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Overhead view of a bowl of apple crisp with a scoop of ice cream with a spoon beside it.
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Apple Crisp

This easy apple crisp is the fall dessert of your dreams. The combination of silky, lightly sweetened spiced apples and the crunchy oat topping is hard to beat!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 610kcal

Equipment

  • 8x8 inch baking dish

Ingredients

  • pounds apples peeled, cored, and sliced
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • cup granulated sugar (can also use brown sugar) (66g)
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter cut into small cubes (56g)

For the Topping:

  • cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour (90g)
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar (110g)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes (170g)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
  • In a large bowl, toss the apple with the lemon juice. Add the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg and toss until well combined. Spread into the baking dish. Sprinkle with butter.

For the Topping:

  • In a small bowl, stir together the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter to the mixture and work together with your hands or a fork until the mixture is crumbly and has clumps about the size of peas. Sprinkle the topping all over the top of the apples.
  • Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the juices are bubbling. Cool for a few minutes and serve warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Video

Notes

  • Idle hands in your household? Get them to help peel the apples!
  • Cut the apples into equal-sized pieces. Don’t stress about getting them exactly the same size, but try to cut them as similarly as possible so they bake evenly.
  • For extra zing, add lemon zest. If you’re a fan of citrus flavors, add lemon zest to the filling! Or use orange zest. Citrus immediately adds brightness to the warm, earthy flavors in the apple filling.
  • The butter should be cold. If you want to prepare ahead of time, dice up the butter and store it in a bowl in the refrigerator until you’re ready to start the recipe. The butter needs to be cold for both the filling and for making the crisp topping.
  • Switch up the spices. While I stuck with the timeless combination of cinnamon and nutmeg, feel free to add 1/4 teaspoon cardamom, cloves, allspice or any other spice you enjoy.
  • Measure the flour with a kitchen scale. Using too much flour will yield a dry topping. Using a kitchen scale is the easiest way to avoid this! If you don’t have one, fluff up the flour before spooning it into a measuring cup. Level off the top with a knife.
  • Don’t be shy with the topping. The crisp-chewy streusel topping with oats is a favorite, so don’t skimp! I call it a “too much is never enough” situation, and tend to mound it pretty high. As the apples soften and release their juices, the whole thing will drop a bit and won’t be piled so high.
  • Add your favorite toppings. My favorite way to enjoy this dessert is with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream. I also quite enjoy this dessert with whipped cream. For a sweet touch, add a little drizzle of caramel sauce on top.

Nutrition

Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 207mg | Potassium: 323mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 1049IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg