Apple Crisp

Our classic Apple Crisp recipe combines orchard-fresh apples, sugar, and spices – all baked under a sweet, buttery, oatmeal crisp topping. Enjoy this decades-old recipe from the Tougas Family Farm in New England.

The Best Apple Crisp Recipe

This amazingly delicious, classic Apple Crisp recipe had been my go-to apple crisp recipe for decades.  Every fall during apple-picking season, I pull this recipe out of a binder that I keep of old tried-and-true recipes I’ve collected over the years, and it never disappoints!

Slices of sweet apples are combined with sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg plus a pinch of salt and a few tablespoons of flour (which help to thicken the juices from the apples into the perfect, sweet creamy sauce) and then placed in a large casserole dish.  The apple mixture is then topped with a generous topping of flour, oats, brown sugar and butter that bakes into the perfect crisp.

Serve your Apple Crisp with some vanilla ice cream – and enjoy the ultimate fall dessert!

Recipe Credits

I originally clipped this recipe from The Boston Globe newspaper years ago, and it was adapted from the Tougas Family Farm Cookbook which you can view online here. 

The Tougas Family Farm bakes and sells tray after tray of this delicious apple crisp every fall season at their farm store located in Northborough, Massachusetts. It’s also one of our favorite places to go apple picking as they have an amazing orchard with a large variety of apples. (We always pick way too many apples – but it’s a great excuse to bake apple crisp.)

Why You'll Love Apple Crisp

• This delicious and easy recipe is quintessential Fall in a bowl and pure comfort food!
• It’s a very versatile recipe, and you can use a mix of apples depending on what varieties are available in your area.
• This is the perfect way to enjoy apples from the orchard after a day of apple picking!

Reader Review

“OMG! This is the best! It’s like heaven on earth! My husband and kids loved it!” – Bertha

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Apples – It’s best to use a combination of apples that stay firm when baked (such as Cortland, Honey Crisp, or Gravenstein) as well as some apples that cook down to a softer consistency when baked (such as MacIntosh). This mix of the two varieties creates a perfect balance of apple and sauce in every bite.

• Sugar – Granulated sugar is added to the apples, while brown sugar is included in the crisp topping.
• All-Purpose Flour
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Nutmeg
• Salt – A little salt added to any sweet recipe helps to enhance the flavors and sweetness!
• Oats – It’s best to use rolled oats for the Apple Crisp topping because it stays firm and crunchy. Quick-cook oats will cook down and yield a softer topping.
• Butter – We typically bake with unsalted butter, but in this case, if you only have salted butter on hand – it’s fine to use.
• Non-Stick Cooking Spray
• Vanilla Ice Cream – For serving.

Special Tools You'll Need

• Large Baking Dish – We used a two+ quart baking dish but a 9×13-inch casserole dish will also work.
• Vegetable Peeler
• Cutting Board and Sharp Knife
• Various Measuring Cups & Spoons
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Medium Mixing Bowl

Cooking Tips & Tricks

• For best results, slice the apples into thin (1/4-inch) slices. If you cut the apples into thicker slices, you’ll probably need to bake this dessert for longer so the apples are tender.
• It’s totally fine to load the baking dish up with a mound of sliced apples. As the Apple Crisp bakes, the apples cook down into a flat-topped dessert under the crisp topping.

How do I make Apple Crisp?

1. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Toss sliced apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl.
3. Pour apple mixture into baking dish.
4. Combine flour, brown sugar, and rolled oats in a smaller bowl. Add butter and work with your fingers to combine and create coarse crumbs for the topping.
5. Sprinkle the topping over the apples in the baking dish.
6. Bake until the topping is crisp and golden and you can see the apples bubbling underneath and along the edges.
7. Let the apple crisp cool for at least thirty minutes once it comes out of the oven to set.
8. Serve still-warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I make Apple Crisp ahead of time? Yes – it reheats nicely, or you can serve it at room temperature or chilled. (Although we think it tastes the best served warm.)
• How do I store leftovers? Cool completely, then cover the baking dish with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigertor for up to four days (if it lasts that long).
• How do I reheat leftovers? Warm the casserole dish in the oven, or warm individual servings on low temp in the microwave.
• Can I freeze this apple crisp? We’ve never tried but think it should work. We suggest that you try freezing already-baked apple crisp, then thaw and reheat for serving.

We originally posted this Apple Crisp recipe on A Family Feast in October 2013. We’ve updated the post and photos, but the delicious recipe remains the same.

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You might enjoy these other Apple Recipes

• Apple Crisp Pizza
• Slow Cooker Apple Crisp
• Apple Harvest Squares
• Apple Slab Pie

Click here to see more delicious Apple Recipes!

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