Old Fashioned Apple Crisp Recipe
This old-fashioned apple crisp is one of my favorite desserts to make. With fresh apples, brown sugar, and oats, it bakes into a comforting treat that smells and tastes incredible. I love serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel for a simple dessert my family enjoys.
Ingredients
For the Crisp Topping:
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup oats
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 stick butter
- ½ cup walnuts
For the Filling:
- 4 granny smith apples
- 4 Fuji apples
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Start making the oat streusel topping by combining flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
- Next, cut in the butter using a pastry knife until the butter is blended into the mixture and is the size of cous cous.
- Fold in the finely chopped nuts using a rubber spatula. Place the mixture in the freezer to keep the butter ice cold.
- Peel, slice in half, core, slice in half again, and thickly slice the apples. They should be about a ½” inch thick.
- Place the apples in a large bowl with the flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, and rum.
- Thoroughly mix the ingredients until they are well combined.
- Transfer the apples to a deep 12”x8”” or regular 13”x9” baking casserole dish. You do not need to grease the dish ahead of time.
- Evenly sprinkle the chilled oat streusel over the top of the apples.
- Pat the streusel down to even it out, and then bake the apple crisp at 350° for 45 to 55 minutes. The top should be lightly browned, and the edges should have some caramelization. In addition, the apples should be tender. You also do not want to cover it with foil so the top can brown up.
- Once it’s done baking, serve a scoop of it with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
Notes
A good tip for making this apple crisp is to chill the oat streusel before baking. When the butter in the topping is cold, it melts slowly in the oven, creating that crisp and golden texture on top while keeping the apples soft and juicy underneath.
Thick streusel topping: I love using a generous layer of oat streusel because it adds extra crunch and flavor to every bite. It is my favorite part of this recipe.
Perfect apple texture: I bake the apples until they are tender but still a little firm. This keeps the filling from turning mushy.
Oven placement: I always bake my apple crisp on the lower middle rack. It helps the topping brown evenly and the apples cook perfectly.
Make ahead tip: When I prep this dessert early, I soak the sliced apples in pineapple juice. This keeps them fresh and prevents them from browning in the fridge.
Best Apples to Use: You can use an assortment of apples to create this apple crisp. Here are my favorites in order of sourness to sweetness: Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Honey Crisp, Golden Delicious, Gala and Fuji.
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 1 hour ahead of time. After baking, cover it in foil and keep it in the oven at low temperatures (200°) until you are ready to serve it.
How to Store: Once cool, cover it and keep it in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. You can freeze this apple crisp by covering it and keeping it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of apple crisp to a small casserole dish and bake it in the oven at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes or until hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 3gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 107mgPotassium: 228mgFiber: 5gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 68IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg