This apple crisp recipe without oats has been a go-to dessert for millions of readers over the years, and for good reason! Warm, cinnamon-kissed apples bake under a rich, buttery streusel that’s perfectly crumbly — with no oats in sight. It all comes together in one dish and is ready in less than an hour, making it as easy as it is delicious. Once you try it, you’ll see why this simple recipe has stood the test of time!
WOW! I had leftover apples and wanted to make some comfort food to prepare for the Buffalo storm coming tomorrow 😨. I’m used to using oats in apple crisp, even tho it turns into a mushy mess. Luckily I didn’t have oats, so I tried this recipe. Oh me oh my!!! Absolutely fantastic. The topping is crispy as promised, the apples held up to perfection, the taste is enough to knock me off my chair!!! Absolutely fantastic recipe! No more mushy mess for me, this recipe is a keeper! Thank you for sharing!
cathy
Why this apple crisp recipe is awesome
I will tell you a secret: I love oatmeal for breakfast. But. I detest oats in any dessert or pretty much anywhere that is not oatmeal for breakfast.
So when making a fruit crisp, I like to top it with a streusel topping without oats. Sometimes, toasted nuts can be part of the streusel, depending on who will eat it, but I usually opt for no nuts or oats.
We’ve tested and made this recipe so many times over the years, and the result is a perfect apple crisp without oats and with a topping that melts in your mouth. We made it all in one dish, so you have less mess, and the whole thing is super easy to throw together.
Although technically an apple crumble since there are no oats in the topping, we still call this recipe an apple crisp because the topping gets nice and crispy.
Beloved and shared by millions of blog, Pinterest, and Facebook readers, this delicious apple crisp recipe without oats is the best and easiest you’ll find.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
P.S. We love an apple dessert around here, so we also feature Fried Apple Pies, Baked Apple Tarts, and this super easy recipe for Apple Strudel.
Ingredient notes
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
While most of the ingredients in this recipe are simple pantry ingredients that you likely already have on hand, there are a few key things to be aware of:
- Apples: I like to use a tart and sweet mixture of Granny Smith apples and Golden Delicious or Honeycrisp apples, just like when making my Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie. You can also use pears or a combination of apples and pears, and you can even throw in dried raisins or cranberries.
- Butter: No margarine allowed here, folks. Just don’t. Buy the butter, and don’t buy store-brand butter. When an ingredient is an integral part of the recipe, you need to get the best quality possible.
- Lemon juice: A touch of freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens your apple crisp.
- Baking: I like to use a shallow baking dish similar to this one when making this apple crisp. If you use a dish that’s too deep, there will be too much moisture, and the topping will get soggy.
Recipe options
You can easily adapt this simple apple crumble without oats to suit dietary preferences.
- Gluten-free flour works great in this recipe! We tested with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free Flour.
- Add nuts to the streusel topping; decrease the flour amount by 1/2 cup and use 1 cup of chopped nuts.
I made this yesterday and it was DELICIOUS!!!! The entire family loved it. I could not believe how easy it was to make. I have to say this recipe will most likely sub for an apple pie going forward. Thank you for this 10 star recipe.
ann
Let’s make an apple crisp without oats!
You’re going to love how absolutely EASY this recipe is!
Pro Tip: The size of the dish is important to help the topping stay crispy. If you squish everything into a smaller, deeper dish, the topping won’t be spread out, and the liquid from the apples will be more likely to affect the texture of the topping.
Prepare dish and apples.
Preheat oven to 375. Butter a medium-sized shallow casserole dish. Peel apples and chop them into 1/2-inch pieces right into the prepared baking dish.
Add the lemon juice to the apples and gently toss to coat the apples. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, and cornstarch and gently toss until distributed throughout the apples.
Make the apple crisp topping without oats.
Stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, a little freshly grated nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Add the butter and use your hands to mix until a pebbly, crumbly mixture.
Cook’s Tip: Make sure you’re using cold butter.
Add topping.
Sprinkle about a third of the topping over the apples and move the apples around a bit so some of the topping is mixed in with the apples. Sprinkle the remaining topping over the apples.
Bake and serve!
Bake for about 50 minutes or until the apple crisp topping is deep golden brown.
Cook’s Tip: Keep an eye on it, as your oven might require less time — I have baked it in an oven that only took 35 mins.
Remove your apple crisp from the oven and allow to rest for fifteen minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream and homemade caramel sauce.
Join Southern Food and Fun Community group
and Southern Potluck group!
And please follow us on social media:
Apple Crisp Without Oats
Ingredients
Filling
- 4-5 apples (I use 2 Granny Smith and 2 sweeter apples, whatever I have on hand)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pinch of kosher salt
Topping
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cold and diced
- **If you want to use chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts in the topping, decrease the flour by 1/2 cup and use 1 cup of chopped nuts.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375. Butter a medium-sized shallow casserole dish. Mine is a little smaller than a 9×13 dish.
- Peel apples and then chop into 1/2-inch pieces right into the buttered dish. Add the lemon juice to the apples and gently toss to coat the apples. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, and cornstarch and gently mix until distributed throughout the apples.
