Warm Apple Crisp with Oats and Cinnamon

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Welcome fall with a warm and bubbly dish of Apple Crisp. This homemade family favorite will transform your kitchen into a cozy apple orchard!

A bowl of Warm Fall Apple Crisp with a sweet, buttery, cinnamon oat crumble topping

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If you want a taste of fall in Maine, then look no further than this perfect warm Apple Crisp with Oats and Cinnamon recipe.

The smell of the fresh apples alone will turn the kitchen into an apple orchard.

And that sweet, buttery, cinnamon oat topping will give you all the warm and cozy autumn feels.

I LOVE fall baking.

I think I love it so much because it feels like such a transition from summer. The whole mood seems to change in the kitchen when fall hits.

For instance, in the summer, I want lemons and berries and herbs–lots of cool, refreshing stuff.

But the minute September 1st flashes up on my calendar, I want cinnamon, vanilla, and lots of butter and sugar.

My oven is working overtime.

Aside from the baking, fall is just more fun for me! It’s cooler, drier, and best of all, I can go APPLE PICKING!!

Apple picking is for sure my absolute favorite fall weekend activity.

Just driving into the orchard gives me a wave of nostalgia and cozy comfort.

The smell of the doughnuts wafting from the farm store. The smell of the cider. The sea of flannel shirts and Bean boots all around me.

Ahhhhh. Fall has arrived.

A bowl of apple crisp with an oat topping.

So, what’s a girl to do after she’s picked 17,000 apples? Well, we make applesauce and we make this jaw dropping Apple Crisp with Oats and Cinnamon!

What I love about this apple crisp is that the apple filling isn’t too sweet. I try to keep the seasoning to a minimum.

I toss the apples with just a little bit of cinnamon sugar, and a splash of lemon juice for tartness. That’s it.

But this topping is another story.

Unlike the apples, this sweet and crunchy topping is loaded with butter, and cinnamon, and sugar! I add oats to make the crisp a little more old fashioned, and they help to cut the richness.

Although this is an apple dessert, the crisp really steals the show. I mean I put it on anything that requires a crumble or a streusel! This is the same crumble topping I use on my Apple Blueberry Crisp and even my Dutch Apple Pie on a Graham Cracker Crust (I just omit the oats). Honestly, I’d put it on everything if I could!

You’re going to love it!

What Apples are best for Apple Crisp?

The best apples to use in an apple crisp.

Here are some great apple options:

  • Golden Delicious
  • Granny Smiths combined with Cortlands, McIntosh, Gala, or Pink Lady
  • Honey Crisps are great. I’d pair it with maybe one Granny Smith or extra lemon juice to offset the sweetness a touch

You definitely want to select apples that you enjoy eating. And you definitely want to include a few apples that hold their shape while baking.

For this recipe, I did a combo of half Granny Smiths and half Honey Crisps.

I personally love McIntosh or Cortlands (when they’re in season) for my apple recipes. However, the trouble is that they get a little mushy after cooking.

So to offset a more delicate apple and give more structure to my crisp, I toss in a few Granny Smiths. They’ll provide some nice chunky apple pieces in the final dish and a little tartness as well.

BUT, I would not do all Granny Smiths for this recipe. They’re a little dry so the texture of the apple filling would get a little weird. They’re really best combined with a sweeter, more delicate apple.

Now, about the Oats and Cinnamon Topping On this Apple Crisp…

Oat Crumble for Warm Fall Apple Crisp. Butter, cinnamon, oats and sugar.

I love this crumble topping.

I love it so much, I want to just eat a whole bowl of it by itself.

What makes this topping so wonderful is the melted butter! It really binds all the yummy sugar, cinnamon, and flour together to make the best crunchy clusters.

The best part is, the clusters don’t melt and don’t get soggy during the cooking process!

They just kind of turn into little cookies when they’re baked.

I found that even when I reheated leftovers in the microwave, the topping was still crunchy!

This topping is MAGIC.

The last thing I’ll say about this topping is that it provides such a nice contrast to the soft and tender apples. It’s the perfect balance of textures and sweetness and spice. It’s just so darn delicious!

How to make Apple Crisp with Oats and Cinnamon from scratch

The ingredients you will need for the filling: Apples, cinnamon and sugar

Serves 6-8

What you’ll need for this recipe:

For the Apple Filling:

  • 8 medium apples, cored, peeled and sliced 1/2” thick– I used 4 Granny Smiths and 4 Honey Crisps, about 2-2 1/2 lbs of apples
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Cinnamon and Oats Crisp Topping:

  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup of dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350º and spray a glass 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray or smear with softened butter.

