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I’ve made this apple crisp more times than I can count, and it’s still my go to fall dessert. I tested it with cornstarch instead of flour to keep the filling from turning watery, and cold cubed butter in the topping so it bakes up crisp instead of melting flat. It works with any of five apple varieties, and I’ll walk you through exactly how bake time shifts depending on your pan size.

I made the recipe this past weekend for a family get together. This recipe is easy to make and tastes great. It’s now my new go to apple crisp recipe! My family thinks it’s the best!!

-Roxie

apple crisp on a plate drizzled with caramel sauce with a scoop of ice cream and a spoon beside it and fresh apples, fall leaves and an orange towel around it
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This Apple Crisp Recipe with Oats Screams Fall!

I’ve made this apple crisp more times than I can count, and it’s still the one I reach for every fall. I tested it across several different apple varieties, Granny Smith, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Pink Lady all work, but I landed on this exact ratio of brown sugar, cornstarch, and spice after adjusting the filling until it hit the right balance of sweet and tart without turning watery.

The topping took its own round of testing too. I wanted something that stayed crisp and held its shape instead of melting into the fruit, which is why this one leans on old fashioned oats over a flour heavy streusel, and why I cut the butter in cold instead of melted. Bake time isn’t one size fits all here either, I’ve made this in everything from an 8×8 to an oval 7×11, and I tell you exactly how that changes your timing so you don’t end up guessing.

This isn’t just a basic apple crisp recipe, it’s the one I make when I want it to actually taste like fall, not just look like it. If you’ve ever ended up with a soggy topping or bland filling from another recipe, this is built to fix both of those problems.

close up of a white baking pan full of apple crisp with a spoon in it and some of the crisp missing with a dark orange towel and whole green apple beside the dish

What is the difference between apple crisp and apple crumble?

The main difference between an apple crisp and apple crumble is the ingredients in the topping. In a crisp, the topping normally includes oats and sometimes nuts. In an apple crumble, the topping is more like a streusel where the topping is made with flour, sugar, and butter.

a white baking dish full of apple crisp with a spoon and scoop of vanilla ice cream in it, a green apple, fall leaves and dark orange towel beside it

Apple Crisp with Oats Ingredients

This classic apple crisp is made with tender cinnamon apples and an irresistible crumble topping. Follow my easy steps below and this will become one of your favorite apple desserts! Keep reading for the full recipe with measurements and ingredients in the recipe card below.

Apple Filling

  • Apples: I recommend Granny Smith, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady 
  • Brown sugar
  • Cornstarch
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg

Topping

  • Od fashioned rolled oats
  • All-purpose flour
  • Brown sugar: You can swap the brown sugar for caramel sauce to make caramel apple crisp.
  • Cinnamon
  • Salt
  • Unsalted butter
an assortment of different types of apples on a wood surface

Best Apples for Apple Crisp

There are several apple varieties that make a delicious apple crisp. To make the best apple crisp, I recommend using either Granny Smith apples, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady.

How to Make Apple Crisp Recipe With Oats

This easy apple crisp recipe is ready in just 5 easy steps. Once you try it once, it will be your favorite Fall dessert. Get the full recipe with measurements and ingredients in the recipe card below. 

a clear glass bowl with apple slices in it surrounded by cinnamon sticks, a green apple, a spoon of cinnamon, and orange towel and fall leaves
sliced apples in a white baking dish coated in a cinnamon mixture

Apple Filling

  1. Peel and chop or slice about 7 cups of apples. Cut the apples into 1 inch by 1/2 inch cubes or slice into ½ inch apple slices.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In your baking dish (use can use a 8×8 inch pan, 8 inch round pan, 9×9 inch pan, 9 inch round pan, 7×11 inch pan, basically you can use any dish that is 2 to 2.5 quarts) combine the apples, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss with a spoon or spatula to combine.
ingredients for apple crisp crumble topping in a clear glass bowl on a wood surface, surrounded by a spoon of oats, a spoon of cinnamon, cinnamon sticks, a dark orange towel and whole green apple
a white baking dish full of apples being topped with an oat crumble topping

Topping

  1. In a mixing bowl combine the old fashioned rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and cubed cold butter. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the mixture. Mix until it’s “sandy” in texture, it’s okay if there are pea sized clumps of butter! Use your hands to squeeze the mixture together.
  2. Use your fingers to break the topping into clumps and evenly distribute the topping all over the apples.
a white baking pan full of apple crisp with a little over half of it covered in crumble topping, surrounded by a spoon of oats, spoon of cinnamon, cinnamon sticks, a whole green apple and dark orange kitchen towel
  1. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Check to see if the crisp is bubbling and if the topping is golden. If those two things have not occurred, bake for 10-20 additional minutes. The bake time will depend on what size of pan you used. I baked my crisp for 60 minutes in an oval 7×11 inch pan. Allow the crisp to cool for 10-15 minutes. This allows the juices to thicken, then serve.

How Do You Cut Apples for Apple Crisp?

To cut apples for this recipe, you can either peel and diced them into 1 inch cubes, or peel and slice the apples into ½ inch thick slices, whichever you prefer.

How To Make Apple Crisp Topping

This crumble topping is made by combining old fashioned rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and cubed cold butter using your hands to create a sandy, crumbly mixture. The crumb topping is then distributed evenly over an apple filling and baked until golden brown.

a white baking pan full of freshly baked apple crisp with a spoon in it, fall leaves, cinnamon sticks, and a dark orange towel beside it

How to Serve Apple Crisp with Oats

Serving up a bowl of apple crisp is like giving a warm, cozy hug. This apple recipe is delicious on its own, but it also pairs perfectly served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of my easy whipped cream recipe.. You can also top each individual serving with a drizzle of caramel sauce or chopped nuts.

a white baking pan full of freshly baked apple crisp with a spoon in it and two scoops of vanilla ice cream

How to Store this Apple Crisp Recipe with Oats

To store leftovers, either cover them in the baking dish or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.

