Brown Sugar Apple Crisp

This apple crisp has warm cinnamon-spiced apples topped with a golden buttery oat crumble that bakes up crispy on top and tender underneath.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword apple crisp

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 10

Servings servings

Calories 351

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

Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9x13-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.

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!