Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

5 from 3 votes

The most simple and perfect old fashioned crisp, easy to make and perfect for fall.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy apple crisp, easy apple crisp recipes, old fashioned apple crisp

Servings:

Calories: 358kcal

Author: Monica Lensink

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat the inside of a 9x9-inch or similarly sized baking dish with cooking spray, then set aside.
Peel and core the apples, then either slice or chop into bite-sized pieces. (I find the perfect thickness is about 1/2".) In a large mixing bowl, combine apples with granulated sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt. Toss to coat, then spread the mixture in an even layer across the bottom of the baking dish.
In the same mixing bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and another pinch of sea salt. Whisk or stir with a fork to blend well.
Cut the butter into small pieces. Using a pastry blender, two forks, or just your hands, cut and press the butter pieces into the oat-flour mixture, working until the entire mixture is crumbly and mostly pea-sized pieces of butter remain.
Spread the topping evenly over the apples, then transfer to the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. The topping should be golden brown and the apples should give way easily when pierced with a fork.
Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce if desired.

Apples: You can sub a different apple variety, if you like, such as Golden Delicious or Fujis. Granny Smiths are reliably tart, which balances the recipe and keeps it from being too sweet overall. If you choose an apple variety known to be more sweet, you might reduce or omit the granulated sugar.
Add Nuts: If you love the flavor and texture of nuts, toss 1/4-1/3 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts into the topping mixture.
Pan Size: This can be made in either an 8x8 or a 9x9 pan, or anything else roughly equivalent. You can also use a round pan. It’s very flexible!
To Make Ahead: Prepare the filling and topping separately, and store each in the fridge overnight. Double the amount of lemon juice in the filling and cover tightly to help minimize browning of the apples. When ready to bake, assemble and bake as directed.
To Freeze / aka To Make WAY Ahead: This can also be baked in full and frozen for up to 3 months! Bake, cool completely, wrap tightly in a double layer of foil, and freeze. When ready, defrost in the fridge overnight, then bake again at 300 degrees F for about 20 minutes to warm through and re-crisp the top. Enjoy!