Homemade apple crisp is an easy fall dessert that pairs perfectly with a scoop of ice cream! This classic apple crisp recipe is filled with warm spices, creamy caramel sauce, and tender apples beneath a buttery oat topping.

A serving of apple crisp in a white bowl topped with a scoop of ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce.

This caramel apple crisp is made with warm, tender spiced apples drizzled with homemade caramel sauce, and topped with a chewy-crisp, buttery oat streusel.A touch of real apple cider and cinnamon in caramel sauce gives this decadent fruit crisp an extra boost of flavor. If you’re looking for the perfect dessert to serve this fall, give this apple crisp a try. It’s easier than pie (no messing with pie crust!) yet just as satisfying!

Why I Love This Apple Crisp Recipe

So flavorful. Between the autumn spices, caramel sauce, and splash of apple cider, every bite of this classic recipe is bursting with flavor.
Easier than apple pie. We love homemade apple pie in this house, but it can be a long process. Swapping a buttery oat topping for the pie crust saves the time it takes to prep and chill the dough.
It’s a little extra! Drizzling your crisp with homemade caramel sauce makes the finished dessert extra, if you know what I mean. Making the caramel sauce yourself is super easy, but you can always use your favorite caramel topping from the store, too.

The ingredients for caramel apple crisp.

Ingredient Notes

It takes only a handful of ingredients to make the rich and creamy caramel sauce, apple filling, and streusel. I’ve included some ingredient notes below. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card for the full, printable recipe.

Apple Cider – Apple cider is fresh, unfiltered apple juice. A touch of cider is used for the caramel sauce.
Heavy Cream – Adding a touch of heavy whipping cream thins out the homemade caramel sauce and makes the consistency creamy. Be sure it’s at room temperature.
Butter- You can use salted or unsalted, and it should be at room temperature when added to the caramel sauce.
Apples – I recommend Granny Smith, Honeycrisp apples, or another good baking apple (see below). You’ll need 6 large apples (enough to make 6-7 cups when sliced).
Oats – I make this recipe with a variation of the oat topping I use for my apple crumble pie. Old-fashioned or rolled oats are best, quick oats will work in a pinch. Avoid using instant oats in crumble toppings as they tend to become mushy quickly.
Nuts – Added to the oat topping for extra crunch. Feel free to use pecans or walnuts, or leave the nuts out altogether if you prefer to make this recipe nut-free.

Overhead view of a serving of apple crisp in a white bowl topped with scoops of ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce.

What Are the Best Apples for Baking?

Just like apple pie, the best apples for apple crisp recipes are firm apples that hold up well when they’re baked. Good tart varieties are Granny Smith apples, Braeburn, and Jonagold, or you can use Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious for something sweeter. Or, use a combination of baking apples to give your apple crisp its own unique flavor.

Should I Peel My Apples?

To peel, or not to peel, that is the question. When it comes to whether or not to peel the apples for apple crisp, it’s completely up to you. I always use an apple peeler to peel and core my apples before I start. However, your dessert will turn out delicious either way. Make sure to wash the apples well if you opt to leave the skins on.

When it comes to chopping your apples, you can slice them thinly (my preferred method) or cut them into chunks, whichever you prefer.

A large spoonful of apple crisp held over a skillet.

How to Make Apple Crisp with Oats

Here’s a quick overview of the easy steps involved in making this delicious fall dessert, right down to the caramel sauce and the buttery, crispy oat topping. The caramel sauce needs some time to cool and thicken, you can even make it a day or two ahead of time.

A pot of homemade caramel sauce with a spatula — Make the caramel sauce.

Sliced apples in a skillet surrounded by apple crisp ingredients. — Make the caramel sauce.

Make the Caramel Sauce

Reduce the cider, then add sugar and cinnamon. First, reduce the apple cider in a pan on the stovetop until you’re left with about 1/4 cup. Stir in granulated and brown sugar and cinnamon until dissolved then cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently until the sauce starts to thicken. The bubbles in the caramel will go from large and foamy to tighter and smaller.
Then add in the butter and stir until it’s melted.
Finish the sauce. Remove the caramel from the heat, and slowly pour in the heavy cream as you stir it together. Stir in the vanilla and salt. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Make the Crisp

Prep the apples. Next, thinly slice the apples, toss with a bit of flour and cinnamon, and add them to a greased oven-safe skillet or a baking dish. Pour 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce over the apples.

Sauted apples in a skillet next to a bowl of oats combined with cubed butter for the struesel. — Make the oat topping.

The oat topping added over top of sauted apples in a skillet. — Make the oat topping.

Make and add the oat topping. Lastly, combine the oats with flour, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Cut in the cubed butter until everything comes together and is clumpy, then spoon the crumble over the apples.
Bake. Bake at 350ºF for 30-40 minutes, until the apples are tender and bubbly. Allow it cool a bit before eating. The filling will also thicken as it cools.

Close up overhead view of baked apple crisp in a skillet.

Recipe Tips and Variations

The wonderful thing about homemade apple crisp is that it’s an easy dessert no matter your baking experience. That being said, there are a few things that make all the difference! Below are some final tips to keep in mind when making the best caramel apple crisp:

Use the right apples. See the section earlier for details on the best apples to use in baking. Granny Smith is my favorite.
Use rolled oats. Rolled oats are best, but you can make the topping with equal parts quick oats if that’s what you have on hand.
Don’t burn the cider. Keep an eye on the apple cider as it reduces, so that it doesn’t scorch.
Add a splash of bourbon. Stir 1-2 teaspoons of bourbon into the caramel sauce after you pull it off the stove It deepens the flavors.
Make the caramel sauce ahead of time: Since the caramel will thicken as it cools, you can make it up to 2 days in advance and store in the refrigerator.
Halve the recipe. You can halve the ingredients to make this recipe in a smaller, 9×9-inch baking dish. Although I’d recommend making a full batch of the caramel sauce and use the leftovers for ice cream.
Store-bought caramel. If you don’t want to make the caramel sauce yourself, you could buy a jar instead, but I recommend using the sauces that come in a glass jar and not a squeeze bottle. The ones in the squeeze bottle tend to be pretty thin.

Overhead view of baked apple crisp in a skillet.

Ways to Serve Apple Crisp

Let’s talk apple crisp toppings! Whether you stick with or stray from tradition, there’s really no right or wrong way to serve this awesome apple dessert. I love servings topped with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of extra caramel sauce. Here are some more favorite topping ideas:

Whipped Cream – Top with dollops of homemade whipped cream, or maple cinnamon whipped cream for extra fall-inspired flavor.
Ice Cream – Serve apple crisp a la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Try apple pie ice cream, homemade pumpkin ice cream for a seasonal twist.
Chocolate – Drizzle servings with melted chocolate or homemade chocolate ganache. You can also sprinkle over chocolate shavings or white chocolate chips.

A spoonful of apple crisp held over a bowl of apple crisp topped with ice cream and caramel sauce.

How to Store Apple Crisp

Fridge: Store any leftover apple crisp airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat: Heat servings in the microwave, or in the oven at 350ºF until warmed through.
Freezer: I don’t prefer to freeze the finished dessert as it really loses the texture and the thawed apples make the topping soggy.

Apple Crisp

Why I Love This Apple Crisp Recipe

Ingredient Notes