Topping
- Stir together the flour, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, a little freshly grated nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Add the butter and use your hands to mix until a pebbly, crumbly mixture.
- Sprinkle about a third of the topping over the apples and move the apples around a bit so some of the topping is mixed in with the apples. Sprinkle remaining topping over the apples.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until topping is golden brown (just keep an eye on it, as your oven might require less time–I have baked in 35 mins). Remove from oven and allow to rest for fifteen minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
Video
Notes
Tips for Making Easy Apple Crisp:
- Use a shallow baking dish
- Use a mix of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples
- Cold butter works best for the streusel topping
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post for Apple Crisp Without Oats was originally published on October 15, 2014, and on February 22, 2025, was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, and new tips.
Tips and reader questions
Working the butter too much or too finely into the flour can cause the topping to be soft.
This apple crisp does not need to be refrigerated, at least for a day or so. I doubt it will be around longer than that, but I would store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator after a couple of days.
Yes, you can freeze this apple crisp. First, allow the crisp to cool completely, then wrap the whole dish with plastic wrap and cover the plastic wrap with tin foil.
You can make this easy apple crisp ahead of time. Put it together the day before you want to bake, but leave the apple crisp topping off until you’re ready to bake.
If you are rewarming the whole dish of apple crisp, heat in the oven until warm. This will help the topping stay crispy. You could use a toaster oven or air fryer as well.
Can I use apple pie filling instead of fresh apples
I haven’t tested with pie filling so I’m not sure how it would turn out. But it only takes a few minutes to chop the fresh apples and they taste so much better than canned pie filling!
Simple and delicious – literally switched to it in the middle of a dinner party when I discovered I was out of oats. Everyone ate it up. Thank you for the party-saver!
Thank you for not using oats. Much better.
Can I use pie filling instead of fresh apples?
I haven’t tested with pie filling so I’m not sure how it would turn out. But it only takes a few minutes to chop the fresh apples and they taste so much better than canned pie filling!
Used 3 apples; cut the topping recipe in half; made it gluten-free (necessary in our household) with 1/2 brown Rice flour and half almond flour; also used a pastry blender to mix the butter into,topping. Turned out great..plus the house smelled like fall.
My wife handed me a bag of Macintosh apples she bought at local farm in Southern New England. She described the apples as the skin being too tough and inside was too soft, but the flavor was good. She asked me to make a dessert with them. Because my wife is not really a dessert-eater and she works hard to maintain her girlish figure, I always reduce fat and sugar in recipes for her. I used 5 of these medium-sized Macs, but I cut all the other ingredients in half. I baked it for 35 minutes (rested for 20 after) and enjoyed thoroughly with vanilla ice cream. The texture of the apples was perfect and the flavor of the farm-fresh apples really shone through, complemented by the crispiness of the topping. Adding the cornstarch to the apples created a smooth saucy filling. The vanilla, lemon and salt all helped to enhance and highlight the flavors. I think the recipe is fine without all the streusel topping it calls for. I will definitely make the fast and easy recipe again!
So glad you enjoyed it! We love our streusel though!
I normally don’t care for apple crisp but my husband does. Made this and I’ve changed my opinion. This is excellent!
Thank you!
This was so good but a total mess to make. Topping didn’t turn into anything crumbly – it turned into a paste and I had to spread it on with my hands because it kept sticking to the spoon. Tastes delicious, though!
Sounds like you may have mixed the topping too much. So sorry that happened, I know it’s frustrating! I have done the same.
Your prompts to adjust the recipe for X1 X2 X3 is GENIUS!! Why hasn’t someone did this years ago?? I’m 60 and this absolutely blows my mind “in a good way” 🙂 Now you make me want to sign up!! 🙂 The comments and the website has convinced me that I am making this on the weekend. 🙂
Thank you. I’m not much of a baker with exact measurements and all but this
recipe came out great. My fiance loves when I bake and he was happy with my endeaver.
This dish is not out of the oven yet, but by the taste and the look of it, I have no doubt it will be my new and only applecrisp recipe! I have never made this without oats, I went to start the process, and I didn’t have enough oats, then I found this recipe, and I said well, I’d always wondered how it would be without the oats, and how the topping could be crispy without them oats, I can see already that the topping is becoming crispy, it smells delicious, I will be back with the outcome, thanks for sharing this!!
I made this tonight. I used 2 Granny Smith apples and 2 honey crisp apples and added pecans. It was buttery and crispy with the perfect blend of sugar and spices. This is my husbands new favorite dessert. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Love this recipe,will always use your recipe instead of the one I been using for years.it is full of flavor and I like the crunch of the crust.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Great recipe. I’ve been trying to find a good topping that doesn’t have oatmeal. I just made a couple of changes for me; I didn’t have corn starch so I added two tb of flour for each single tb of corn starch. Also I’m not a fan of nutmeg so I cut that and just made sure the apples were in consistent thin slices. The best apple crisp topping and filling ever. Great work. This will be my go to from now on.
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Delicious ,I have made many apple crumbles and this one is now my favourite.Very yummy crumbs and melt in the mouth apples and just Devine.Thankyou so much
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed it!