This is the BEST Apple Crisp Recipe, made of a variety of sweet apples in a secret creamy ingredient and topped with an oatmeal crumb. One dish and bake, this apple crisp is an irresistible dessert served on its own or with vanilla ice cream!
We’re so excited for apple season! Although we enjoy apples all year round, there’s something so comforting about apple desserts in the Fall and Winter seasons. Every year we make a large batch of Homemade Apple Cider and make desserts out of it too.
Our Apple Crumble is SO GOOD! Very similar to this apple crisp recipe except for the crumble on top. Our Halloween HIT recipe every year is a batch of Easy Candy Apples. And when we’re rushed, or need an afternoon/breakfast treat, we ALWAYS make Apple Cinnamon Muffins.
Why This Apple Crisp
- Creamy Apples! We use a secret ingredients which is simply milk. Adding some milk to the apples before baking adds such rich creamy texture to the apples. It’s like a melt in your mouth apple butter!
- The contrast of this creamy apple texture with the crisp oat topping is incredible!
- Oats are our favorite apple crisp toping, as they add the perfect delicate crisp with the butter and spice. We also love adding nuts!
- As with many apple desserts, we love using sweet apples and we LOVE a combo of them! So use golden delicious, Gala, Fuji, honey crisp and more.
- It’s so tasty, not too sweet, yet absolutely comforting and heartwarming!
- Serve it with ice cream and watch as the ice cream melts slowly into the warm crisp!
Apple Crisp Ingredients
- Apples. The hero and star of the dessert. Make sure you pick a variety or one type of apples that you like the flavor of. We use a combo of Fuji, Gala, Golden delicious and honey crisp.
- Milk. The secret ingredient to melt in your mouth rich and creamy apple crisp.
- Flour. This holds the sauce and improves consistency of the dessert.
- Cinnamon. Apple’s best friend! Use apple spice if you want a warmer tasting dessert.
- Sugar. Depending on the type of apples you choose, you may need more for example for Granny Smith.
Oatmeal Topping Ingredients
- Oats. Use old fashioned oats, not quick cooking or steel cut.
- Flour. To hold up the texture.
- Butter. Use coconut milk if you like the flavor of it or if you’re avoiding dairy.
- Cinnamon. To flavor the topping!
- Brown Sugar. This sweetens the topping just enough to match the apples.
How to Make Apple Crisp
- Start by making the crumble topping. Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl and use your hands or a fork to rub the ingredients together. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs.
- Core your apples and dice them into 1 inch cubes. You can absolutely slice them as well, however we love the chunks! Feel free to peel or not to peel the apples, it’s all a personal preference. Add those apples directly into the baking dish you’re using, no need to use an extra bowl or anything.
- Now mix the apples with the apple ingredients to flavor them like cinnamon, flour and sugar. Toss well so the apples are evenly coated. And then the secret ingredient is added with vanilla. PS I’m using Lactaid which is a lactose free as many of you know I can’t handle lactose. Any type of milk, even non dairy milk would work here.
- Generously cover the apples with the oat topping, making sure to cover as much of the surface as possible. You will still have some apples peaking out and that’s ok. Now the apple crips recipe is ready to bake, and while that baked, enjoy the amazing SMELL of your home!
- Out of the oven! Golden tops, bubbly soft apples, PURE deliciousness!! The hardest part is now waiting–make sure you do. The apples are still bubbly and SUPER hot, so you can seriously get burnt. A 10 minute wait is all you need 🙂
- Best thing in life–Get yourself a small plate, serve up some apple crisp, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this Homemade Caramel Sauce and INDULGE!!
Apple Crisp Recipe Tips and FAQ
- Make sure you use your favorite apples for this recipe, you want to taste the flavor that you enjoy the most! Since we have a few favorites, we used a combo here–which works SO well!
- Make sure to adjust the amount of sugar based on the type of apples you’re using, I’ve included the range we use.
- The secret ingredient is a cup of milk. When added into the apple mixture, it adds richness, creaminess and a melt in your mouth feel to the dessert. Use ANY type of milk here!
- Feel free to swap the butter for avocado oil or coconut oil for a lighter dessert.
- Add nuts to the topping, orange zest, some cranberries for variations!
- Once baked, the apple crisp needs to cool before serving as it is super hot out of the oven.
Make Ahead and Freezing:
To make ahead, prepare the filling without the milk. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice and freeze the apple mixture separately and the oat crumb mixture separately. You can freeze those for 3 months.
To Bake: simply add the apple mixture in the baking dish, top with the milk and the frozen crumb mixture. Add 10 minutes of baking time extra.
