This easy apple crisp recipe makes me so happy! We top perfectly spiced apples with the most delicious oat crumb topping made with melted butter, flour, and oats. This is absolutely one of my favorite easy desserts to make!
We shared this apple crisp with oats years ago, and it is still one of my favorite apple recipes on our site. The apples are incredibly delicious with the warm spices and hint of orange, and the oat topping is my absolute favorite.
We love making easy desserts! Be sure to check out some of our favorites, like our apple cobbler, cinnamon baked apples, or this easy blueberry crumble.
Key Ingredients
- Apples: I always go for fresh apples when making apple crisp, and I prefer using a mix of two varieties for a more complex flavor (just like I do with apple pie). However, if you have canned apples that you absolutely love, they can be a good substitute for the fresh apple filling.
- Orange: We’ll use orange juice and zest instead of lemon juice for a bright, citrus twist. Trust me, it’s a delicious pairing with the apples and spices!
- Sugar: This simple recipe works perfectly with either granulated or brown sugar. Use whichever one you have on hand or prefer.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Apples and cinnamon are a match made in heaven, so we’ll be using a generous amount. A touch of nutmeg also adds warmth and flavor to the filling.
- Oats: I recommend rolled oats for the best texture in this crisp, but you can also use instant oats if that’s what you have. Avoid using steel-cut oats, as they won’t soften properly during baking.
- Flour and Salt: To create our crisp topping, we’ll combine all-purpose flour with oats and melted butter. You can use an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend if you need a gluten-free option.
- Butter: I usually bake with unsalted butter, but salted butter is fine, too. If you use salted butter, just remember to omit the extra salt from the topping.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make the Best Apple Crisp
Tip 1: Save time by leaving the apples unpeeled. To make the filling, I toss chopped apples with orange juice, orange zest, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I usually leave the apples unpeeled to save time, and I love the extra texture and flavor, especially after a long bake. However, if you prefer softer apples, feel free to peel them.
Tip 2: Use melted butter. We use melted butter for the oat topping, which might surprise you if you’ve seen other apple crisp recipes. Most call for cold or room-temperature butter, but we’ve found that using melted butter creates a more tender topping with a bit of crunch that perfectly complements the soft apples.
Tip 3: Be generous with the oat topping. I’m generous with the amount of oat topping I add to my apple crisp, but I love a high ratio of crisp to apples! I also like to press the topping into clumps before adding it to the apples before baking. After an hour or so in the oven, the crisp is ready. I give it a few minutes to cool on the counter before digging in.
Tip 4: Use the oat topping on other recipes. If you love this recipe, we use the same oat topping for our baked cinnamon apples and this easy blueberry crumble!
More Apple Recipes
- Apple Pie – the best!
- Apple Pie Cupcakes
- Baked Apples
- Cinnamon Apples
Easy Apple Crisp
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
We love this easy apple crisp recipe. Like most baked apple recipes, you’ll want to use flavorful and firm apples. It’s also nice to combine two varieties. We used two baking-friendly apples in our photos (Granny Smith and Braeburn). You could even add a handful of blackberries, raisins, or cranberries. We also found that leaving the apples unpeeled improves the texture and flavor (especially after such a long baking time).
Serve warm or at room temperature. It’s delicious plain, with homemade whipped cream or with ice cream.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
6 medium baking apples, such as Granny Smith (2 ½ to 3 pounds)
1 orange, zested and juiced
¼ cup to ½ cup (50g to 100g) sugar, depending on tartness of apples
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Oat Topping¾ cup (65g) old-fashioned rolled oats
¾ cup (100g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (100g) sugar, option: combine ¼ cup brown sugar + ¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup (115g) butter, melted
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
Directions
1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square (or 2-quart) baking dish and set aside.
2Core apples and cut them into ¾-inch pieces.
3Add the apples to a large bowl with orange zest, orange juice, ¼ cup sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir, then taste. (If your apples are more tart, add more sugar.) Add the apples to the prepared baking dish.
4Make the oat topping. Combine flour, oats, ½ cup (100g) sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until the flour is moistened by the butter and the topping is crumbly.
5Sprinkle the topping over the apple filling. (We like to use our hands to do this. As we sprinkle, we press the crumbles together to create larger clumps of topping.)
6Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the juices are thickened, the apples are tender, and the topping has turned light golden brown. (Cover with aluminum foil if the topping becomes too brown, and continue to bake until the apples are tender.)
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Gluten-free apple crisp: Use you favorite store-bought gluten-free flour blend instead of the all-purpose flour called for above. We are partial to Bob’s Red Mill.
- Use whole wheat flour: Replace the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of whole wheat flour or use white whole wheat flour.
- Reduce the sugar: The sugar needed depends on how tart your apples are. We love the crisp to be slightly tart, so reducing the sugar with the apples and in the topping is an option.
- Storing: You can store leftover apple crisp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Make ahead: You can assemble it completely and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking. Or, you can freeze the unbaked crisp for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We assumed ¼ cup of sugar for the apple filling.
This is the best apple crisp recipie. Love not having to peel the apples!! I did have to double the topping to adequately cover the applef filing. Serve it warm with good vanilla ice cream. MMMMM!
So happy you enjoyed it, Carolyn!
This was my second time making apple crisp, but my first time using this recipe. The orange zest and orange juice is a game changer. Chef’s kiss.
So happy you agree, Steph! Thanks for coming back!
I used Asian Pear sauce and Gravenstein apples. Our guests loved it.Too much!😋
Neighbors shared small apples from their tree..no idea what kind. This recipe worked great.
I made this recipe for the first time tonight but it won’t be the last. It’s delicious! Just the right amount of spice and the orange zest adds a bit of magic. I used a combination of Bramley, Belle de Boskoop and Calville Blanc apples because fortunately there is an orchard of heirloom apples close to me. This meant I added the greater amount of sugar because they are a bit more tart, and stuck to an hour baking because these apples aren’t quite as juicy. Also had to peel the Belle de Boskoop apples because they have russeting on the peel which is a bit too thick to bake up nicely. When I can’t get heirlooms I will use a combination of Granny Smith and Braeburn. It’s apple season now though, so I’m using apples right off the tree. Thanks for an and delicious recipe!
I’ve got it in the oven now, and it’s looking great. I used 5 large apples, green pippins, and it was too much for 8×9 inch pan so I’m baking it in large oval glass cake pan. First time trying it with the orange zest n juice.I did peel apples but cut small so will check on one hour. Thanks!
I have been making your recipe for years. It’s so so good. I usually fiddle and tweak recipes, but not this one, it’s perfect as is. Making one today, refreshing on how to cut the apples from your video, so I thought I’d say thanks again!
Loved the apple crisp. The crisp topping stayed really crispy. We enjoyed the orange taste with the apples too. Sorry couldn’t enclose a photo as there just wasn’t enough left I’m happ to say as it was just too delicious!!!!!!
I made the blue berry muffins today and absolutely delicious do you have other muffin recipes thanks
Total YUM! This is the best apple crisp recipe EVER. I love the fact that I don’t have to peel the apples!!!
Yay! We like not having to peel the apples either 🙂
My go to for the past 3 years now! It’s easy to make and so good. Definitely gotta make this!
So glad you enjoy it!
Hands down this is the best Apple Crisp Recipe that I have ever tasted. The orange zest and orange juice with that zip of Kosher Salt sets this recipe apart from any other I have tried in my humble opinion. I will definitely be sticking to this recipe. I made a mistake and used 1/4 C Granulated Sugar & 1/4 C Brown Sugar mixed in with the apples and it still tasted delicious (sorry for messing it up). Next time I will be sure to read the recipe correctly lol. Thank you for sharing🙂
Can I substitute quick oats for rolled oats?
Yes
I followed the recipe to a T but found the topping to be too wet. Had to add another 4th cup of flour and oats. Still turned out great!
I have developed a recipe of my own which turns out to be very similar to this one. Delicious. I include chopped walnuts in my topping, equivalent to about 1/2 cup for this recipe.
Made the apple crisp with the orange zest and juice. So delicious and I am not a cooked apple fan. Thank you
Made the apple crisp with the orange zest and juice. So delicious and I am not a cooked apple fan.Thank you
Made this with our homegrown apples and it was delicious! Another of your no-fail recipes. Thank you.
This is super easy and delicious! Will recommend your site to friends. Made other crisps, but this is better.
I like softer apples, can I microwave or saute them first, then follow the recipe?
