Easy Apple Crisp

Melissa Bahen

This easy Apple Crisp is the perfect fall dessert. It’s mouthwatering, makes the house smell amazing and is simple to prepare!

I love easy apple desserts, especially during the chilly fall months. I love the combination of flavors and aromas you get when you mix tangy apples with warm, cozy spices.

Pies, cakes, muffins, scones, cobblers, and crumbles are all A-OK in my book. I even like making and eating warm, stewed apples with breakfast or as a side at dinner!

One of the simplest ways to enjoy apples for dessert is in an easy apple crisp, filled with warm, sugar-and-spiced apples, and topped with a buttery streusel topping.

My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Gluten Free Apple Crisp Photo

What Apples Are Best for Baking Apple Crisp?

Wondering which apples are best for baking? I personally love a good sweet-tart apple!

I enjoy eating them fresh, but they also make really good desserts because the tanginess of the apple provides a nice flavor contrast to the sweetness of the sugary topping, cake, or other baked component.

I tend to have Honeycrisp apples on hand all the time because my family likes to eat them fresh and they’re good for baking. They are wonderful in this easy apple crisp.

Super tart Granny Smith apples make another great apple for an easy apple crisp. Any firm, tart apple should work well.

Is Apple Crisp the Same as Apple Crumble?

Apple crisp and apple crumble (and even apple cobbler!) are very similar, and a lot of it comes down to who you ask and where they live.

Crisps and crumbles both involve fruit covered with a streusel-like topping that contains butter, flour, and sugar. The difference lies in the addition of oats.

Traditionally, crisps include oats in the topping mixture, while crumbles do not. But nowadays, the terms “crisp” and “crumble” are mostly interchangeable.

Gluten Free Apple Crisp Picture

How to Make Easy Apple Crisp

  1. Preheat the oven.
  2. Combine the ingredients for the topping and set them aside.
  3. In an oven-proof skillet or dutch oven, cook the apples in butter until they’ve released their juices.
  4. Add the dry ingredients for the filling to the apples and cook for a few more minutes until the liquid has thickened.
  5. Crumble the topping over the filling, pop the whole thing in the oven, and bake until it’s hot and bubbly, very fragrant, and golden on top.
  6. Let the apple crisp cool slightly, and be sure to top individual servings with vanilla ice cream!

How to Store Apple Crisp

Apple crisp is best eaten warm and fresh from the oven, but if you have some leftover, never fear.

Apple crisp is easy to store and reheat. Store leftover, cooled apple crisp covered or in a food storage container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

How to Reheat Apple Crisp

When you’re ready to reheat it, put the apple crisp in an oven-safe baking dish, cover with foil, and heat in a 350°F oven until the apple crisp is hot throughout.

The amount of time this takes will vary depending on the amount of apple crisp you are heating up.

When the apple crisp is fully heated, remove the foil and continue baking the apple crisp for about 5 minutes to crisp up the topping.

If you want to reheat single servings of apple crisp, you can do so in the microwave, but the topping will not be crispy.

Gluten Free Apple Crisp Image

Why is My Apple Crisp Not Crispy?

The mixture of butter, sugar, flour, and oats in the apple crisp topping should ensure a pleasantly crunchy topping.

What are some reasons your apple crisp might not be crispy on top?

  • You baked your apple crisp covered. If you’re baking an apple crisp for the first time (meaning you aren’t reheating it), be sure it is uncovered the entire time. This allows the filling to cook and the topping to get crunchy at the same time.
  • You stored leftover apple crisp covered, which is actually good, but does make the topping soggy. Storing leftover apple crisp in the fridge uncovered would make both the filling and topping dry out, and you don’t want that. Reheating your apple crisp in the oven will re-crisp that soggy topping nicely.
  • You didn’t add enough butter to the topping. Just follow the recipe and your apple crisp should be true to its name!

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Easy Apple Crisp

    8 Servings

Ingredients

For the Topping:
  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
  • 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 cup Butter, melted
For the Filling:
  • 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 6 cups Apples
  • 1 cup Fine Granulated Sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Flour
  • 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine all topping ingredients. Mix with a fork or spoon until well combined; set aside.
  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter for the apple filling. Add the apples and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. While the apples are cooking, combine remaining filling ingredients in a medium bowl and mix to combine.
  5. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the apples, stir, and continue cooking until the liquid in the pan has thickened, 1-2 minutes.
  6. Pour the apple mixture into an 8" square baking dish.
  7. Using a fork, break the topping into chunks, and sprinkle them evenly over the apple filling.
  8. Bake the apple crisp for 35 minutes until the topping is golden brown.
  9. Remove from the oven, cool slightly, and serve topped with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Notes

Note: If you have a 2-quart cast iron skillet or dutch oven, you can cook the apples in it, sprinkle on the topping, and bake without having to switch pans.

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Category:
Apples
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Related Recipes:
Easy Dessert Recipes, Apple Recipes, Fall Recipes, Dessert Recipes
Recipe Yields:
8 servings
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Related Post:
Published:
Author: Melissa Bahen
Recipe Yields: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 8

Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 129
Calories 445

% Daily Value*
25%
Total Fat 16g
50%
  Saturated Fat 10g
8%
Sodium 188mg
24%
Total Carbohydrate 72g
4%
  Dietary Fiber 4g
  Sugars 51g
4%
Protein 2g

* Percent Daily Value are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrition Facts are estimated based on ingredients and data provided by Fat Secret. Please consult a doctor if you have special dietary needs.
Melissa Bahen

About Melissa

Melissa is an author and blogger living with her husband and four kids on a darling hobby farm in western Oregon. Her cookbooks, Farmhouse Weekends and Scandinavian Gatherings, and her blog, Lulu the Baker, celebrate her love for food and modern country life.

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