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This old-fashioned recipe for Grandma’s Apple Crisp is loaded with tender apples and a crisp topping that’s buttery and sweet. Serve it warm with a scoop of ice cream for a heavenly comfort food dessert.
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There are such great memories surrounding this recipe. It’s from my husband’s Grandmother, Elizabeth Johns. When Rob and I were first married, one of the things he asked me to make for him was Grandmother Johns’s apple crisp. It was an honor to receive her handwritten recipe card, and even though I have the ingredients and instructions memorized, I get filled with joy when I see her lovely handwritten words on that little card.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Apple Crisp Recipe
- It’s flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, making it a fall and winter dessert that’s like a warm hug with every bite.
- Baked in a casserole dish and whipped up using just one bowl, it’s a simple recipe that takes just minutes to make.
- You can make it with pantry ingredients you already have on hand and use any apple you like.
- More straightforward than apple pie, and with no pie crust required, apple crisp can be served right out of the oven. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you’ll be on cloud nine!
Ingredients You Need To Make Grandma’s Apple Crisp
- Apple – I use a combination of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp
- Granulated Sugar
- All-purpose Flour
- Butter
- Water
- Vanilla
- Salt
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Nutmeg
Scroll Down For Measurements And Instructions
What Type Of Apple Is Best For This Recipe?
For this recipe, you can use almost any kind of apple. I like a combination of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith for a sweet yet tangy flavor. Other varieties to consider:
- Gala – sweet with a soft texture.
- Fuji – readily available in the grocery store and great for cooking, baking, or eating as a snack.
- Granny Smith – crisp and tart with a firm, crunchy texture.
- Jonagold – mellow flavor that’s not too sweet and wonderful for baking and cooking.
- Honey Crisp – juicy, sweet, and super crunchy.
What’s The Difference Between Apple Crisp And Apple Crumble?
This recipe could easily be called a crumble. A crisp traditionally has a topping made with oats, whereas a crumble has more of a streusel topping. Chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts are also sometimes used in the toppings.
Do The Apples Need To Be Peeled?
I like to peel the apples for this recipe. You can certainly leave them on; just make sure to wash the apples first.
How To Make Homemade Apple Crisp
- First, make the topping. Add the sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt to a bowl. Add in the cubed butter, and mix it into the dry ingredients using the back of a fork. Set aside.
- Next, peel and slice the apples. Place the apples in a buttered (or lightly coated with cooking spray) baking dish and pour over the vanilla water mixture. Sprinkle the apples with cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Top the apples with the butter-flour mixture. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
- Remove it from the oven, rest for 5-minutes, and then you are ready to serve the best apple crisp recipe ever!
Apple Crisp Toppings
This is the fun part! Once the crisp has cooled a bit, a rich sauce will develop from the apple juices, butter, and sugar. It’s so good. Now, it’s time to make things extra special.
Vanilla Ice Cream is everyone’s favorite topping in my house. Take it to another level by adding caramel sauce and chopped nuts. Fresh whipped cream is also a great choice.
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How To Store And Reheat Leftovers
My family loves this delicious apple crisp, so there are rarely any leftovers. If you are lucky enough to have some, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm in the microwave until heated through.
Craving More Apple Recipes? Try These:
- Skillet Cinnamon Apples
- Apple Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread
- Broccoli Apple Salad
- Apple Sausage Dressing
- Apple Spice Cake
- Crock Pot Applesauce
If you tried this Grandma’s Apple Crisp Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup softened butter cut into cubes
- pinch Kosher salt
- ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8×8 baking dish. Set aside.
- Add the sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt to a bowl. Add in the cubed butter, and mix it into the dry ingredients using the back of a fork. Set aside.
- Layer the sliced apples in the baking dish. Mix the water and vanilla and pour over the apples. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples.
- Using a large spoon or your hands, sprinkle the butter-flour topping evenly over the apples. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 50 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven, and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream
Nutrition
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Talitha
could you make this with peaches instead of apples?
I’ve never tested it but I’m sure it could work.
~Donya
Kathy
Made this tonite and it was delicious! Next time I will have to double the recipe. Another recipe added to my book!
Thank you for sharing, Kathy. I’m thrilled to be in “your book!”
~Donya
Kristina L Greenfield
Great recipe! Was absolutely delicious 😋 Thanks for sharing!
Charles A shaw
I would get out of school for the summer .this used to be my favorite ,,I have so many fond nenorys with this. Back on the farm the smell of my Grandmas kitchen This Apple Crisp is wonderful,
.
Angela
I’m making this today! So excited to try recipe that doesn’t use oats! I’m a little nervous about the one cup water though-I can often get soupy crisp, depending on apples, yet have never used close to this amount. I’m going to give it a try! 🙂
Thanks for the excellent rating!
~Donya
Sandra
Can u make Apple Crisp printable
Donya
Hey there Sandra!
Thank you so much for your interest in this dish, I think you’re really going to love it! If you scroll down to the recipe card, or just hit the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of the post, you’ll see a button that says Print at the top of the recipe card. If you click that, it’ll allow you to print the recipe and use it as needed. I hope this is helpful, let me know how everything turns out, I’d love to hear what you think of the recipe!
~Donya
Carolyn Wimberley
Is there no sugar in the apples for the Apple Crisp? Also, I seem to remember my mother mixing a handful of dry oats in the topping. What do you think?
Donya
Hey there Carolyn!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, it’s a family favorite in my house so I really hope you give it a try! There’s natural sugar from the apple that is released as the Crisp bakes, but I also add sugar into the buttery topping so that the fruit gets extra caramelized. I usually like to make this dish the exact same way my Grandma made it, so I don’t add oats into my topping, but oats are a very common, delicious addition to Apple Crisp and if you want to add them in you definitely should! Let me know how everything turns out if you give the recipe a try, I’d love to hear what you think!
~Donya
Aeil
Awesome really awesome
Donya
Hey there Aeil!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, I really hope you do give it a try! This apple crisp is super simple to prepare and it’s got all those classic, warm autumn flavors we love. Let me know if you do give it a try, I’d love to hear what you think!
~Donya