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 with tart apples bubbling away under a crisp and 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 served warm out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream — though, truthfully, I like the cold leftovers with my morning coffee just as much.
What You’ll Need To Make Apple Crisp
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.
Cover with the oat topping.
Bake 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.
Video Tutorial
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Apple Crisp
Apples bubbling under a crunchy oat-pecan streusel, this rustic apple crisp is the ultimate fall dessert.
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 thick
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
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. 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 40-50 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 oven until heated through and crisp on top.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 461
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Sugar: 40 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
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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Comments
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This was delicious and very straightforward in its making. I added 1t cinnamon as others suggested and cut back a bit on the sugar. I used both Granny Smith and Pink Lady (New Zealand) apples.
I was out of pecans so no nuts in topping and it was still very good.
I, too, added spices – 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg. And having no pecans on hand, used walnuts. It’s the BEST apple crisp I’ve ever made. Thank you Jenn! CANNOT wait to try your other recipes.
My husband is allergic to tree nuts – what substitute would work well for the pecans to add a little crunch?
Hi Corey, I think you could just leave out the nuts; the topping will still be deliciously crisp. Or you could try a handful of unsalted pumpkin or sunflower seeds. Hope that helps!
I would like to make this apple crisp recipe for my granddaughters birthday. Could it be made in a 9 x 13 baking dish and if yes, how would the ingredients be adjusted? Thank you from Massachusetts!
Hi Nancy, Yes, this can be made in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish — I’d double all the ingredients. Hope everyone enjoys!
This recipe was delicious, however I was surprised at the lack of spices. So I added cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. I also used chopped almonds in place of pecans. It was really, really good!
Hey Jenn:
I would like to make this for my friend who’s diabetic. What sugar replacements would you use in this case?
Thanks so much,
Cynthia
Hi Cynthia, I wish I could help but I’ve never worked with sugar substitutes so I can’t say which one would be best. (If it helps at all, I have read plenty of comments from readers who have said they’ve replaced some or all of the sugar in recipes with a substitute like Stevia and Truvia and have had good results.) Hope that helps at least a bit!
As a diabetic, I’ve cooked a lot with sugar substitutes. Splenda happens to be my choice. They make a lighter brown sugar and a granulated sugar substitute, both of which can be used cup for cup in baking recipes.
You can replace sugar in baked good with applesauce, in equal measure. I use unsweetened applesauce successfully in cookies, cobblers, bread, etc. Interestingly enough, it is also a great sub for fats / oils in baked goods.
This was perfect. I used Macintosh apples as that is what I had on hand and it came out fantastic. My husband couldn’t stop raving about it. This is a keeper. I may even use this recipe instead of apple pie for Thanksgiving!
I recently came upon Jenn’s website and I have been trying her recipes. Every one of them has been better than the last. Thank you.
One of the most delicious apple recipes I have found. The family ate it so fast I already need to make another batch.
I made a few mods to this recipe – I was too lazy to unearth the food processor out of the millions of boxes our kitchen stuff is in (post-renovation), so I used a fork and my hands to do the mixing. I also toasted the pecans for about ten minutes at 350º and added a healthy sprinkle of cinnamon to both the apples and to the flour/sugars before adding the butter. It turned out so well, I’ve had it for both breakfast and dessert the past couple of days in a row.
Absolutely outstanding recipe! Everyone loved it!
Very easy to make. My whole family loved it, especially still warm from the oven. I used a gluten free flour and it turned out great.
This is absolutely the best apple crisp recipe I’ve ever tried. For the topping, I add the oats to the food processor too so they’re a bit smaller – makes for an awesome crumble.
This was so delicious and easy to make! Thank you so much for posting it!
Absolutely divine recipe! I halved the recipe for two people only and it worked perfectly. I also added a good sprinkle of cinnamon to the apples, and a little more pecans and oats. My favorite dessert for more Thanksgiving dinners to come! Thank you so much Jenn!
I’m thinking of making this for Thanksgiving which will be just me, my husband, and my toddler. I would like to halve the recipe and put it into ramekins. Any guidance on how to modify i.e. baking time?
The bake time should be a little bit shorter but not by much because the apples still need time to cook. I’d just keep a close eye on them. Please LMK how it turns out if you try them in ramekins!
Can’t tell you how often your recipes are my go-to favorites. This apple crisp was again a family favorite. I never wonder if they’ll turn out because they always do. Thank you!
Love this recipe! I have made it twice. The first time I followed instructions exactly and it was delicious ! The second time I adjusted a bit and left the apple skins on (because I don’t mind them when nicely cooked in the sugars). Also, I layered the dish with apples, nuts, and the topping. It helped those nuts exposed directly to oven heat from tasting bitter. 🙂 Thank you again for all your wonderful recipes – always my first stop when looking for something special and delicious.
