Easy Homemade Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp has to be one of my favorite desserts.  This easy Apple Crisp recipe encompasses the entire feeling of Fall in a single bite. The flavor of the tender, warm cinnamon apples, mixed with the crunch from the sweet oat mixture and a topping of homemade whipped cream. I mean, it doesn’t get any better.  This is an easy Apple Crisp recipe that is appropriate for whatever gathering your hosting this Fall.   

I have tried many different Apple Crisp recipes, and they either don’t have the right balance of flavors, and the results are bland, the oat crumb topping is soggy, or there isn’t enough topping, which is a travesty.  But I believe this Easy Homemade Apple Crisp recipe is the perfect amount of everything, flavor, texture, and balance, plus some tips to make this easy dessert even easier to bake. This dish serves a lot, so one batch will sure feed a crowd. 

Helpful Tools For Your Apple Crisp

• Le Creuset 9×12 baking and serving dish– Stoneware is such a versaital material to bake and cook with. It washes easily and looks beautiful when serving,

Apple Picking Season

Apple picking is such a fun activity, and even though we live in the city, we have many farms and orchards nearby. If you can support your local growers, go for it! Usually, we do our apple picking in New Jersey because it is 15 minutes right over the bridge, but there are farm spots not far right here in PA’s suburbs. We love getting together with family and friends to be outside and embrace the season. It is also a great opportunity to pick up your pumpkins for your Fall décor. I tend to do a lot with apples during this time, like my Homemade Crockpot Apple Cider, so we get a whole bunch at once. If they are kept in a cool, dry, dark place, they should last for a couple of weeks.

The Best Apples for Apple Crisp

Mixing a variety of apples, in my opinion, yields the best results. With that in mind, I tend to choose apples with the same characteristics. Sweet and tart apples that are tender bake the best.  My variety from apple picking includes Fuji, Empire, Gala, and Winesap. Granny Smith and Honeycrisp also are great choices.

Easy Homemade Apple Crisp

• First, prep your baking dish with an even coating of butter and set it aside. 
• Next, you want to prepare your oat crumb topping mixture, cover, and pop this into the refrigerator. Keeping the butter cold will prevent the topping from spreading too much in the oven, fixing the soggy topping issue.
• In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling, and then you can set that aside.
• The most time-consuming part is the peeling and cutting of apples.  I quickly found a delicious and easy use for all the apple scrapes. Check out my Apple Tea recipe.
• I love the apples thinly sliced, about 1/8” thick. The Apple Crisp bakes faster, and the thin slices melt in your mouth. Once they are all sliced, I splash them with some fresh lemon juice, and add the filling and gently toss to ensure even coverage.

• Fill your prepared baking dish with the apples and sprinkle the topping across the whole surface, leaving nothing exposed.  You might think you cannot fit anymore, but I promise you will find space…it’s too good to waste.  Into the oven, it goes.

As the Apple Crisp is working on getting a beautiful golden tan, you can make up an easy homemade whipped cream topping.  

After about 40 minutes, check to see if the apples are tender by inserting a knife.  Remove from the oven and let stand for 10-15 minutes before scooping into and devouring this delicious easy Apple Crisp.

Tips and Tricks for this recipe:

You can make the oat topping in advance, even the night before. Since the butter should be super cold anyway, it’s not only a time-saver but it makes the topping even better.

Adding a splash of fresh lemon juice not only stops the apples from browning, but it also adds a layer of brightness.

If you do not finish the entire Apple Crisp in one sitting, it will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.  Reheat by placing in the oven or toaster oven to keep the topping crisp.

If this recipe makes too much, adjust by cutting all the ingredients by half and bake in an 8×8 baking dish, the apple crisp should be checked after 25-30 minutes.