Name: Easy Apple Crisp with Oatmeal Topping
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 5-6 medium size apples; 3 tablespoons sugar; 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon; 1 ⅓ cups flour; 1 ⅓ cups brown sugar; ½ teaspoon cinnamon; 1 cup pecans (chopped); ¾ cup quick cooking oats; ½ cup butter

This Apple Crisp with Oatmeal Topping is made with gooey cinnamon sugar apples topped with a crumbly brown sugar oatmeal topping and baked in the oven until the apples are juicy and the topping is crispy. It’s a classic old-fashioned dessert that’s perfect any time of the year.

A bowl of apple crisp with oatmeal topping, topped with two scoops of vanilla ice cream, with a spoon resting in the bowl. The dessert sits on a light gray surface with a cloth napkin nearby.

Homemade Apple Crisp Without the Fuss of a Pie

This apple crisp recipe is the perfect simple dessert for those days when you want the taste of an apple pie but don’t actually want to put in the effort to make one. It comes together in under 20 minutes and has all the same cinnamon sugary apples as apple pie, but with a crispy crumble topping on top.

What really made this version work is mixing some of the streusel topping into the apple filling before baking, which thickens the filling just enough and gives you flavor in every bite. I also tested this with peeled vs. unpeeled apples. It works both ways.

Once the crisp comes out of the oven, you can serve it warm or let it cool to room temperature and add a big old scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you want to get super fancy, you can even add a drizzle of easy to make caramel sauce on top.

From gooey cinnamon-spiced crisps to syrupy baked apples with golden skins, these apple recipes celebrate everything warm, cozy, and just a little bit nostalgic about cooking with apples. If you want something even simpler, try soft and tender baked apples made in the slow cooker.

Ingredient Notes

These are just three of the main ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Make sure to check the recipe card for the full list.

A top-down view of baking ingredients for an oatmeal apple crisp, featuring apples, flour, butter, pecans, cinnamon, sugar, and a container of Quaker oats arranged on a gray countertop.

Apples: I suggest using your favorites. Adjust the cooking time so that the apples are soft. Most people suggest Granny Smith apples because of their tartness, but I prefer a Fuji or a mixture of apples.
Pecans: Pecan halves add flavor and a nice crunch.
Oats: Use quick-cooking oats, not old-fashioned. Old-fashioned oats will still work, but the topping will be chewier and less crisp.

Let’s Build This Crisp from the Bottom Up

Step One: Prep the Apples

How to cut apples for apple crisp: To cut the apples for a crisp, first peel them, unless you want to leave the peelings on; this is a personal preference. You can use an apple slicer that cores the apple and slices it into sections, or cut the apple in half, remove the core, and then slice into ¼ inch slices.

Sliced apples in a glass mixing bowl topped with cinnamon and sugar, ready to become a delicious apple crisp with oatmeal topping, placed on a gray countertop. — Mix the apples with cinnamon and sugar so they’re evenly coated.

Step Two: Make the Crisp Topping

Butter: Make sure your butter is softened, not melted. You can soften butter quickly if you forgot to let it sit out.

A glass bowl containing flour, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon, with a metal whisk resting on top—ingredients ready for mixing the perfect apple crisp with oatmeal on a gray countertop. — Combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.

A glass mixing bowl containing flour, oats, and chopped pecans, ready for an Apple Crisp with Oatmeal Topping, with a metal whisk resting inside sits on a gray countertop. — Add the pecans and oats.

A glass bowl filled with a crumbly mixture of flour, sugar, and oats sits on a gray textured surface—perfect for making an oatmeal apple crisp or classic Apple Crisp with Oatmeal Topping. — Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work in the softened butter until you get a crumbly texture.

Step Three: Mix and Spread

A glass mixing bowl filled with sliced apples coated in a crumbly brown sugar and cinnamon mixture, perfect for making a classic apple crisp with oatmeal topping, sits on a light gray countertop. — Mix a bit of the topping into the apple filling.

An oval white baking dish filled with oatmeal apple crisp, topped with a generous layer of crumbly, golden-brown streusel, sits on a gray textured surface. — Spread the apples in a greased pan and sprinkle the rest of the topping over them.

Step Four: Bake Until Golden

Tip: If you want that golden topping to be just right, loosely tent the crisp with foil after 50 minutes if it’s browning too fast. Bake uncovered for the final 10 to get the edges crisp. The time can vary significantly depending on how firm the apples are. Make sure they are soft when poked with a fork.

A white baking dish filled with apple crisp with oatmeal sits next to a bowl containing a serving of the dessert and two scoops of vanilla ice cream. A spoon rests in the baking dish, revealing spiced apples beneath the crumbly oatmeal topping. — Pop it in the oven and bake until the topping is deep golden brown and the apples are bubbling at the edges.

This crisp is the kind of thing you can throw together on a random Wednesday night, or pull out for a last-minute dinner party when someone texts “can you bring dessert?” It’s flexible. It’s comforting. And yes, it tastes like fall, even if it’s July.

If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.

A bowl of apple crisp with oatmeal sits on a plate with a spoon, ready to eat. Two scoops of vanilla ice cream slowly melt over the warm crumble, making this oatmeal apple crisp an irresistible dessert.

Easy Apple Crisp with Oatmeal Topping

Author: Barbara Curry

This Apple Crisp with Oatmeal Topping is made with gooey cinnamon sugar apples topped with a crumbly brown sugar oatmeal topping and baked in the oven until the apples are juicy and the topping is crispy. It's a classic old-fashioned dessert that's perfect any time of the year.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin

PREP: 20

COOK: 1

TOTAL: 1 20

Servings:

Ingredients

FILLING

▢ 5-6 medium size apples
▢ 3 tablespoons sugar
▢ 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 9X9 inch pan with butter or cooking spray.
Filling: Peel and core apples and cut into ¼ inch slices. Mix together cinnamon and sugar and mix with apples.
Topping: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts and oats. Work the softened butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until it resembles coarse meal. Remove 1 cup and toss with the apple mixture.
Place apple mixture in the prepared pan and spread the rest of the topping over the apple mixture.
Bake until topping is golden brown and apples are bubbling, 55-60 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.

Barbara’s Tips + Notes

If preparing in advance, sprinkle apples with lemon juice to prevent browning.
This is even better with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
You will get even more flavor by using a variety of apples, try some that are tart like granny smith along with a sweeter apple like a fuji.
The cooking time will vary depending on the apples, so use a fork to make sure they are soft.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Fridge: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm in the oven at 325°F until heated through. Avoid microwaving if you want the topping to stay crisp.

Nutrition

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