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.”
What You’ll Need To Make Apple Crisp
- Flour, Oats & Pecans: These form the base of the streusel topping. The flour holds everything together, the oats give it that classic rustic texture, and the pecans add a buttery crunch.
- Brown & Granulated Sugars: Sweeten both the apples and the topping. The brown sugar brings a hint of molasses, while the granulated sugar helps everything caramelize as it bakes. (Be sure to pack the brown sugar when you measure—it makes a difference.)
- Butter: Cold butter is key. It gives the topping its crumbly texture and helps it bake up golden and crisp instead of greasy or heavy.
- 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.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Start the streusel topping. In a food processor, combine the flour, brown sugar, ¼ cup of the granulated sugar, and salt, and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and pulse again until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
Step 2: Finish the topping. Transfer the crumb mixture to a bowl, then stir in the pecans and oats. Set it aside while you prepare the filling.
Step 3: Prepare the filling. Generously butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish. In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the remaining 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar until evenly coated, then pour them into the prepared dish.
Step 4: Add the topping. Sprinkle with the oat topping and make sure it’s evenly distributed over the apples.
Step 5: Bake the crisp. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the apples are tender when pierced with a knife and the topping is golden and crisp. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before serving—it’s wonderful warm from the oven.
Video Tutorial
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Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- Pinch salt
- 6 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch (13-mm) 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
- Vanilla ice cream or Whipped 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 (2-L) 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 or whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
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. 🙂