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 a lot of 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 '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. In fact, it was my apple dessert-loving husband who first introduced me to it.
And while there are other apple crisp recipes that don't use oats to me they are essential to give it that bit of extra texture.
How To Make Apple Crisp
- Preheat the oven to 375º degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8x8 baking dish with baking spray - set aside.
- Peel, core, and slice apples. Transfer the apple slices to the baking dish. Pour lemon juice and lemon zest over the apples. Top with dried cherries.
Apple Filling
- Place apple slices into a pre-greased baking dish. Drizzle with lemon juice and lemon zest. Sprinkle with dried cherries. Set aside.
Crumble Topping
- 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 at 375º degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes. Use a wooden toothpick to check that the apples are tender. Serve warm.
Tips and Tricks
- 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.
- 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! 😉
Storage
Apple Crisp is a dessert I don't freeze myself because it takes such little time to make a fresh batch.
But if you want to preserve your Apple Crisp you can easily store it in the freezer. To do so allow it to cool completely. Transfer into an airtight glass container and keep it up for 3 months in the freezer.
Defrost it in the microwave or overnight in the fridge. Reheat the apple crisp at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes.
More Easy Desserts
Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies - Quick and easy cheesecake cookies with fresh strawberries.
Cherry Pound Cake - Easy Vintage German Pound Cake
Peanut Butter and Jelly Dessert Bars
Zucchini Bread - Incredibly moist zucchini bread with dried cherries
Banana Nut 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 8x8 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 35 minutes. Serve warm (and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!).
Notes
Nutrition
Hi There, I’m Maike!
A German girl turned American sharing hundreds of easy, homemade comfort food recipes perfect for everyday cooking.