Apple Crisp
Making Apple Crisp is one of my favorite ways to kickstart fall baking.
Tender, juicy apples topped with a gently spiced crumb topping. Perfect! It’s the kind of homemade dessert that tastes like a million bucks but doesn’t take much time and effort.
I love serving this delicious dessert with a big scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream (try Trader Joe’s French Vanilla Ice Cream) and a dollop of whipped cream. For a bit of extra goodness, you can also drizzle it with some caramel sauce.
As you probably know, I was born in Germany. And while I was lucky to grow up with lots of delicious homemade desserts such as ‘Streuselkuchen‘ (German Crumble), Käsekuchen (German Cheesecake), and ‘Bienenstich’ (Bee Sting Cake), Apple Crisp wasn’t one of them.
However, it didn’t take long to fall in love with this delicious dessert. It was my apple dessert-loving husband who first introduced me to it.
And while other apple crisp recipes don’t use oats, they are essential to give it that bit of extra texture.
Apple Crisp Lasagna Recipe Highlights
- QUICK & EASY – Most items are already in your pantry or a quick store visit away.
- KID-FRIENDLY – A recipe the little ones will love and can even help with.
- COMFORTING AND COZY – Perfect for those cool evenings or just when you need some good old comfort.
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
APPLES – The main star that brings juiciness and natural sweetness. Not a fan of Granny Smith Apples? No problem. Try other baking apples such as Braeburn, Empire, Honey Crisp, Northern Spy, or Pink Lady apples instead. A combination of any of these will be delicious, too.
LEMON – Adds a zesty kick and helps in preserving apple color. We’ll use both juice and zest.
DRIED CHERRIES – Offers a tart contrast to the sweet apples.
OATS – Creates the crunchy texture for the topping.
BROWN SUGAR – Enhances sweetness and caramelizes during baking.
BUTTER – Gives richness and helps in browning the topping.
CINNAMON & NUTMEG – Spices that add warmth and aroma.
How To Make An Apple Crisp
Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Prepare your baking dish and preheat the oven.
- Toss apple slices with lemon juice, zest, and dried cherries in the dish.
- Prepare the oatmeal crumble by mixing the dry ingredients and incorporating the butter.
- Spread the crumble on top of the apples and bake until golden brown.
Leftovers
STORE – Seal in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
FREEZE – Place in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to a month.
REHEAT – Warm in an oven at 325° Fahrenheit until heated through.
Tips and Tricks
- Apples ripen up to 10 times faster if you store them at room temperature. To keep them fresh and crisp, store them in the fridge.
- Instead of dried cherries, you can use cranberries or raisins instead. Omitting any of these works, too!
- And if you like an extra bit of crunch, toss in a few walnuts or pecans.
- Pressed for time? You don’t have to peel the apples! 😉
Serving Suggestions
VANILLA ICE CREAM – Compliments the warm apple mixture.
CARAMEL DRIZZLE – Adds extra sweetness and a gourmet touch.
WHIPPED CREAM – A fluffy companion for your crisp.
NUTS – Almonds or pecans for an added crunch.
More Easy Fall Desserts
Apple Spice Dump Cake – An autumn-inspired, flavorful, simple dessert.
Apple Cake – Delicious, easy-to-make apple cake with cinnamon.
German Apple Cake – Your family will love this classic German apple dessert.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars – Rich, soft, fruity, and crumbly.
Zucchini Bread – Moist zucchini bread with dried cherries.
Banana Nute Bread – Moist banana bread recipe with a bit of crunch.
Apple Crisp
Ingredients
Prep
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 6 tablespoons butter unsalted, softened, cubed
- ½ cup oats quick cooking
Apple Filling
- 1 small lemon zest + juice
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 6 medium apples Granny Smith, sliced
- ½ cup flour
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Spray an 8×8 glass baking dish with baking spray. Peel, core, and slice the apples. Zest and juice lemon juice.
Apple Mixture
- Place apple slices into a pre-greased baking dish. Drizzle with lemon juice and lemon zest. Sprinkle with dried cherries. Set aside.
Making The Oatmeal Crumble
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Cut in softened, diced butter. Use a fork (or your hands) and combine until the butter is fully incorporated. Add in oats and combine well. Sprinkle crisp topping over the apple mixture.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm (and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!).
Notes
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett is the founder and food blogger of Cheerful Cook, a popular recipe website featuring comfort food recipes from the US and Germany. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the AP Wire and MSN.
Will try it ….
Thank you
Bruno
Can you use apple pie filling instead of apples?
Yes, you can use apple pie filling instead of fresh apples, but the texture will be softer and much sweeter. Since pie filling is already cooked and sugary, skip the brown sugar and cinnamon in the apple layer and go lighter on the topping if you don’t want it overly sweet. It’s a shortcut that works, but the fresh apple version will have more texture and balance.