Nothing warms you up on a cold night better than a serving of freshly baked homemade apple crisp.
Apple pie has never been at the top of my dessert list, but a warm, homemade apple crisp? That’s a different story. This recipe comes from my Auntie Vicki, and I have so many fond memories of my mom baking it for our family when I was little. It’s made with tart Granny Smith apples and finished with a buttery, cinnamon forward crumble topping that turns perfectly golden in the oven. It’s incredibly simple to throw together—honestly, the hardest part is waiting for it to finish baking.
A few notes:
- Apples: My family swears by Granny Smith, but Golden Delicious or Cortland (if you can find them!) are equally delicious. Whatever you choose, aim for a nice balance of sweet and tart for the best flavor.
- Salt levels: This is definitely a sweet dessert, so a little salt goes a long way in keeping the crumble balanced. I use unsalted butter, which makes the added salt essential. My recipe calls for ¼ teaspoon, but feel free to increase it slightly if you prefer a more pronounced salty-sweet contrast.
- Protect your oven: I’ve never had this recipe bubble over, but cleaning burnt sugar off the bottom of the oven is a nightmare. To be safe, place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any stray drips.
- Too much crisp? You can absolutely halve the recipe and bake it in a 5×9 loaf pan if you’re making a smaller batch!
Apple Crisp
This comforting homemade apple crisp features tender, cinnamon-spiced apples baked beneath a buttery crumble topping. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate fall dessert.
Equipment
- 9×9 Pan
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
- 1 Cup Brown sugar packed
- 1 Cup Flour
- 1 tsp Cinnamon heaping
- ½ Cup Unsalted butter cold
- ¼ tsp Salt
Apples
- 8 Granny Smith Apples pealed, cored, and sliced
- 1-2 tsp Cinnamon
- ½ Lemon juiced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ and place a baking pan on the bottom rack (to catch anything that bubbles over).
- In a bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.1 Cup Brown sugar, 1 Cup Flour, 1 tsp Cinnamon, ¼ tsp Salt
- Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter. Continue until the mixture resembles sand, I often end up using my hands at the end.½ Cup Unsalted butter
- Place in the fridge to chill while you prepare the apples.
- Peal, core, and thinly slice apples and place in a large bowl. Toss with cinnamon and lemon juice.8 Granny Smith Apples, 1-2 tsp Cinnamon, ½ Lemon
- Layer the apples in 9-inch square baking pan then top with the crumble mixture. Try to keep the crumble in an even layer and make sure you spread it out to all the edges of the pan.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the top has browned and you see bubbles around the edges.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes then serve with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Apples: My family swears by Granny Smith, but Golden Delicious or Cortland (if you can find them!) are equally delicious. Whatever you choose, aim for a nice balance of sweet and tart for the best flavor.
- Salt levels: This is definitely a sweet dessert, so a little salt goes a long way in keeping the crumble balanced. I use unsalted butter, which makes the added salt essential. My recipe calls for ¼ teaspoon, but feel free to increase it slightly if you prefer a more pronounced salty-sweet contrast.
- Protect your oven: I’ve never had this recipe bubble over, but cleaning burnt sugar off the bottom of the oven is a nightmare. To be safe, place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any stray drips.
- Too much crisp? You can absolutely halve the recipe and bake it in a 5×9 loaf pan if you’re making a smaller batch!
