Easy Apple Crisp With Oat and Brown Sugar Topping

Apple crisp is one of those desserts that doesn’t ask you to be a professional baker.

There is no pie crust to wrestle with.

No complicated decorating.

Just apples, a simple oat topping, and a little time in the oven.

Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream and suddenly nobody cares that you didn’t make a pie.

Ingredients

For the Apples

• 6 medium apples
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Topping

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Prepare the Apples

Peel the apples if you prefer, although you can leave the skins on.

Remove the cores and slice the apples fairly evenly.

Put them into a large bowl.

Add the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, flour, and vanilla.

Toss until the apples are coated.

Make the Topping

In another bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Add the cold butter.

Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the mixture until you have a crumbly topping.

You don’t need it to be perfectly uniform.

Some larger pieces of butter are fine.

Assemble

Place the apples in a greased baking dish.

Spread the oat topping evenly over them.

Try to cover most of the surface.

Bake

Bake until the apples are tender and bubbling and the topping is golden brown.

The exact time will depend on the type of apples you’re using and the depth of your baking dish.

Let the crisp rest for several minutes before serving.

The filling will be extremely hot straight from the oven.

Which Apples Are Best?

You have options.

Tart apples give the dessert a nice contrast against the sweet topping.

Firmer apples tend to hold their shape better during baking.

You can also mix varieties.

If you already have apples at home that need to be used, this is a good recipe for them.

How to Make It Extra Good

Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.

That’s the obvious move.

You can also add:

• Caramel sauce
• Whipped cream
• Chopped pecans
• Walnuts
• A little extra cinnamon

A drizzle of caramel is particularly good if you’re serving the crisp as a dessert after dinner.

Can Apple Crisp Be Made Ahead?

Yes.

You can prepare the apple filling and topping separately and refrigerate them until you’re ready to bake.

Keep them covered and refrigerated, then assemble and bake when needed.

You can also refrigerate leftover apple crisp and reheat individual portions.

Can You Freeze Apple Crisp?

Apple crisp can be frozen.

For the best texture, freeze it properly wrapped and use a freezer-safe dish or container.

Thawing and reheating may make the topping slightly less crisp than when freshly baked, but it can still be very good.

A Dessert That Doesn’t Take Itself Too Seriously

Apple crisp is wonderfully uncomplicated.

Apples don’t need to look perfect.

The topping doesn’t need to be arranged perfectly.

And nobody is going to complain when there’s a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream on top.

It’s warm, inexpensive, easy to make, and exactly the sort of dessert that belongs on a family table.