Apple Crisps are a classic, yet they’re often dry or mushy with less than stellar topping. This Easy Apple Crisp is tender, juicy, yet holds its form. You’ll love the ultra crispy topping.
Recently, my nature walks have revealed many families checking off “Christmas photo shoot” on their to-do lists. Some have been all done with it for weeks by now. Others haven’t even started thinking about it and will scramble to gather a quick snapshot the week of Christmas. Possibly with a shiny remote selfie stick.
Our family lies somewhere in between. There are years in the past when, due to utter fear of the dreadful Minnesotan winter, I morphed into an over-achieving mama who rushed everyone out to get our photos done the minute autumn leaves started falling. Because who can smile a real smile when it’s 10F degrees outside?
But after 9 years here, I’ve grown tougher. And also kind of lazy. Some years we caved and did our family photos indoors. Last year, I went the green digital route and printed nothing.
This year, I started thinking that maybe we will just skip the whole thing altogether and nobody will notice.
Because, let’s be honest. Getting a family of five — 3 of whom are active boys — to accomplish a photo shoot with matchy matchy clothes is a little bit nightmarish.
Like, I’d sooooo rather face plant into this apple crisp…
I mean, who wouldn’t rather be sinking teeth into a warm, inviting Easy Apple Crisp?
This Easy Apple Crisp has got it all. Everything you’ve ever wanted in an apple crisp is in this little darling:
- tender, juicy soft apples (nothing mushy nor dry)
- plenty of cinnamon and spices (we’re not shy)
- crispy, thick topping that’s ultra crunchy (you can hear it)
- buttery, appley aroma that fills your entire home (and belly)
In case you’re wondering (though I’m certain you’re not) we did decide to do formal photo shoot soon. But only because my dear friend is hosting a photo fundraiser. She’s a really good friend and it’s for a really great cause.
So yeah, I’ll woman up and handle the crazy once again.
But I’m totally devouring apple crisp afterwards.
You might love this, too:
Easy Apple Crisp
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
Apple Crisps are a classic, yet they’re often dry or mushy with less than stellar topping. This Easy Apple Crisp is tender, juicy, yet holds its form. You’ll love the ultra crispy topping.
Ingredients
- For the Topping:
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp table salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, diced and cold
- 1/4 cup toasted pecans
- For the Filling:
- 2 1/2 lbs firm apples (I use a mixture of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp) sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces
- Zest + Juice of 1 large lemon (a little under 1/4 cup juice)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- Optional: vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Butter a 8×8 baking dish. Preheat oven to 350F with rack on middle position.
- In a bowl, combine all topping ingredients except butter. Stir to combine well. Using a pastry cutter, cut cold butter into the ingredients until mixture is crumbly, resembling wet sand with little clumps of butter still intact. (If your fingers are cool, it’s easier to mix with clean hands.) Cover and chill while you prepare the filling.
- In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients and toss to incorporate. Pour into buttered baking dish. Scatter cold topping evenly over the apples.
- Place baking dish on a large baking sheet. Bake uncovered for 45-60 minutes or just until top is golden brown and edges are bubbling. (Start watching the crisp around 45 minutes, and loosely tent with foil if it still needs more time.) Let cool at least 1-2 hours or until lukewarm to allow filling to thicken.
- Category: dessert
Kitchen Stuff We Love:
All About Apples:
2. Cinnamon Apple Baked Donuts
5. Upside Down Apple French Toast Bake (Make-ahead!)
I love easy baking, and my husband loves any dessert with apples. So this is a WIN for us both. I’ve got all of these ingredients in my pantry so this should be easy to do!
My hubby and kids love all apple-ish desserts too! Hope you guys love it, Ola 😉
Nowdays its so easy to take a christmas shoot even with an ordinary mobile phone. But yes three wild boys might be a problem! Your apple cake…mmmmmm!
LOL, yeah the wild ones might be an issue 😉
This recipe looks amazing. Such a huge fan of Apple crisp. Especially during the fall months!
I know, apple crisp is my fave fall dessert 🙂
SO yummy. I will have to make this for fall. Apple crisp is kind of a must-have! Plus we have apple trees in our yard.
you’re so lucky to have apple trees!! We’re planting one next season.
I’m embarrassed to say I haven’t cooked with apples the whole season so far. I donlove apple crisp and now may just have to look into getting some apples!
This looks absolutely amazing I love apples but I dont have a apple tree so I can’t get them all the time
Victoria, we are so sad we don’t have a tree, we are thinking of putting one in next season 🙂 Thanks for coming over!
I am actually obsessed with apples and cinnamon. I need to try this recipe. It is right up my alley!
I know – apples and cinna are besties. 🙂
Yum! Apple crumble has been a fave since childhood, must make one again soon
I never had this much as a kid, but now it’s a staple 🙂 Enjoy!
I really love this recipe. I love apples and its perfect for my craving. I will definitely try to make this easy apple crisp. Glad you shared this.
I know, I’ve been an apple fanatic since forever. Such a fall treat.
What a yummy looking apple crisp! I want to tuck right in.
Glad you like it, Kate! Happy fall 🙂
That easy juicy apple crisp looks so yummy!! I think I need to make this apple crisp for my kids. They definitely love this kind of recipe.
My kiddos all love it, too! 🙂
I love a good apple crisp. I would love to try your recipe and see if how it turns out.
Hope you love it as much as we do, Keisha! 🙂
Ooh interesting, I think this is the same as what we have in the UK called Apple Crumble? The ingredients look similar so it must be! I love this kind of dessert in winter too, its so comforting and I’ve even made it with a few different fruit combinations too. Hope you enjoy the shoot when it happens!
Yes, it is sometimes called a crumble as well. You can’t go wrong with deliciously fresh fruit pies that don’t involve rolling dough 🙂 Thanks for being here today!
I love discovering recipes that my oldest (12) and my youngest (2) can all help out fit. This looks like a good mix for everyone, My oldest can cut the apples, while the three girls can gather the rest. Hopefully this weekend will be able to get to the apple orchard and pick our own apples and try this out.
Oh, this is the BEST stuff for kids to help with! My youngest, now 8, still loves to help me bake. The apple orchards are awesome right now – perfect for apple-y treats 🙂
Christmas photos, you ARE game! I have two boys and just getting them to do a 5 minute photo with Santa… Insane. But I do it every year too! I will have to face plant in this Apple crisp afterwards too. YUM! Pinning this for THE DAY.
Right?! Boy mamas, the struggle is real 😉 I’ll say, at least it does get easier (a little) when they’re older. But I still need a big ala mode afterward!
I think this is exactly how my wife does her apple “pie”. So they are called “apple crisps” if the end product looks this way. Anyhow it is called, this dessert is delicious!
Haha, that is funny! If the pie doesn’t look so neat, it’s called a crisp – first time I’ve heard that, but I’m gonna use it in the future 😉
Wow! Apple simple baking recipe, looks so delicious tempting, gonna check it out to try myself to bake and enjoy it 😉 cheers, siennylovesdrawing
So happy you like it, Sienny!
I’m all about easy recipes and this apple crisp looks delightful! I’ve got to give it a try.
Thanks, Danasia – hope you love it!
I don`t think I`ve ever tasted an apple crisp. I usually just eat raw apples or drink apple smoothies. I think this will be interesting to try.
❀ Grace ❀
Can’t wait for you to try it 🙂
Apple Crisps is one of my favorites. The kids actually just made one in the cooking class we’re doing for our homeschool. YUM!
This looks easy to make and I’ll most definitely try them out because I love a good Apple dish anytime!