I recommend reheating the crisp in a 350ºF oven until warmed through, although the microwave will work in a pinch—the topping just won’t be as crispy.

Can I freeze Apple Crisp?

Yes, you can freeze this crisp recipe. Wrap it well or place it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, let it thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat it according to the instructions above.

What Size Dish to Use for Apple Crisp

You can use any dish that is 2 to 2.5 quarts for this caramel apple crisp. All of these options will work:

  • 8×8 inch pan
  • 8 inch round pan
  • 9×9 inch pan
  • 9 inch round pan
  • 7×11 inch pan
a white baking pan full of apple crisp with a spoon stuck in it surrounded by cinnamon sticks, a dark orange towel, one whole red apple and one whole green apple, and some fall leaves

Homemade Apple Crisp FAQs

Should I cover my apple crisp while baking?

No, you should not cover this recipe while baking it. Leaving it uncovered bakes it to perfect golden brown perfection.

What’s the difference between apple pie and apple crisp?

The main difference between apple pie and apple crisp is the crust vs crumble. In a traditional apple pie, a crust encases the entire pie filling on top, bottom, and side. In a crisp, the filling is topped with a crispy crumble and there is nothing on the bottom or sides.

What is the difference between apple crisp and brown betty?

The main difference between a brown betty and an apple crisp is the use of oatmeal in the crisp topping. Traditionally in a brown betty, flour, brown sugar, and butter make up the crisp topping, while an apple crisp typically contains oats in the topping.

Can I cut apples the night before for apple crisp?

It’s best to cut the apples right before making this recipe so they don’t oxidize and start to turn brown in color. However, if you prefer to slice them ahead of time, add some fresh squeezed lemon juice and toss them in it to help prevent browning.

Can you refrigerate apple crisp before baking?

If you want to refrigerate this recipe ahead of time before baking, I recommend waiting to add the topping until just before cooking. This will ensure it doesn’t get soggy. Baking a cold apple crisp filling may take longer so you may have to adjust bake times accordingly.

More Apple Recipes

apple crisp on a plate drizzled with caramel sauce with a scoop of ice cream and a spoon beside it and fresh apples, fall leaves and an orange towel around it
4.74 from 23 ratings

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Apple Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal

By: Beth
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 10
Pin Rate Print
Tender cinnamon apples topped with a crunchy oat crumble, no pie crust needed. Ready with just 10 minutes of prep.

Video

Equipment

Ingredients

Apple Filling

  • 7 cups (791g) peeled & sliced apples, 6-7 large or 8-10 small apples, I recommend Granny Smith, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady,
  • ½ cup (107g) brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (28g) cornstarch
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg

Topping

  • 1 cup (89g) old fashioned rolled oats
  • ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (107g) brown sugar
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

Instructions 

Apple Filling

  • Peel and chop or slice about 7 cups of apples. Cut the apples into 1 inch by 1/2 inch cubes or slice into ½ inch apple slices.
  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In your baking dish (use can use a 8×8 inch pan, 8 inch round pan, 9×9 inch pan, 9 inch round pan, 7×11 inch pan, basically you can use any dish that is 2 to 2.5 quarts) combine the apples, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss with a spoon or spatula to combine.
    7 cups (791g) peeled & sliced apples, ½ cup (107g) brown sugar, ¼ cup (28g) cornstarch, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg

Topping

  • In a mixing bowl combine the old fashioned rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and cubed cold butter. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the mixture. Mix until it’s “sandy” in texture, it’s okay if there are pea sized clumps of butter! Use your hands to squeeze the mixture together.
    1 cup (89g) old fashioned rolled oats, ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (107g) brown sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp salt, 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
  • Use your fingers to break the topping into clumps and evenly distribute the topping all over the apples.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes. Check to see if the crisp is bubbling and if the topping is golden. If those two things have not occurred, bake for 10-20 additional minutes. The bake time will depend on what size of pan you used. I baked my crisp for 60 minutes in an oval 7×11 inch pan. Allow the crisp to cool for 10-15 minutes. This allows the juices to thicken, then serve.

Last Step: I’d love to hear what you think. Leave a rating and comment here.

Notes

What Size Dish to Use

You can use any dish that is 2 to 2.5 quarts for this caramel apple crisp. All of these options will work:
  • 8×8 inch pan
  • 8 inch round pan
  • 9×9 inch pan
  • 9 inch round pan
  • 7×11 inch pan

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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About Beth

I believe that everyone should have a go-to dessert to bring to parties! With hundreds of recipes, I'll help you find yours!

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17 Comments

    1. Yep! Either cover them in the baking dish or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days. I recommend reheating the crisp in a 350ºF oven until warmed through, although the microwave will work in a pinch—the topping just won’t be as crispy.

  2. Im a pretty good baker but found this Apple crisp recipe quite dry. There’s nothing special about this recipe it’s your typical Apple crisp but not sure why it was so dry, usually a crisp creates its own self made syrup in the base. Perhaps it were my apples but they were fresh gala apples which are quite juicy but it didn’t save this dish. Sorry.

    Reply

  4. I haven’t made this yet but I have made some of your other recipes and bought your book of recipes ❤️Wonderful ❤️❤️Thank you 🍎

    Reply

    1. Recommendation: yes, but know what you’re getting. McIntosh apples are soft and break down a lot when baked, so your crisp will turn out more saucy and jammy than chunky. If you love that texture, go for it as-is. If you want some bite left, mix in a firmer apple like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, half and half, so you get pockets of soft and pockets of structure.