This Simple Apple Crisp Will Be Your New Favorite Dessert

A Simple Dinner Story

The smell of this apple crisp baking is the official scent of my childhood home in the fall. My mom would make it whenever we had extra apples. It’s so much easier than making a full pie but gives you all that same warm, gooey, spiced-apple-and-crispy-topping goodness. It’s my ultimate comfort dessert.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easier Than Pie: All the flavor of apple pie with half the work. No fussy crust!
• The Perfect Topping: The oat streusel is buttery, crunchy, and absolutely addictive.
• Warm & Comforting: The perfect dessert for a chilly evening.
• Simple Ingredients: You probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry right now.
• Crowd-Pleaser: No one can resist a warm, bubbly apple crisp.

Ingredients

• For the Filling:
  • 6 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp are great)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• For the Topping:
  • 1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with the granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, and lemon juice until evenly coated.
3. Pour the apple mixture into an 8×8-inch or 9-inch baking dish in an even layer.
4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
5. Add the cold butter cubes to the oat mixture. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the dry ingredients until it forms a coarse, crumbly texture (like wet sand with some pea-sized clumps).
6. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples.
7. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges.
8. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Tips

The secret to a crisp topping is using cold butter and not overmixing it. Serve this warm with a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream to let it melt over the top (just like in the picture!).