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This easy recipe for apple crisp without oats makes the perfect fall dessert with cinnamon-spiced apples and a delicious crumble topping. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a classic dessert the whole family will love!
Easy Apple Crisp Recipe without Oats
One of the best things about fall is that it’s apple season. Everyone in my family loves apples in just about any form, but we especially enjoy eating them when they’ve been baked to perfection in a sweet and juicy apple crisp.
It’s funny but I had never even heard of this delicious dessert until I got married. Growing up, my favorite apple recipes were apple pies and caramel apples, and lots of applesauce.
But my husband’s mom always made this classic apple crisp without oats recipe after the family trip to the apple orchard. It seems like almost everyone else uses oats in their homemade apple crisp recipes. But, our family recipe has no oats, and it’s incredibly simple to make — easier than apple pie! You get an apple crumble topping that crisps up nicely while baking without oatmeal.
Anyway, like I said, this easy dessert is basically Grandma’s recipe for old fashioned apple crisp, except that I like to add a bit more cinnamon when I make it. That’s why I call this tasty version Cinnamon Apple Crisp.
Best Apples for Baked Desserts
I always use Granny Smith apples when baking or making sweet apple desserts. You get a nice balance of tart and sweet. Plus, these tart apples are firm enough to hold up well when baked. If you want a slightly different taste, try honey crisp, golden delicious, gala or pink lady apples.
Apple Crisp Ingredients
Not only is this delicious recipe easy to prepare, but it’s also made with simple ingredients. Most of these are pantry staples! Full amounts are in the printable recipe card below.
- Granny Smith apples — the best apples for baking
- White sugar — for sweetness
- Brown sugar — for added sweetness and flavor
- All purpose flour — for the streusel topping
- Cinnamon — for that fall flavor
- Lemon juice — to prevent fresh apples from browning. I highly recommend freshly squeezed lemon juice for best flavor.
- Butter — I use salted butter, but unsalted butter is fine. Room temperature works best.
How to Make Apple Crisp without Oats
First, you wash, peel, core and cut the apples into thin slices. I’m not the best apple peeler in the world, but it’s fine if there are some peels left on.
Next, place the sliced apples into a prepared baking dish. A 9 x 13-inch pan is perfect! Then, pour the lemon juice over the apples, so they don’t brown.
Mix the sugars and cinnamon together, and sprinkle them over the apples. You can do this in the baking dish! Then, dot with butter.
To make the crisp topping, mix the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. next, cut the butter into the flour mixture with a knife, fork, pastry cutter or pastry blender.
I use room temperature butter for best results in fruit crisp toppings — not super cold butter or melted butter. It’s easier to mix but still makes a crumbly topping. Next, sprinkle the topping over the cinnamon apple filling. Pop the apple crisp into the oven, bake it until the top is golden brown, and you’re done! Super easy.
Topping the warm apple crisp, or any fruit crisps, with a healthy scoop of vanilla ice cream really takes this simple dessert to the next level.
If you serve this apple dessert while it’s still warm, the scoop of ice cream melts into the crumbly topping and baked cinnamon apples, and makes it cool and creamy.
The brown sugar in the apple filling gives this delicious fall dessert a hint of caramel flavor — yum! You can also top the crisp with caramel syrup or maple syrup for one of the most comforting desserts ever!
Recipe Variations
My recipe uses a little more cinnamon than most — it’s a personal preference. Reduce the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon and leave it out of the crunchy topping if you like.
Use your favorite apple variety if you’re not a fan of tart apples. Or use a combination of Granny Smith and sweeter apples.
You can vary the fruit filling in this basic fruit crisp. Try my fresh peach crisp without oats!
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover apple crisp in an airtight container or cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, plastic wrap or a lid. You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or at room temperature for 2 days if it’s cool enough in your house.
For longer storage, you can freeze this delicious dessert for up to 3 months.
We had this tasty cinnamon apple crisp for dessert last night, and today, there is just a tiny corner piece left. It’s definitely a family favorite dessert around here! We think it’s the best apple crisp recipe ever!
Recipe Tip
Cut apple slices about 1/2 inch thick so that they cook evenly.
Use a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or similarly sized shallow baking dish for best results.
Don’t flatten the topping down, or you won’t get those delicious crumbles.
Allow the crisp to cool down slightly before serving. It is best served warm.
More Apple Desserts to Love
My apple pie dump cake or my caramel apple dump cake and slow cooker apple cobbler are all easy cobbler recipes. This skillet apple pie and my crescent roll apple dumplings, caramel apple nachos and baked caramel stuffed apples are easy versions of classic desserts. My caramel apple dip and apple pie dip are perfect for parties!
Cinnamon Apple Crisp without Oats
Ingredients
for the filling
- 7 large Granny Smith apples, washed, peeled, cored and sliced
- 2 teaspoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
for the topping
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup butter room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉
- Lightly grease a 9 X 13 baking dish.
- Wash apples, then peel, core and slice them up about ½ inch thick
- Arrange apples so that they cover the bottom of the pan and sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown.
- Sprinkle with sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon, and mix well.
- Cut the butter and arrange over the apple mixture.
for the topping
- Combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl.
- Cut the butter into thin slices, and cut into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle the topping on top of the apples
- Bake for 50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and apples are soft.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Love this! Fall flavors and great comfort dessert! So easy to make! Also love it hot with vanilla ice cream!
Over the course of many years, I have made variations of apple crisp. This one, is without doubt, one of the BEST. The apples were thoroughly cooked, the topping was PERFECT, and I can’t wait to serve it for dessert tonight. Thank you for NOT using oats – I have never been a fan of oats in any recipe (I think they dry out the other ingredients). Dee, this recipe is a keeper for sure! Delicious!!! Thank you!
Thank you so much for the wonderful review, Mary. I’m thrilled that you like it!
Hi Dee I made your Cinnamon Apple Crisp without oats last night serving it this evening for dessert. To serve it warm what would you advise? We are serving 4 people?
I always reheat the apple crisp in the oven so the top stays nice and crisp. Hope you enjoy it!
Would this recipe be ok to freeze to cook later? It looks delicious! I’m wanting to make some for the freezer for later use.
Yes, you can freeze apple crisp before baking. Just wrap it well with plastic wrap, and cover that with aluminum foil before freezing.
This apple crisp is SO good ! The perfect dessert for autumn and holidays! Easy to make too ! But it doesn’t last very long in our household. Everyone loves it!
I’m so happy to hear this, Judy. Thank you so much!
Can you make this in the slow cooker
I haven’t tried peach crisp in the slow cooker, so I’m not sure how long it would take to cook. But it would probably be similar to my slow cooker peach cobbler recipe.
I don’t like oats in apple crisp so I was so excited to try this and it did not disappoint! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
This is the best apple crisp recipe I have had lately. Reminds me of my mom’s recipe and hers was the best.
Easy to make and it came out delicious! I’ve saved this recipe and will make it again for sure!
So glad you liked the apple crisp! Thanks, Christina!
This looks so good. Can’t wait to try it.
Robin
Amazing!! So darn good. Add a bit of vanilla ice cream or even just a bit of cream and it really opens up the flavor!
I’m so glad you liked the apple crisp! Thanks!