Apple Crisp without Oats (Perfect Fall Recipe)

This easy Apple Crisp without Oats is made with juicy apples coated in brown sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon, then covered in a sweet, buttery crumble topping made with simple ingredients – no oats required! It’s the perfect fall dessert for busy weeknights, dinner parties, or any time apple season rolls around, and it’s ready to bake in about 20 minutes with pantry staples you probably already have.

Apple Crisp without Oats

Y’all know I love an easy dessert… and this homemade apple crisp might be the easiest one on the blog! Bonus for me – Apple Pie is one of my hubby’s favorite desserts and this tastes a lot like an apple pie, but much easier!

Here’s the thing about apple crumble recipes: so many of them call for oats in the crisp topping, and that’s fine if you like them. But some folks don’t care for the texture, and some folks (ahem, me on a busy day) open the pantry and realize they’re fresh out of oats.

That’s where this oats-free apple crisp comes in. The crumbly topping is just flour, sugar, butter, salt, and cinnamon… nothing you can’t grab at any grocery store. It’s an easy recipe that is simple, warm, and gone before it even cools off.

Sweet-tart Granny Smith apples get tossed with brown sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon, then baked until they’re tender and bubbly. Your whole house is going to smell like fall flavors when you make this delicious warm dessert.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s truly an easy recipe. No pastry cutter, no chilling, no fuss. You mix the crisp recipe with your hands (my favorite way!), sprinkle it over the apple mixture, and let the oven do the work. Easy peasy!

Simple ingredients you already have. Flour, sugar, butter, cinnamon, apples, and maple syrup… that’s basically it. This is a pantry staples kind of dessert, which is exactly what a busy mama needs during apple season.

That buttery crumb topping. Honestly, the best part of any fruit crisp is the topping, and this one bakes up golden brown and slightly crunchy on top with a soft, buttery crumb underneath. No oats needed… I promise you won’t miss them!

Tools Needed

• 10-inch cast iron skillet (or a 9×9-inch square baking pan)
• Large mixing bowl
• Medium bowl (for tossing the apples, or just use one large bowl for both jobs!)
• Vegetable peeler and a sharp knife (or an apple peeler/corer if you have one)

Ingredients

Just a handful of common ingredients is all you need for this delicious recipe!

• Unsalted butter – some melts in the skillet for the apples, and a softened stick goes into the topping
• Granny Smith apples – my pick for baking apples, but see my notes below on the best apple options
• Light brown sugar – packed, for that deep caramel-y sweetness in the apple filling
• Pure maple syrup – the real stuff, please! It makes the cinnamon apples taste almost like they have a caramel sauce built right in
• Ground cinnamon – split between the apples and the topping (or you could use this homemade Apple Pie Spice)
• All-purpose flour – the base of our oat-less crumble topping
• Granulated white sugar – for the topping
• Salt – just a pinch to balance all that sweetness

Find the full recipe with ingredient measurements in the recipe card below.

How to Make Apple Crisp without Oats

Ready to bake? Here’s how to make it, step by step…

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or a 9×9-inch square baking pan) and place it in the oven to melt while you prepare the apples. This little shortcut butters your pan AND gives the apples a rich, buttery base… two jobs, one step!
3. Peel, core, and slice the apples. Aim for slices about ¼-inch thick… thin slices bake up tender, but super thin ones can turn mushy.

4. Add the apple slices, brown sugar, maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to a large bowl.
5. Stir until the sliced apples are evenly coated in the sugar mixture.
6. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven (it’s hot!) and add the prepared apples to the melted butter in the bottom of the skillet. Set aside.

7. Add the flour, white sugar, softened butter, salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to a large mixing bowl. Mix with your hands, working the butter into the dry ingredients until the entire topping mixture is moistened and crumbly.
8. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the apples.

9. Bake the apple crisp in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling, the topping is golden brown, and the apples are soft when poked with a fork.
10. Serve warm! A warm apple crisp without oats with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce is one of the most comforting desserts on the planet. A dollop of fresh whipped cream is delicious too!

What Are the Best Apples for Apple Crisp?

Granny Smith apples are my go-to here. They’re firm, sweet-tart apples that hold their shape and don’t turn to mush in the oven… exactly what you want for a tender apple filling.

