Warm Apple Crisp (Print version)

Baked tender apples topped with a golden, buttery oat crisp, ideal for a comforting dessert.

# What you'll need:

→ Apple Filling

01 - 6 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

→ Crisp Topping

07 - 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
08 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
09 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish thoroughly.
02 - In a large bowl, combine sliced apples with lemon juice, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Toss until apples are evenly coated. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly.
03 - In a separate bowl, mix rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Incorporate the cold cubed butter with fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
04 - Evenly scatter the crisp topping over the apple layer. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the apples are bubbling.
05 - Allow the dish to cool slightly before serving. Serve warm, optionally accompanied by vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in just 15 minutes of prep, yet tastes like you've spent hours in the kitchen
  • The contrast between the soft, spiced apples and the golden, buttery oat topping is absolutely addictive
  • One dish bakes everything together, so cleanup is nearly effortless
  • It's naturally vegetarian and feels elegant enough for guests but humble enough for a weeknight treat
02 -
  • Cold butter is absolutely essential—if your butter is soft or room temperature, your topping will bake into a dense cake rather than crispy clusters. Keep it in the fridge until the last moment
  • Don't skip letting the dish cool for those few minutes before serving. It allows the apple juices to thicken just enough that each spoonful holds together beautifully instead of being soupy
  • If you peel and slice your apples more than an hour ahead, the lemon juice will keep them from browning, but they actually develop better texture if you do everything within 30 minutes of baking
03 -
  • Using a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples creates complexity that a single variety can't achieve alone, but don't stress if you only have one kind
  • The moment you see the filling bubbling at the edges is your signal—that's when you know the apples have released their juices and the topping is perfectly golden, and pulling it out any earlier will leave you with slightly undercooked apples

Go back