The Best Apple Crisp is exactly that, the best, made with double the crisp and filled with spiced apples for the perfect Fall and holiday dessert! Everyone will be asking you for the recipe, for sure! I also have an Apple Dump Cake you can throw together if you find yourself short on time.
The Best Apple Crisp
Are you looking for the BEST Apple Crisp Recipe? One that is full of flavor and perfected over time to be a NO-FAIL recipe? This is it. My secret? DOUBLE the crisp! If you are anything like me, you always think your recipe is the best. I was convinced that the apple crisp I have been making for the last couple of years couldn’t be beaten, but was I ever wrong. I tried this recipe last fall and have made it at least 15 times since. It is perfect every single time!
Ingredients
Apples: It is important to use tart apples in order to get that tang that contrasts well with the buttery topping in an apple crisp. I love using Granny Smith apples because they are crisp, sour, and hold their shape well when baked. You could also try Braeburn, Honeycrisp, or a combination of apples.
Sugar: Most recipes call for all granulated sugar or half granulated and half brown sugar. While these recipes are sweet, they lack the depth of flavor that all brown sugar adds. And after you try this apple crisp, you will definitely understand what I mean. I used light brown sugar, but you can definitely use dark brown sugar as well.
Oats: Look for quick oats to use in the crisp. You could also get away with rolled oats for even more texture.
Butter: I opted for Challenge® butter to use in this recipe. Challenge Butter is made the old-fashioned way, churned fresh daily from the freshest milk and cream from happy cows at family-owned dairies since 1911.
How to Make Homemade Brown Sugar
This recipe uses lots of brown sugar, so if you don’t have any (or enough) on hand, make your own. For light brown sugar add 1-2 tablespoons of molasses to 1 cup of granulated sugar. For dark brown sugar add 3-4 tablespoons to 1 cup of granulated sugar. I like to mix up a big batch in my food processor but you can also mix by hand if you prefer.
Baking the Oat Mixture
One thing that makes this recipe unique is that the oat mixture is used on the top AND the bottom. The amazing thing about this layer is that it changes depending on how long you bake the crisp.
- If you bake at 375°F for 35 minutes, the bottom oat mixture will be slightly caramelized and gooey while the top will be perfectly crispy deliciousness.
- If you bake at 375°F for 45 minutes, the bottom oat mixture will be crispy throughout. The top will be darker, but if you prefer a less dark crispy top you can add a foil tent to the crisp after 35 minutes.
Can I Use a Different Size Pan?
You can. This recipe can be cut in half and made in either a 9×9-inch or 8×8-inch baking dish.
Can I Make this into an Apple Crumble?
Yes! Just add nuts! 🙂 Years ago there was a more notable distinction between Crisps and Crumbles. Usually, crumbles did not include oats; it was a wonderful mixture of flour, sugar, butter, and sometimes even nuts like walnuts or pecans. Today, the lines are very blurry between crisps and crumbles, and the names are actually used interchangeably. However, you could simply add nuts to this recipe and call it the Best Apple Crumble and no one would be the wiser.
How to Store Apple Crisp
Apple crisp is best when it is served warm and then allowed to completely cool to room temperature. After it is cool and you want to store leftovers, cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you want the crisp tp remain crispy when reheating, place individual-sized portions into the air fryer or oven for about 10 minutes.
More Apple Treats
Apple Crisp
Ingredients
Apple Mixture
- 10 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (about 10 cups)
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Crisp Mixture
- 2 cups (180 g) quick oats
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) Challenge® butter, cold, cubed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or coating with butter.
Apple Mixture
- Place sliced apples in a bowl. Add brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Stir gently and make sure every piece of apple is covered in the sugar mixture. Set aside.
Crisp Mixture
- In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Add the cubed butter. Using your hands or a fork, mix the butter into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are pea-sized or smaller.
Assembly
- Spread 3 cups of the crisp over the bottom of your prepared pan and press flat. Pour the apple mixture over top and press down with a rubber spatula. Pour the remaining crisp mixture over the tops of the apples.
- Bake, uncovered for 35-45 minutes. The apple crisp is done when the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- If you bake at 375°F for 35 minutes, the bottom oat mixture will be slightly caramelized and gooey while the top will be perfect crispy deliciousness.
- If you bake at 375°F for 45 minutes, the bottom oat mixture will be crispy throughout. The top will be darker, but if you prefer a less dark crispy top you can add a foil tent to the crisp after 35 minutes.
Did you make this recipe?
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Amanda Apple Crisp is one of my all time favorite fall dessert. I have looked far and wide to find a truly exceptional apple crisp recipe and my search is over. Made your recipe this afternoon and it the best I have ever tasted. The crumble topping is DELICIOUS!. Should have left it in the oven a tad bit longer bc my apples r still a bit crunchy but my mistake nothing to do with the recipe. I stumbled upon your site a few months ago and have not been disappointed with any of the recipes I have tried.
on your Apple Crisp it shows a sauce over the ice cream and crisp, what did you use for the sauce?
Hi
Can I make this recipe to be served the next day?
You could refrigerate, but I do think this is best served when it’s made. The texture of the apples as well as the crisp will change.
Do the oats for the Apple Crisp have to be quick cooking?
This recipe sounds great! I have not tried it yet, but, I already know it’s going to be wonderful. I do have 2 questions if you have time. First, I use 2 different types of cinnamon, Ceylon Cinnamon or True Cinnamon as it is also called, which is very fragrant, full flavored, but, milder, and then there’s Vietnamese Cinnamon or Saigon Cinnamon which is also very pungent, full flavored, but much sharper and spicier, the stuff that Atomic Fire Balls and Cinnabon Cinnamin Rolls are made of. The question, which would you use? The second question is this, I think chopped toasted pecans would be a great addition to the crisp mixture, have you ever tried it, and if not what is your opinion about it? Thanks for your time!
I love McCormick’s Siagon Cinnamon. 🙂 Chopped pecans would be lovely!
ohhh I have walnuts i need to use up!!!
I make apple crisp at least once a week during the fall months, and have for years. It’s always been very good! A week ago, for a change, I decided to try this recipe. I didn’t put the bottom layer of crisp, just made it traditionally with it all on top…. But it was hands down the best apple crisp I’ve ever had. I’ve made it three times since then and I will be using this recipe from now on. Everyone who’s tried it agrees!
Love that Kristina!!!! <3 Thank you for letting me know!
I’ve never seen apple crisp that has a bottom! My dad makes apple crisp every week during apple season lol. I like to find recipes that beat his and my family votes! Lol. I’m curious about the bottom.. does it taste like the topping? We LOVE the topping on apple crisp, we usually double that part because we want so much on top.
Thanks!
Jenny
One of the best apple crisps I have had. So flavorful. I used Crab Applies which worked great
Love that!
I don’t know what I did wrong, as I believe I followed the recipe to a T. Like others I never had a crisp with a crust on the bottom. Hmm bottom crust is quite gooey. I am trying to deconstruct and cook again. Not sure if I will have any luck. It looked all so promising.
You may just need to bake the bottom layer a bit longer… 🙂
This Apple crisp is a wonderful recipe. I have been making the best apple crisp for 50 years Now I find yours is the best. Thank you very much, I say better late than never.
So glad you liked it!!