Fruit crisps are essentially a streusel topped pie without a bottom crust. They’re easy to throw together and you can use almost any fruit that’s in season. Right now it’s apple season, and the perfect time to make a perfect apple crisp.
The secret to a perfect apple crisp is to use great apples. You want to use a combination of sweet and tart apples. Choose apples that stay firm and crisp like a sweet Rome Beauty or a tart Granny Smith, and combine it with a tart Jonathan or a sweet Honey Crisp that will break down a bit when baked.
If you’re unsure what apples to use, buy several varieties and use them all to get a great mix of flavors and textures. The U.S. Apple Association has a nice Apple Variety Guide with pictures of the apples and their uses.
If possible, stop by a local farmers market and buy fresh, locally grown apples that were picked when ripe. The downtown SLC Farmers market is open this weekend, so if you’re in the area, stop by and pick up some great Utah apples.
Of course, once you’ve chosen great apples you’ll need you need a crisp, delicious streusel top. I added sliced almonds, but you can substitute your favorite nut, or omit them if you’re not a nut lover. I like the added texture that oatmeal gives the topping, but if you don’t, omit that as well.
However you like your topping, the apples are the star of the show. If you’ve got great apples, you’ll have a great apple crisp. A hot, homemade apple crisp is the perfect fall dessert, especially topped with a rich creamy vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
- 6 cups apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- (6 - 8 apples – use a combination of sweet and tart baking apples)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup butter, melted butter
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375º. Spray an 9x9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl or plastic zipper bag, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add apples and lemon juice and toss to coat. Put in prepared baking dish.
- In a large bowl combine brown sugar, flour, oats, almonds, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add melted butter and mix with a fork or your hands until mixture resembles crumbly wet sand. Sprinkle mixture evenly on top of apples.
- Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until apples are tender and topping is golden brown about 45 – 55 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve warm from the oven topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.
More apple recipes you’ll love:
Apple Cranberry Streusel Pie, Barbara Bakes
Pressure Cooker Applesauce, Pressure Cooking Today
Blueberry Apple Mini Pies, Barbara Bakes
Apple Oven Pancake with Apple Cider Syrup, Completely Delicious
Apple Fig Bread, Mountain Mama
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I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
I think this is the ultimate comfort food for me. Sweet, occasionally tart and creamy with the ice cream. What more could you want in a dessert?
I love a good apple crisp…this sounds nice with the almonds. We don’t have local apples here in Florida, so I look for Michigan apples. Now citrus and strawberries we can get those local in season of course.
I think I might trade great apples for fantastic citrus and strawberries, especially if you throw in some Florida sunshine.
In Switzerland, we can buy Boskoop apples (tart, sweet, juicy and flavorful) and they are fantastic for baking, cooking or eating raw…
This crisp looks amazing!
Cheers,
Rosa
Thanks Rosa – one day I’d love to try a Boskoop apple.
I totally agree, the apples are the star. Mmmm I love baked apples.
Apple crisp is one of my favorite things. Love these photos and this recipe!
And I just happen to have a pint of vanilla ice cream sitting in the fridge–you’re a kitchen fairy, Barbara! (Kind of like the one that magically shows up when I visit my parents’ house–done dishes and food in front of me without lifting a finger? I think I can deal!) You’ve got one lucky family!
I love apple crisp…well anything made from apples really. I expecially like that you have a crunchy streusel top. Yum…
Mmmmnn! I have been doing a lot of apple baking this fall. This look perfect.
I have a bunch of apples waiting for their debut, this just may be the ticket. Thanks for a perfectly fall recipe. Yum!
i like your idea of using a variety of apples to get a variety of flavors in the crisp. that is brilliant! Love a good apple crisp and yours looks like perfection
A perfect fall dessert, Barbara.
I adore fruit crisps as the fruit remains the focus of the dessert. The combination of apples with the crispy sweet topping just screams fall to me, an irresistible treat!
For some reason I’m a little weird and don’t like ice cream with my cakes. But apple crisp, that’s another story. I think we had an early cold snap and that affected the apple crop here in WI which is really sad because I’m finally back in the midwest where you can get fresh local apples. I guess there’s always next year. Meanwhile, I’ll be thankful we have grocery stores.
Ooh I’ve never heard of a crisp but sounds like my sort of dessert!
Looks yummy! Apple Crisp is one of my family’s faves. Always with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, too.
~Judy
What do you do with fall apples? Make an apple crisp! This looks great!
Lovely, Barbara! I can’t get enough of the apples right now. I’m having a dinner party Wednesday and I think a crisp is in order!
I really want an apple crisp.
I absolutely adore apple crisp.. its such an early winter dessert… warm and toasty and then with a scoop of ice-cream.. ideal comfort food dessert for me!!
I’ve been thinking about making an apple crisp all weekend, I guess your post is the little “push” I needed, thanks!!
Bonjour Barbara, je suis conquise, tu n’as pas oublié de mettre la crème glacée qui l’accompagne
c’est une délicieuse recette croustillante et fruitée
Bonne journée
Valérie.
That really does look like the perfect apple crisp! Great idea to use a combination of sweet and tart apples for the right balance of flavors.
there is nothing better this time of year than a gorgeous apple crisp like this, delicious!
Apple crisp is the perfect fall comfort dessert…yours looks perfect Barbara! I agreee with using 2 different kinds of apples in a crisp-it really does make a over the top crisp.
If I could only have one dessert on a desert island it would be apple crisp with a little extra oatmeal. Man, the perfect all-in-one food. Thanks for the apple tips too!
Golly, I loooove apple crisp!
We are so fortunate to have wonderful local apples here in Virginia! My favorite is the Stayman apple – crisp, tart and a great keeper !!! Perfect for your apple crisp recipe here
Warm from the oven and simply sublime!
Can I have dessert now, please? That looks amazing! This has to be the perfect fall treat.
P U R E
P e r f e c t i o n
Love apple crisp. My favorite apples are pink lady – always crisp and tart!
This looks delicious. I never thought much about the apples but you make great points. Thanks for the recipe, I’ve got company this weekend I’ll make it.
Your apple crisp is beautiful! Crisps have all of the lovely benefits of an apple pie without having to make pie crust.
I have seen crisp recipes without oatmeal and just cannot imagine. Oatmeal makes the crisp like oatmeal makes the granola for heavens sake. I also tend to cook mine for almost 2 hours to get the sauce thick and caramelized. Your recipe looks wonderful and I agree, mix up the apples for wonderfulness of flavor. Now how about the secret to your amazing photos? I want to lick the screen.
I absolutely love apple crisp, and this looks so perfect. So does that basket of apples!!
Great tips! I think I’m gonna have to head to the market this weekend and pick up some more local apples. Harmon’s actually sell bags of local Galas so I’ve been enjoying those too. Love a good apple crisp!
This is one dessert that stands the test of time! Perfectly delicious.
Thanks for the information on what apple to use to make the perfect crisp! I’m going to give this a try. It’s so perfect for Fall and the cooling temperature. I saw the baking dish you used (the same one I won a few weeks ago! ) hehe…I just used mine to baked some BBQ pork last week. I’m moving onto making this Apple Crisp next. Thank you so much again.
Thanks Amy! So glad you’re enjoying the dishes too.