In a large bowl, add the apples, lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon and stir until evenly coated.

Pour the apple mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Set aside while you prepare the crisp topping.

To make the topping, combine the flour, oats, sugars, cinnamon, and salt, in a small bowl. Stir until all the dry ingredients are well combined.

Pour in the the melted butter.

Mix all the ingredients with a spoon or clean hands until the mixture is evenly moistened and clumps start to form.

Crumble the topping over the apples, making sure to keep any large chunks intact.

Bake in a 350º degree oven for 55-60 minutes, until the topping is brown and crispy and the apples are bubbling and tender.

You can test for apple doneness by sticking a small knife in the center. If there is no resistance when pulled out, the crisp is done!

Let cool for at least an hour to allow the juices to thicken. Don’t worry, it’ll keep warm for like two hours.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

A close up of apple crisp topping with oats.

Can I make this apple crisp without oats?

Absolutely.

You can substitute the oats with nuts! Or you can make this streusel topping:

  • 3/4 cup of all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed.

Combine the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt and cut in the butter using your fingers or a food processor. The mixture should look like wet sand. Sprinkle over the apple filling, making sure to keep any big clumps whole and bake per the recipe!

How can I make this Apple Crisp Recipe Gluten Free?

A bowl of apple crisp sitting on top of a butcher block table. Apples and cinnamon sticks are off to the side.

Since the apple filling consists of just apples and seasonings, it’s naturally gluten free.

But to make the crisp topping gluten free, you can substitute the all purpose flour for your favorite gluten free flour.

You could also use your favorite gluten free granola or gluten free oatmeal cookies as the topping! Just crumble and sprinkle it over the apples before baking. Easy and delicious!

Storing your leftover Apple Crisp

Apple crisp can be stored in its original baking dish covered with plastic wrap or transferred to an airtight container and left on the counter for a couple days.

If you want to make the dish last a little longer, you can store it covered in the refrigerator.

When you’re ready to eat, warm leftovers in the oven or microwave and serve!

You may also like:

Apple Pie With A Graham Cracker Crust

Natural Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce

Blueberry Apple Crisp with Cinnamon Oat Crumble

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

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Apple Crisp with Cinnamon Oats Crumble

Warm Apple Crisp with Oats and Cinnamon

Yield: 6-8 Portions
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Fresh apples tossed with cinnamon sugar and topped with a sweet and spicy buttery oat crumble topping. This is the perfect treat to have by the fire on a cozy fall evening.

Ingredients

Apple Filling

  • 8 medium apples (about 2- 2 1/2lbs)-Cored, peeled, and sliced 1/2” thick
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cinnamon and Oats Crisp Topping

  • 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup of dark brown sugar (packed)
  • 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350º and spray a glass 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray or grease with softened butter.
  2. In a large bowl, add the apples, lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon and stir until evenly coated.
  3. Pour the apple mixture into the prepared baking dish. 
  4. Set aside while you prepare the crisp topping.
  5. To make the topping, combine the flour, oats, sugars, cinnamon, and salt, in a small bowl. Stir until all the dry ingredients are well combined.
  6. Pour in the the melted butter.
  7. Mix all the ingredients with a spoon or clean hands until the mixture is evenly moistened and clumps start to form.
  8. Crumble the topping over the apples, making sure to keep any large chunks intact.
  9. Bake in a 350º degree oven for 55-60 minutes, until the topping is brown and crispy and the apples are bubbling and tender.
  10. You can test for apple doneness by sticking a small knife in the center. If there is no resistance when pulled out, the crisp is done!
  11. Let cool for at least an hour to allow the juices to thicken.

Notes

I used 4 Granny Smith apples and 4 Honey Crisp apples for this recipe. You can use any apples you love to eat, but I recommend adding a Granny Smith or a Golden Delicious for structure purposes.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 362Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 139mgCarbohydrates: 64gFiber: 7gSugar: 42gProtein: 3g

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13 Comments

  1. I’m a bit ashamed to say that I have never made apple crisp. This recipe has reminded me of how much I loved it as a child. I’ll definitely be making this in the near future. Thanks!

  2. 17,000 apples??? Omg! That is a lot of apples.
    I love this apple crisp I have never tried making it but seeing so many recipes I just want to try making it.

  3. Looks delicious! I too love fall desserts. My favorite apple type is HoneyCrisp and I totally would add a couple Granny Smiths to Give it a slightly tart bite. Can’t wait to make this! Thanks

  4. This recipe is getting me all excited for fall! May have to bookmark this one for thanksgiving dinner with the fam! I know they will just love it.

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