NO spices?! I far prefer my mother’s with allspice and cinnamon. Usually Jenn uses lots of flavor. This is bland.
I was wondering the same thing!
Huge hit! Prepped it the day before and just added a little lemon juice to the apples. Cut back the white sugar and baked it the next day. Served it with vanilla ice cream. Thank you again for making me look like a great cook!
We went Apple picking with the grandkids. When we got back we used this recipe to make apple crisp. It was a total hit and gone quickly.
Hi Jenn,
I am making your apple pecan crisp and I have a peach blueberry crisp in the freezer. I would like to make your crumble for both of them, do you think that would work?
Thanks,
Mary
Sure!
Perfect recipe!! I only added a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon to the apples and it turned out amazing!!
Dear Jenn, just a quick thank you really for this gorgeus receipe. It turned out light, springy and super tasty. Perfect for less experienced cook as myself as not complicated to make.I have made a slight adjustment to the amount of sugar and reduced it to 110 g which could still be reduced a bit more I recon,depending on your taste. I was planning to freeze some,but fat chance this is going to happen! Half already gone😊
Hi Jenn,
the Apple Pecan crisp recipe does not update to Metric measurements.
Thanks for checking
Regards
Sujata
Hi Sujata, I just added them. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks so much
Really delicious. I added a little cinnamon and nutmeg to the apples, which my household believes is necessary for any apple crisp. We loved the flavor and extra crunchiness that pecans brought to the topping.
Hi Jenn, Made the apple crisp yesterday & it was super delicious. had it warm with vanilla icecream as suggested. Love it !! Thanks, Sujata
Hi Jenn,
If i would like to double the quantity of the recipe what size baking dish should i use please.
Thanks,
Sujata
Hi Sujata, You’ll need to use a baking dish that holds 4 quarts or you can use two 2-quart baking dishes.
Can I use walnuts or do you think that the apples just prefer pecans in this?
Hi Geni, walnuts would work here too. Enjoy!
Thanks for the question, and answer! I only have walnuts on hand.
Made this today & once again, absolutely delicious Jenn. The extra bonus is that it’s so easy to make. Btw, I usually like apple crisp & apple pie warmed up but after the company left I had a few forkfuls when it had cooled. I think it’s even more tasty cooled. Thanks for another delicious recipe!
Made it last night. Turned out perfect! Added a little lemon juice to the apples and also added a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg to the topping. Very easy to put together and love it warm out of the oven! Will be adding this for Thanksgiving instead of my traditional apple pie – much easier!
Want to put it together ahead of time, keep it chilled then bake while we’re having dinner so we can enjoy it warm with our other desserts. Would you recommend that I put it together Thanksgiving morning or could I do it the night before and keep it chilled till I bake it for dessert?
Hi Lisa, Glad you liked it! You can assemble it the night before and refrigerate if that’s easier for you.
If you assemble the night before and refrigerate, do you keep the filling and the topping separate? Or does it not matter? Thanks! This is part of our Thanksgiving menu.
No need to keep them separate. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn! If you assemble the day before Thanksgiving, you don’t bake it first before refrigerating, right? Just store it raw? Thanks! P.S. I love and appreciate all of your recipes. Even bought one of your cookbooks :o)
Thanks for your nice words about the recipes and support of the cookbook! 🙂
Yes, you can assemble and refrigerate it prior to baking. Enjoy!
This is a good basic crisp, but I missed having spices like in it. If I make it again I will add some cinnamon, nutmeg, etc., to the apples. I did stir in a little bit of flour into the apples because I was concerned about them being too juicy. About 1/8 of a cup was a good amount, and the filling came out perfectly.
Thanks for the tips, everyone and Thanks Jenn for my favorite food website! I didn’t try it without the spices, but sure liked this with them, as many suggest. Agree that adding flour (in my case GF oat flour) was nice for making it more pie-like. As a celiac, this recipe completely negates all need for pie, and everyone likes my GF version just as well… some say better, on top of heavy holiday dinners.
My 10 year old son and I made this for our Halloween party and it was really easy to make. We made it ahead of time and baked it during the party so the house smelled like apples. Everyone loved it! I only wish I had made more! Thank you!
Can you use quick cooking oats for this recipe?
Hi Linda, I think you get away with quick-cooking oats here, although the topping won’t have quite the same hearty texture. Please LMK how it turns out!
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 & mix with the oils, maple syrup, and a little cinnamon! 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!
Could I make this without nuts? Would I need to substitute more oats in place of the nuts?
Hi Izzy, Yes and yes. 🙂
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!