Rustic Cinnamon Apple Crisp Recipe

Nostalgic Cinnamon Apple Crisp Recipe: Sweet Comfort Bliss

Warm, golden apples nestled in a cinnamon apple crisp recipe create a symphony of comfort and nostalgia.

Autumn’s chill melts away with each spoonful of this classic dessert.

Sweet, tender apples peek through a crumbly, buttery topping that promises pure indulgence.

Fragrant cinnamon weaves its magic, filling the kitchen with irresistible aromas.

The contrast between soft fruit and crisp topping delivers a delightful texture that dances on your palate.

Every bite connects you to cherished memories of home-cooked goodness.

This simple yet elegant dessert beckons you to savor its delectable charm and enjoy a slice of pure, heartwarming bliss.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Calories: 250 kcal

Servings: 7

What Goes Into Old Fashioned Cinnamon Apple Crisp

For Fruity Base:
  • Apples: Crisp, sweet-tart varieties like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith work best for a robust flavor and perfect texture, ensuring your dessert doesn't turn mushy.
  • Lemon Juice: Brightens the apple's natural sweetness and prevents browning, keeping the filling vibrant and fresh.
For Flavor Enhancers:
  • Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a glossy, caramelized filling.
  • Brown Sugar: Provides deep, molasses-like richness and helps create a luscious caramel undertone.
  • Cinnamon: Warm, aromatic spice that perfectly complements the apples, creating a cozy, comforting essence.
  • Nutmeg: Optional but recommended, offering a subtle, nuanced warmth that elevates the entire dessert.
For Crumble Topping:
  • All-Purpose Flour: Creates structure and helps bind the crumbly topping together.
  • Rolled Oats: Adds delightful texture and nutty flavor, making the topping wonderfully rustic.
  • Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all other flavor profiles.
  • Unsalted Butter: Helps create a golden, crispy topping with rich, indulgent flavor.

Bakeware You Need For Cinnamon Apple Crisp

  • 9×13-inch baking dish: Essential for spreading and baking the apple crisp evenly.
  • Large mixing bowl: Perfect for tossing and coating apple filling ingredients.
  • Medium mixing bowl: Great for preparing the crumble topping.
  • Measuring cups and spoons: Crucial for accurate ingredient measurements.
  • Sharp knife: Needed for slicing apples precisely.
  • Wooden spoon or spatula: Helpful for mixing and stirring ingredients.
  • Oven mitts: Necessary for safely handling hot baking dishes.

How To Make Old Fashioned Cinnamon Apple Crisp

  • Oven Warmup

Crank up your oven to a toasty 350F, creating the perfect environment for a delicious dessert. Lightly grease a baking dish, preparing it for the magic about to unfold.

  • Apple Symphony

Toss sliced apples with a sweet dance of sugars, warming spices, and a splash of citrus. Spread this fragrant mixture across the baking dish, letting the apples nestle together in anticipation.

  • Crispy Cloud Topping

Blend flour, hearty oats, and rich brown sugar into a dreamy mixture. Drizzle melted butter over the dry ingredients, massaging everything until it forms delightful crumbly peaks.

  • Golden Transformation

Shower the apple landscape with the crumbly topping, creating a beautiful golden blanket. Slide the dish into the waiting oven, letting the heat work its transformative magic for 40-45 minutes.

  • Sweet Celebration

Allow the crisp to rest and settle, letting the flavors mingle and cool slightly. Serve with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream or a swirl of caramel for the ultimate comfort dessert.

Baking Tips For Cinnamon Apple Crisp That’s Crisp And Cozy

  • Apple Selection Magic: Choose a mix of tart Granny Smith and sweet Honeycrisp apples for a balanced flavor profile that adds depth and complexity to your crisp.
  • Make-Ahead Marvel: Prepare the entire dessert up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate, then bake just before serving to save time during busy gatherings or holidays.
  • Gluten-Free Twist: Swap regular flour with almond flour or gluten-free flour blend in both filling and topping for those with wheat sensitivities, ensuring everyone can enjoy this delightful dessert.
  • Vegan Transformation: Replace butter with coconut oil and use a plant-based vanilla ice cream as a topping, creating a dairy-free version that doesn't compromise on rich, comforting flavors.
  • Spice Adventure: Experiment with additional warm spices like cardamom or ginger to elevate the classic cinnamon profile, giving your crisp a unique and exciting taste experience that will surprise and delight dinner guests.