That said, you have options! Honeycrisp, Pink Lady apples, and Fuji apples all work beautifully too. Fuji and Pink Lady are sweeter, so your crisp will taste a touch sweeter overall. Really, almost any type of apple that’s good for baking will work… use what you have!

Got a mix of leftover apples in the fruit bowl? Toss them all in. A combination of sweet and tart apples actually makes a delicious apple crisp with lots of flavor.

Pro Tips

• Slice your apples evenly so they all bake at the same rate and you end up with tender apples throughout.
• Prepping your apples ahead of time? Toss the slices with a little lemon juice to keep them from browning while you work.
• Softened butter is the secret to this crumble topping… it should give slightly when you press it, but not be melty. Some streusel topping recipes call for cold butter and a pastry cutter, but for this one, room temperature (or just slightly softer than fridge-cold) butter and clean hands work best.
• Want extra crunchy topping? Bake an extra 5 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t get too dark.
• Let it rest for 10-15 minutes after baking. The juices thicken up a bit and it’s easier to serve… though I’ll be honest, we rarely wait that long at my house!

Variations

• Caramel apple crisp – drizzle caramel sauce over the apple mixture before adding the topping for full-on caramel apples vibes.
• Nutty topping – stir ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts into the topping mixture for extra crunch.
• Vegan crumble – swap in your favorite vegan butter for both the skillet and the topping. It works!
• Gluten-free – a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend can replace the all-purpose flour. Almond flour or coconut flour won’t behave the same way here, so stick with a measure-for-measure blend for best results.
• Extra cozy – add a pinch of nutmeg or apple pie spice to the cinnamon sugar coating on the apples.

Storage Instructions

Room temperature: Cover the cooled crisp with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and keep it on the counter for up to 2 days.

Refrigerator: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container (or cover the whole pan) and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days.

Reheating: Warm individual servings in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, or reheat the whole crisp, covered with foil, in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. The topping crisps back up best in the oven!

Freezing: Yes, you can freeze it! Wrap the cooled crisp tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the oven.

FAQ

What’s the difference between apple crisp, apple crumble, and apple cobbler? They’re all cousins! Traditionally, an apple crisp has an oat topping (I have a recipe here), an apple crumble has a streusel-style topping without oats, and an apple cobbler has a biscuit or cake-like topping. So technically this recipe is an apple crumble… but most of us use “crisp” and “crumble” interchangeably, and I won’t tell if you won’t. 🙂

Is apple crisp easier than apple pie? Absolutely. Apple pies are wonderful, but there’s no crust to roll, chill, or crimp here. This is the shortcut version of that same cozy apple dessert, and nobody at your table will complain!

Can I use apple cider or apple juice instead of maple syrup? The maple syrup adds sweetness AND that gorgeous flavor, so I don’t recommend swapping it for apple cider or apple juice. In a pinch, honey works as a substitute.

Do I have to use a cast iron skillet? Nope! A 9×9-inch prepared baking dish works just as well. Melt the butter in it the same way.

Can I double this recipe? Yes! Double everything and bake it in a 9×13-inch pan. You may need to add 5-10 extra minutes of baking time… just watch for bubbling edges and a golden brown top.

How do I serve apple crisp à la mode? Just top a warm serving with a scoop of ice cream (vanilla is classic!) and dig in before it melts. Add a drizzle of caramel and you’ve got my favorite fall dessert, hands down.

Closing Thoughts

This Easy Apple Crisp without Oats really is a classic fall dessert made even simpler… juicy apples, cinnamon, and a sweet buttery crumb topping, all from simple ingredients you probably have right now. It’s one of the best things to pull out of the oven on a chilly evening, and it’s fancy enough for dinner parties but easy enough for a random Tuesday.

Make it your own, serve it warm, and don’t skip the ice cream!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tried this recipe? Please take a moment to leave a comment and a star rating below… it helps me grow my blog, and I’d be so grateful!

More Apple Recipes

• Apple Crumble Pie
• Caramel Apple Jello Shots
• Easy Apple Pie Dip
• Apple Crumble Muffins (Cinnamon Muffins)
• Homemade Apple Pie Spice Mix Recipe
• Instant Pot Hot Spiced Apple Cider
• Fresh Apple Cake with Caramel and Pecans
• Chocolate Covered Apple Slices (Easy Halloween Snacks)