friends. Doubled the recipe and assembled the day before. Brought to room temperature before baking. Even after a hearty meal, there wasn’t one bite left! I will definitely be making again for Thanksgiving this year. Thank you, Jen.
This was so tasty! I used the slicing blade on the food processor so it was quick and easy. I also used less of the white sugar, and added cinnamon and nutmeg to both the topping and apples. Threw in some dried cranberries with the apples.
Thank you for such a good recipe. Exactly the right amount of pecans, and using the size pan you call for results in a great ratio of apples to crusty top! Delish.
This recipe is absolutely delicious! I have made it twice so far for my family and served it warm with vanilla ice cream. They loved it! And, it’s so much easier than making apple pie! Thank you Jen for creating such delicious recipes for all of us!
Best apple crisp! I have been looking for the best apple crisp recipe and tried many recipes. This is the one. The crisp topping was crispy which was what I was looking for. The other recipes were mushy and did not compare. All the recipes on this site are so good. Thank you
Hi Jenn, just want to say your recipes never let me down. Could I replace the pecans with sliced almonds? Thanks.
So glad you like the recipes! And, yes, you can use almonds in place of the pecans. 🙂