You can. Removing the apple peel will also help them break down a bit more.
I would like more topping. How can I do that?
Simply increase the topping by doubling it.
Guys incredible! Sooo great! Made it today exactly as the recipe!
This is the best apple crisp I have ever had. It was simple to prepare. I served it to company tonight and it was a big hit. I used pink lady apples and slightly less than 1/4 cup of sugar in the apple mixture. Unlike many apple crisps that are too sweet, this one was slightly tart and perfect. The topping was amazing. I will make it again. Thank you.
Hi I really want to make your recipe. But I didn’t have any butter, what else can i substitute? Please I hope you will see my message.
Hi Joy, Try coconut oil instead of the butter.
Hi, I am using this recipe to make my first apple crisp. Is it okay to use an 8×8 baking pan?
Yes, that should be fine.
I’m so happy I came across your site today. I was looking on Pinterest for an easy apple crisp recipe and Voila! There you were. OMG! So easy and so delicious. This is the best apple crisp I have ever had. I can’t thank you enough for coming with this great idea of the melted butter instead of the cold butter, simply genius. I made 2 and froze one. I did not use the orange juice since I didn’t have any and for the topping, I used totally brown sugar for the topping instead of white and brown. After an hour of cooking, I was keeping an eye on it and finally left it in for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Of course I had to taste it. It was perfectly crisp. My husband and I will have it slightly warm with caramel butter pecan praline ice cream. I will certainly continue looking at your recipes. Thanks again.
LOVED! Added some pecans and walnuts to the top or my husband would have had a fit! Huge hit with my bible study group making it again today! Also added a pinch of ground cloves because it makes the house smell so good! Tiny pinch! The tip about leaving it in till the juice was thick was very helpful because my crisp took over 90 minutes! Thanks so much great video!
I followed the recipe to the T. My husband told me it was exceptional. I however prefer it without the orange, and nutmeg. I like to get the Apple and cinnamon flavor. I will make this again, however, to please my husband. We ate it right out of the oven with a dip of ice cream. Yummy!
I’ve never made apple crisp before, so this recipe caught my attention because I’m not a big fan of having to peel apples! Since I used only Granny Smith apples, I used the orange juice. But, I didn’t have a fresh orange, so I took about 2 tablespoons of frozen concentrated orange juice mixed with a little water and it worked! The flavor of the orange was amazing. I actually had both unsalted and salted butter so I didn’t add any salt to the topping since I used the unsalted butter with that and then the regular butter for the mixture. That’s all I had in my frig…just the right amount! I’m taking this to a church function tonight and I have a busy day before that, so I made this in the early afternoon, baked it and let it sit. Before heading to the function I placed it back in the oven just long enough to heat it up. SO DARN GOOD! I am known for my BBQ skills, but this gave me a thumbs up for a dessert recipe! Thank you!
Can you double this recipe?
Yes, just use a larger pan.
I have been making apple crisp for over 50 years by the same recipe and I cam honestly say this was better! Less work with the no peel and the topping was crunchy and delicious. Next time I may add nuts to the topping and cranberries to the fruit.
Citrus Allergies. Can it be omitted if not any suggestions?
Absolutely.
This was incredible! I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. One hour was exactly right for the apples to become perfectly tender. I used 5 Golden delicious and 1 Granny Smith just to mix it up 🙂 I used a quarter cup sugar since I had mostly sweet apples. I might personally add a bit more next time as my orange was rather large and added to the tartness, but it wasn’t too tart and my guests said it was just right. Next time I will also try the crust with all brown sugar as I love brown sugar. But I couldn’t believe how well everything came out. Normally I have to tweak amounts and cook times a lot, but not this time!
Could this be made ahead and frozen? If so, should it be frozen before or after baking?
Hi Barb, While we have not done this ourselves, you should be able to freeze the crisp before and after baking. Wrap it really well and keep in the freeze up to 3 months.
This is fabulous. I think I’d stick to an hour of baking next time. The apples are close to applesauce texture, but still delicious. I wasn’t sure about the peels, but they are a nonissue. I used a Northern Spy/Crimson Crisp mix, with a 1/4c sugar. In the topping I used 1/2 c brown sugar, no white. Salted butter, so no added salt. I also mixed it up in the morning and then baked it when I got home. I will be making this again, for sure!