Apple Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal Crumble

This cozy and delicious apple crisp with oats is perfect for apple season! In just 25 minutes, you can have this crowd-favorite dessert assembled and ready to pop in the oven. Topped with brown sugar oatmeal crumble, it’s baked in a cast iron skillet to ensure a tender apple filling and crisp topping. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

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Apple crisp is my family’s signature fall dessert (and so much easier than baking apple pie!). My grandmother (Grammy) baked with Fuji and Pippin apples from her trees for decades, and I remember my mom pulling warm pans of crisp from the oven every fall.

These wise women taught me the three rules of apple crisp: never skimp on the crumble topping, always serve it warm, and enjoy any leftovers for breakfast the next day (the best with coffee!).

I’m adding my own twist with dark brown sugar for extra notes of caramel in the oat crumble and a splash of almond extract to bring out the sweetness of the fresh apples.

Love baking with apples? Find more inspiration in my full collection of apple dessert recipes! If you love this crisp, be sure to try this variation: pear crisp with oat topping.

How to Make Apple Crisp

Combine rolled oats, all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together.

Cut in cold cubed butter with a pastry cutter until completely incorporated and large crumbs form. Chill crisp topping in the freezer until you’re ready to use it.

For the filling, whisk together granulated sugar, arrowroot starch (or cornstarch), salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Add apples and almond extract to the bowl. Toss well with a spatula to combine.

Spoon apple filling into buttered cast iron skillet (or buttered baking dish – see note in the recipe card) and sprinkle with oat topping.

Place skillet on preheated baking sheet (to catch any drips!) and bake for about an hour, until the crumble topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling. Cool crisp on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes (1 hour is even better) before serving.

We love topping warm bowls of crisp with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce or homemade butterscotch topping – so good!

Favorite apple dessert recipes:

• Apple Galette with Puff Pastry
• Easy Caramel Apple Bars
• Caramel Apple Puff Pastry Tarts
• Spiced Apple Fritter Bread

Cozy Apple Crisp with Oatmeal Crumble

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 15 reviews

• Author: Laura Kasavan
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield: 1 10-inch crisp
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Description

This cozy and delicious apple crisp with oats is perfect for apple season! With a tender apple filling and buttery oatmeal brown sugar crumble topping, you’ll love this easy apple crisp recipe baked in a cast iron skillet.

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Ingredients

Crumble Topping

• 1 cup (84 g) old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup (70 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (100 g) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (112 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed

Apple Filling

• 2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp (24 g) arrowroot starch or cornstarch
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 7 cups (840 g) peeled and diced apples
• 1/2 tsp pure almond extract

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Instructions

1. Place a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil in the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly grease a seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet.
2. Make crumble topping: Combine oats, flour, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until well combined and large crumbs form. Chill in the freezer until ready to use.
3. Make apple filling: Whisk together sugar, arrowroot starch, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add sliced apples and almond extract. Toss gently to combine. Spoon apple filling into prepared skillet and sprinkle evenly with crumble topping.
4. Bake crisp: Place baking dish on preheated baking sheet and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until golden brown and filling is bubbling. Cool crisp on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving (cooling for 1 hour is best).
5. Store leftover crisp tightly covered (or in an airtight container) in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Reheat in a warm oven (350°F) for 15 to 20 minutes, until heated through.

Notes

Skillet: Bake this crisp in a 9 or 10-inch skillet. For ease, you can also use a 9 or 10-inch ceramic baking dish.

Apple filling: If your apples are especially sweet and flavorful, you can reduce the granulated sugar to 1/2 cup (100 grams).

Flavor options: Pure almond extract pairs wonderfully with the apples. You can also flavor the filling with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, or up to 2 tablespoons of amaretto (Italian liqueur), bourbon, or dark rum.

Make ahead: Crisp topping can be made 1-2 days in advance and stored tightly covered in the refrigerator until ready to use. The apple filling can be made 1 day ahead and stored overnight in the refrigerator in a glass bowl. If you’d like to assemble the entire crisp ahead of time, I recommend using a ceramic baking dish (as cast iron may rust in the refrigerator).

Gluten free apple crisp: Make a gluten-free version of this apple crisp by substituting gluten-free oats and gluten-free flour in the topping.