Serving Cinnamon Apple Crisp With Ice Cream Or Cream

  • Sweet Comfort Companion: Pair this warm, fragrant apple crisp with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a classic dessert experience that melts perfectly over the hot, cinnamon-spiced apples.
  • Cozy Caramel Twist: Drizzle rich, golden caramel sauce over the crisp just before serving to add an extra layer of decadent sweetness that complements the tender baked apples.
  • Breakfast Transformation: Enjoy leftovers as a delightful morning treat by adding a dollop of Greek yogurt or serving alongside morning coffee for a comforting start to your day.
  • Nutty Crunch Upgrade: Sprinkle chopped pecans or sliced almonds over the topping before baking to introduce a delightful textural contrast and enhance the crisp's overall nutty flavor profile.

Keep Old Fashioned Cinnamon Apple Crisp Covered And Crisp

Keep leftovers in an airtight container inside the refrigerator for up to 4 days, maintaining maximum flavor and texture.

  • Quick Reheating Trick: Warm individual servings in the microwave for 30-45 seconds or reheat entire dish in oven at 325F for 15-20 minutes to restore crispy topping.
  • Freezer-Friendly Strategy: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before reheating.
  • Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare apple filling and crumble topping separately up to 24 hours in advance, storing in sealed containers in refrigerator. Assemble and bake just before serving for maximum freshness.
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Rustic Cinnamon Apple Crisp Recipe

Rustic Cinnamon Apple Crisp Recipe


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.8 from 11 reviews

  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 7 1x

Description

Comforting Grandma’s old fashioned cinnamon apple crisp recipe brings nostalgic warmth to family gatherings. Layers of caramelized apples beneath buttery crumble create a classic dessert you’ll want to savor with vanilla ice cream.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 medium apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or mix)
  • ⅓ cup (65 g) light brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tsps lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 cup (125 g / 4.4 oz) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (100 g / 3.5 oz) old-fashioned oats
  • ⅔ cup (135 g) light brown sugar
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup (115 g / 4 oz) unsalted butter, melted
  • Peeled and cored apples
  • Sliced apples

Instructions

  1. Prep Station: Align oven rack in center, preheat to 350F (175C). Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter to prevent adhering.
  2. Apple Preparation: Slice apples into delicate, uniform wedges. Amalgamate apple slices with sugars, spices, lemon juice, and flour in a spacious mixing bowl, ensuring each slice becomes evenly glazed and seasoned.
  3. Filling Assembly: Smoothly transfer the spiced apple mixture into the prepared baking dish, creating an edge-to-edge level surface using a spatula for precise distribution.
  4. Crisp Topping Construction: Combine flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl. Drizzle melted butter over dry ingredients, stirring with a fork until the mixture transforms into rustic, coarse crumbles.
  5. Topping Application: Liberally disperse the crumbly mixture across the apple filling, pressing gently with fingertips to create textural peaks and ensure complete coverage.
  6. Baking Process: Position the dish in preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Monitor for a golden-brown topping and effervescent fruit edges, signaling perfect doneness.
  7. Serving Presentation: Extract from oven and allow 15 minutes of resting to enhance flavor integration. Serve warm, accompanied by vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a luxurious finale.

Notes

  • Choose Apples Wisely: Select firm, tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp that hold their shape during baking and provide balanced sweetness.
  • Create Uniform Slices: Cut apple wedges of consistent thickness to ensure even cooking and prevent some pieces from becoming mushy while others remain undercooked.
  • Control Moisture Content: Drain excess liquid from apple mixture to prevent a soggy bottom and maintain a crisp, crunchy topping texture.
  • Customize Topping Texture: Adjust butter quantity slightly for crumblier or more compact topping – less butter creates a drier, more scattered crisp, while more butter produces a more cohesive, dense layer.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 7
  • Calories: 250
  • Sugar: 18 g
  • Sodium: 120 mg
  • Fat: 12 g
  • Saturated Fat: 7 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 36 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 30 mg
Liam O’Sullivan

Liam O’Sullivan

Founder & Culinary Content Creator

Expertise

Recipe Development​, Traditional Irish and European Cuisines, Food Styling and Photography, Culinary Education​

Education

Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) – School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology

  • Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Comprehensive training in classical and modern cooking techniques, kitchen management, and menu development.​

Ballymaloe Cookery School

  • Program: 12-Week Certificate Course
  • Focus: Intensive, hands-on experience emphasizing farm-to-table cooking and sustainable practices.​

Isabella brings a global spark to the Craft Meats table. Born in Florence and trained at the Apicius International School of Hospitality, she blends classic Italian flavor with modern writing that’s easy to follow and hard to forget. 

Her additional training at the Italian Chef Academy fueled her love for well-crafted dishes, especially ones that spotlight beautiful cuts of meat.

She’s a food writer with heart, and a deep love for storytelling through single recipes. Her goal? To help you cook with more confidence and a little more joy, no matter where you start.

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