Apple Crisp Without Oats, with a streusel topping that’s easy and quick to prepare and full of flavors from brown sugar and cinnamon. It’s perfect for a weeknight family dinner or a fancy dinner party.

I will tell you a secret: I love oatmeal for breakfast. But. I detest oats in any type of 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 is going to eat it, but usually I opt for no nuts and no oats.
This Apple Crisp Without Oats recipe is so simple you can make it for a quick dessert even during a busy week. I peel the apples then chop them right into a buttered shallow casserole dish. Mine is a little smaller than a 9×13 dish.
The key is to make sure your topping stays crispy and doesn’t get soggy, and there are several factors that affect the topping: the apples, the dish, and the ratio of topping ingredients.
Best apples to use
When choosing the best apples for baking, you want to think about baking structure and liquid because some apples will get too mushy and ruin your dessert.
I like to use a mixture of Granny Smith apples and Golden Delicious apples, just like when making my Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie.
There are plenty of other apple types that you can choose from, so just keep in mind that you want to choose apples that are good for baking and mix up sweet and tart for deeper flavor.
You can also use pears or a combination of apples and pears in this apple crisp recipe, and you can even throw in dried raisins or cranberries. Just be sure if you use pears that you use baking pears.
Helpful tools
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.
Ingredients
👋 Want the printable recipe? Just scroll down!
You don’t need a lot of ingredients and you probably have most of them in your pantry.
- Apples – use a mix of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious for best results
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed
- Brown sugar
- Flour – all-purpose or self-rising is fine
- Cornstarch
- Cinnamon and nutmeg – yum!
- Vanilla
- Salt
- Butter – I use Land O’Lakes unsalted
How to make apple crisp without oats
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.
You’re going to love how absolutely EASY this recipe is!
Step 1. Preheat oven to 375. Butter a medium-sized shallow casserole dish.
**Cook’s Tip: Mine is a little smaller than a 9×13 dish.
Step 2. Peel apples and then chop into 1/2-inch pieces right into the buttered dish.
Step 3. Add the lemon juice to the apples and gently toss to coat the apples.
Step 4. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, and cornstarch and gently mix until distributed throughout the apples.
Step 5. Stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, a little freshly grated nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
Step 6. Add the butter and use your hands to mix until a pebbly, crumbly mixture.
Cook’s Tip: Make sure you’re using cold butter.
Step 7. 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.
Step 8. Bake the Apple Crisp 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 in 35 mins.
Step 9. Remove from oven and allow to rest for fifteen minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
So easy but so full of flavor!
Extra tips
- You can make this Easy Apple Crisp ahead of time also. Just put it together the day before you want to bake, but leave the topping off until you’re ready to bake.
- And of course, when serving you can add some vanilla ice cream and this amazing caramel sauce and then you’ll really wow somebody!
Serving suggestions
If you’re making the apple crisp for a dinner party, may I suggest serving it with some good old Southern favorites? Try my Meatloaf Recipe or Baked Pork Chops, add a Southern Squash Casserole or some Macaroni and Cheese, and you’ve got the perfect meal!

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Easy Apple Crisp Without Oats
An apple crisp without oats, with a streusel topping that's easy and quick to prepare and full of flavors from brown sugar and cinnamon.
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
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pinch of kosher salt
Topping
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 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 the in 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 9x13 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.
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 Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 477Saturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 148mgCarbohydrates: 82gFiber: 3gSugar: 50gProtein: 3g
Don’t miss these apple desserts:
This post is part of the Top Ten Recipes of Last Year collection.
Update Notes: This post was originally published October 15, 2014, and on September 24, 2018, was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, new tips.
This post is part of Meal Plan Monday on SouthernPlate.com.
Alex
Tuesday 29th of December 2020
Can we make this in microwave too?
Erin
Thursday 24th of December 2020
Could this be made the day before and stored in the fridge?
11 Best Recipes for Apple Crisp | Best Recipes
Thursday 26th of November 2020
[…] Apple Crisp without Oats - Brown Sugar and Cinnamo...Apple crisp without oats, with a streusel toppi… INGREDIENTS4-5 apples (I use 2 Granny Smith and 2 sweeter apples, whatever I have on hand) 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup light brown sugar 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 stick unsalted butter, cold and diced […]
LW
Monday 23rd of November 2020
Delicious! But I would cut half a cup of flour from the topping next time. It came out a little too powdery instead of being a proper chunky crumb. Still amazing anyway!
kristen wright
Saturday 29th of August 2020
Very nice recipe first time I used butter second time making used half butter half creeme cheese with gluten free flour very tasty