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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Hi Jenn, how do you think this would be with some cranberries thrown in? Thanks!
Hi Lisa, I think you could include some, but I’d limit the amount as they are pretty tart.
I have made this recipe twice. Love the recipe. The second time I made this it had a lot of extra juice that made it a bit soupy. This did not happen the first time, I used all honeycrisp apples just as I did the first time. I do not think I made an error in measuring. Any thoughts?
Ann
Hi Ann, even if you did everything the same this time around, there is some variability in fruit and how much juice it will generate, so it may be not exactly the same every time. I would suggest using a blend of different types of apples (like Fuji, Granny Smith, Jonagolds, Jonathans, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honey Crisp). That way, if one variety is juicier than another, it shouldn’t have a significant impact on the recipe.
Thank you for your reply. I just love your site.
Ann
This was so delicious!! I used Cartland apples we picked the day before and toasted the oats and pecans before adding to the topping. My family loved it.
This recipe did not turn out great. I make two errors — I used all MacIntosh apples, and they were not sour enough; I added a 6th apple, and that meant that there wasn’t enough crisp for the amount of apples. In all other ways I followed the recipe exactly. If I had to do again, I would use a mix of apples and make a third more crisp if I added a 6th apple. I would also add about 2/3 of the sugar that the recipe recommends, as the apple crisp was a tad too sweet for me.
Have made twice. Cut sugar a bit both times. SO easy and delicious. Have been looking for years for an easy recipe and now I have it! Thanks for another great one!
Simply delicious! We had tons of apples to eat and made this recipe with the last apples. Super easy and will make again.
I made this and topped it with vanilla bean ice cream AND whipped cream.
Very delicious! My husband couldn’t stop saying “yum” while eating.
This dessert was a complete hit at our Thanksgiving celebration today! I used Granny Smith apples and the only tweak I made to the recipe was to add cinnamon to the apple/sugar mixture. I will definitely be making this recipe again!!
I used a mix of Granny Smith and Fuji apples for a trial run before Thanksgiving. Yum!!
Hi Jenn: I made your apple crisp today, was perfection😀. I held back a little on the white sugar, just a light sprinkle on the apples, I used Gala apples and they were delish. Thanks Jenn for another FAB recipe.
Cynthia
😊
Did you use Raw Pecans or Roasted? I have raw and not sure to roast before adding to recipe.
On another note-loved your Ratatouille recipe-a huge hit with my restauranteur Beau.
The Secret is cutting and cooking items separately as you’ve stated. Delicious!
Thanks!
No need to toast the pecans Keala – they will get plenty toasted in the oven. And glad to hear you and your boyfriend enjoyed the ratatouille!