Brown Sugar Apple Crisp
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Sep 9, 2026 
This easy apple crisp comes together with warm cinnamon-spiced apples and a golden, buttery oat topping that bakes up crispy on the edges and tender in the middle. It’s the kind of cozy fall dessert that fills the whole house with the smell of baked apples and brown sugar!
Easy Apple Crisp with Oats
Apple crisp is one of those desserts I come back to every fall because it gives you everything you want from a baked apple dessert without the fuss of a pie crust. In place of a crust, the oat topping crumbles together in minutes, the filling is just apples tossed with brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon, and the whole thing goes into a 9×13, so there’s plenty for a crowd or leftovers all week!
I personally like to cover with foil for the first 25 minutes of baking, which is the step that makes the difference between apples that are perfectly tender and ones that are still a little firm in the middle. Pulling the foil off for the final stretch is what gives the topping that deep golden color and crispy texture that makes apple crisp so satisfying.
In terms of apples, I prefer Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Pink Lady apples, which all hold their shape beautifully here without turning to mush, and a mix of two varieties gives the filling more complexity than using just one. And on that note, for another cozy way to use up a bag of apples, my famous slow cooker apples are an easy hands-off dessert you NEED to add to your list. And if you love baked apple flavor, my apple loaf cake is a tender, warmly spiced cake worth making next.
Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make an Apple Crisp!
Robyn’s Testing Tips for Apple Crisp with Oat Topping
- Let the crisp rest for at least 10 minutes before scooping (I know it’s hard!) The juices are thin and runny right out of the oven but thicken as it cools, so a short rest gives you those gorgeous, glossy, bubbling juices instead of a watery pool at the bottom of the dish.
- In testing I found it best to crumble the topping in rough, irregular clusters rather than spreading it flat. The uneven texture creates some pieces that go extra crispy and some that stay slightly soft underneath, which gives every scoop more contrast and interest.
- If you happen to have any leftover (a rarity at my house!) this apple crisp reheats beautifully in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, which brings the topping back to crispy. The microwave works in a pinch but softens the oat topping, so the oven is worth it if you have the time.
Brown Sugar Apple Crisp
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling
- 8-10 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced into ¼-inch slices (about 3 to 3½ pounds / 1.4 to 1.6kg) (Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady recommended)
- ¼ cup packed light or dark brown sugar (50g)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (15g)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
For the Oat Topping
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats (135g)
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour (80g)
- ½ cup packed brown sugar (100g)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (113g)
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch rectangular or oval baking dish.
- Make the Filling: In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon juice until evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- Make the Topping: In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture is evenly moistened and clumps together when pressed.
- Assemble and Bake: Crumble the topping evenly over the apples in rough, irregular clusters. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes until the apples begin to soften.
- Remove the foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes more until the topping is deep golden brown and the apple juices are bubbling around the edges. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving, as the juices will thicken as it sits.
- Serve: Scoop into bowls and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
- Be sure to use sweet apple varieties here like Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady, since the added sugar is kept intentionally low and sweeter apples carry more of the sweetness load.
- Be sure to slice apples ¼-inch thick or thinner for even baking, as thicker slices won’t cook through before the topping browns.
- Want a dairy-free, refined sugar-free, gluten-free version? My healthy apple crisp recipe is for you!
