- Measurements grams + cups
- Cuisine American
Why You'll Like This Recipe
- One dish, and the topping is stirred together with melted butter rather than cut in.
- Works with almost any apple you have, and better with a mix.
- Assembles in fifteen minutes and looks after itself in the oven.
Recipe
Easy Apple Crisp
Cinnamon apples under a buttery oat crumble.
Ingredients
Ingredients scaled. The method below still refers to the original quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1. Preheat the oven to 190 C / 375 F. Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch or similar 2-quart baking dish.
- Step 2. Add the sliced apples to the dish and toss with the granulated sugar, 15 g flour, lemon juice, and 3 g cinnamon.
- Step 3. In a bowl, stir together the oats, 95 g flour, brown sugar, remaining cinnamon, and salt.
- Step 4. Pour in the melted butter and mix until the topping forms moist crumbs.
- Step 5. Sprinkle the oat topping evenly over the apples.
- Step 6. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the topping is golden and the apple filling bubbles around the edges.
- Step 7. Let the crisp rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
- Step 8. Serve warm on its own or with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Notes
- Slice the apples evenly, about 5 mm. Uneven slices mean some pieces are mush while others are still firm.
- The filling should be bubbling at the edges before you take it out. A golden top over a filling that has not bubbled means the apples are still raw in the middle.
- Let it stand about 10 minutes. The juices thicken as it cools, and served straight from the oven it runs.
Easy Apple Crisp — Simple Table Recipes · https://simpletablerecipes.com/recipes/easy-apple-crisp/
Ingredient Notes
- Apples
- A mix of a firm tart apple and a sweeter one gives the best result — some slices hold their shape while others break down into sauce. Granny Smith with Braeburn, Honeycrisp or Gala all work.
- Flour in the filling
- Only 15 g, and it is there to thicken the juices the apples release. Without it the filling is watery and the topping goes soggy from underneath.
- Rolled oats
- Old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant. Instant oats are cut too fine and turn to powder in the topping instead of staying distinct.
- Melted butter
- Melted rather than cold, because a crisp topping is meant to clump rather than form pastry. Pour it over and stir until the mixture holds together in moist crumbs.
Equipment
- 8 x 8-inch baking dish
- Mixing bowl
- Peeler and knife
- Rubber spatula
Substitutions
- Apples
- Pears work in the same quantity and need about five minutes less. A mix of apple and blackberry is also good, in which case increase the flour in the filling to 20 g.
- Rolled oats
- For a crumble rather than a crisp, leave the oats out and increase the flour in the topping to 150 g.
- Brown sugar
- White sugar works but gives less caramel depth. Maple syrup does not — it makes the topping wet rather than crumbly.
Storage & Freezing
Storing: Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 180 C / 350 F oven for 15 minutes to bring the topping back to crisp — the microwave softens it.
Freezing: Freeze baked and cooled for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best apples for apple crisp?
A mix. Firm tart apples like Granny Smith hold their shape, while softer sweet ones like Gala or Honeycrisp break down into sauce. Using both gives a filling with texture rather than one that is uniformly firm or uniformly mushy.
What is the difference between apple crisp, crumble and crunch?
They overlap, and the names are used loosely. A crisp has oats in the topping, which is what makes it crisp rather than sandy. A crumble traditionally has no oats — just flour, butter and sugar rubbed together. Crunch is not a formal category at all: most recipes called apple crunch are a crisp by another name, usually with oats and sometimes with nuts. If you searched for apple crunch and landed here, this is the recipe you were looking for.
Why is my apple crisp watery?
Apples release a lot of liquid, and the small amount of flour tossed with them is what thickens it. Skipping that, or using especially juicy apples, leaves a thin filling. Letting the crisp stand ten minutes after baking also helps it set.
Can I make apple crisp ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble it, cover and refrigerate for up to a day before baking, adding about five minutes to the bake. You can also store the topping separately in the fridge for a week.
Do I have to peel the apples?
No. The skins soften during baking and add colour and a little texture. Peeling gives a smoother, more uniform filling — it is a preference rather than a rule.
Why is my crisp topping soggy?
Usually a watery filling soaking up into it from below, or covering the dish while it cools. Bake uncovered, use the flour in the filling, and reheat leftovers in the oven rather than the microwave.
Did you make this?
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