Classic Apple Crisp Recipe with Cinnamon Streusel

This Easy Apple Crisp features a generous, sweet apple filling topped with a brown sugar and oat crumble. Baked until golden and best served warm with cold vanilla ice cream.

I love taking the family apple picking in the fall. We always come home with more apples than we can eat, so I make plenty of apple desserts. This easy apple crisp is one of my go-to recipes: simple to prepare, full of flavor, and always a crowd-pleaser.

The History of Apple Crisp

Apple crisp became popular in the early 20th century in both Europe and the United States. The dessert combines sliced apples with a buttery oat and brown sugar topping that bakes to a crunchy, caramelized finish. It is also commonly known as apple crumble.

How to Make Easy Apple Crisp

This apple crisp is straightforward: prepare the apple filling, make the crumble topping, assemble in a casserole dish, and bake. Serve warm with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients for the filling

These are the ingredients for the apple filling.

Apple Filling:

• Granny Smith apples: Tart and sturdy—great for baking.
• Butter: Melted; unsalted is used here.
• All-purpose flour
• Apple juice: No sugar added keeps the sweetness balanced.
• Lemon juice: Prevents browning and brightens flavor.
• Vanilla extract
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon

Directions

Step One – Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a small casserole dish with nonstick spray or butter.

Step Two – Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Place them in a large bowl.

Step Three – Pour melted butter over the apples and toss to coat.

Step Four – Add the flour, apple juice, lemon juice, vanilla, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Toss until the apples are evenly coated, then transfer them to the prepared casserole dish.

How to Make the Crumble Topping

With the filling ready, make the crumble topping.

Crumble Topping:

• Flour
• Old-fashioned oats
• Brown sugar
• Cornstarch
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Cold butter, cubed — fold in to create a crumbly texture

Directions for the Topping

Step Five – In a bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt.

Add the cold, cubed butter and use clean hands or a pastry cutter to pinch the mixture into coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the apples in the casserole dish.

Step Six – Make sure the apples are spread evenly before adding the topping. Smooth the crumble so it covers the fruit uniformly.

Step Seven – Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender. Let the crisp rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.

Can I Use Other Apples?

Yes. You can use any apple or mix of apples. Granny Smith provide a nice tart contrast to the brown sugar. Other good choices include:

1. Honeycrisp
2. Golden Delicious
3. Rome
4. Fuji

Do I Have to Peel My Apples?

Either way works. Leaving the peel on adds a little more texture because the skins don’t soften as much during baking. If you keep the peel, wash the apples thoroughly to remove the natural wax so the filling coats evenly.

Ways to Elevate This Apple Crisp

Stir finely chopped pecans or walnuts into the crumble topping for added crunch and flavor. Right after baking, drizzle warm caramel sauce over the crisp for extra sweetness. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream makes an excellent finishing touch.

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out—leave a comment below. Share photos using the hashtag #TDOARH to show what you made.