To freeze once baked, simply cover the apple crisp recipe once cooled with foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, simply thaw the dish in the fridge or counter and reheat for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F oven.
Apple Crisp Variations:
To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free oats and flour without changing the measurements. You can also flavor the oat topping and apple mixture with orange zest, apple pie spice, add nuts, cranberries, pears, whole cinnamon sticks, and dried ginger.
How to Make Crockpot Apple Crisp
Follow the recipe using the crockpot as the baking dish. So add the apples, flavor them, top with the oat crumble and place some paper towels over the oat topping. This prevents the topping from being soggy. Cook on hight for 3.5 hour or on low for 7 hours.
Should I peel the apples or not.
It’s completely personal! Since we’re adding the milk, we guarantee our apples will be tender and soft. For this reason we don’t peel, however you can still peel it if that’s your preference. Also you can cut the apples into slices instead of chunks.
Apple Recipes
Apple Crisp
This is the BEST Apple Crisp, made of a variety of sweet apples in a secret creamy ingredient and topped with an oatmeal crumb. One dish and bake, this apple crisp recipe is an irresistible dessert served on its own or with vanilla ice cream!
Ingredients
Apples:
- 1 cup milk 2% lactose free is what we used, you can use any dairy or non dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 5 Apples a variety of apples of your choice, diced into 1 inch cubes.
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons granulated sugar up to 3 Tablespoons depending on the variety of apples
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon flour
Crisp Topping:
- 1/2 cup oats regular old fashioned oats
- 2/3 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 1/4 cup melted butter Use coconut oil for dairy free or coconut flavor, or use avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch salt
To Serve:
- Vanilla Ice cream
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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Add the diced apples to the baking dish and mix in all the apple ingredients well, make sure to coat them well with the flour, sugar and cinnamon.
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In a small cup, add the vanilla to the milk and then pour the milk over the apples.
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To make the crisp topping: add all ingredients to a medium bowl and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
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Top the apples with the oat crisp mixture covering all the surface and press it down lightly with your hands when done.
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Bake the apple crisp on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes until the apples are bubbly and soft, and the top is golden and crisp.
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7.Remove the crisp from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes as the filling will be super hot.
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Serve the warm crisp with some Lactaid Vanilla Ice cream and enjoy.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Apple Crisp Recipe Tips and FAQ
- Make sure you use your favorite apples for this recipe, you want to taste the flavor that you enjoy the most! Since we have a few favorites, we used a combo here--which works SO well!
- Make sure to adjust the amount of sugar based on the type of apples you're using, I've included the range we use.
- The secret ingredient is a cup of milk. When added into the apple mixture, it adds richness, creaminess and a melt in your mouth feel to the dessert. Use ANY type of milk here!
- Feel free to swap the butter for avocado oil or coconut oil for a lighter dessert.
- Add nuts to the topping, orange zest, some cranberries for variations!
- Once baked, the apple crisp needs to cool before serving as it is super hot out of the oven.
Make Ahead and Freezing:
To make ahead, prepare the filling without the milk. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice and freeze the apple mixture separately and the oat crumb mixture separately. You can freeze those for 3 months.
To Bake: simply add the apple mixture in the baking dish, top with the milk and the frozen crumb mixture. Add 10 minutes of baking time extra.
To freeze once baked, simply cover the apple crisp recipe once cooled with foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, simply thaw the dish in the fridge or counter and reheat for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F oven.
Apple Crisp Variations:
To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free oats and flour without changing the measurements. You can also flavor the oat topping and apple mixture with orange zest, apple pie spice, add nuts, cranberries, pears, whole cinnamon sticks, and dried ginger.
How to Make Crockpot Apple Crisp
Follow the recipe using the crockpot as the baking dish. So add the apples, flavor them, top with the oat crumble and place some paper towels over the oat topping. This prevents the topping from being soggy. Cook on hight for 3.5 hour or on low for 7 hours.
Should I peel the apples or not.
It's completely personal! Since we're adding the milk, we guarantee our apples will be tender and soft. For this reason we don't peel, however you can still peel it if that's your preference. Also you can cut the apples into slices instead of chunks.
I made this apple crisp after dinner last night and it was wonderful! SO delicious and full of fall flavor!
Pass me a spoon and I will eat that entire thing right now 😋
This apple crisp turned out perfectly when I made it this weekend!! The apples were gooey and sweet, and the topping was crunchy and delicious. Yum!
This looks amazing and such a treat! Thank you!
My favorite recipe once summer comes to an end!