The Ultimate Mega Apple Crisp
This year, we went apple picking, and I have to tell you something—I had never actually picked apples myself. For some reason, I always thought I wouldn’t really enjoy it. Well… I was wrong. I loved it.
There was something surprisingly satisfying about reaching up and picking an apple right off the tree and filling our bag. With everything going on in the world today and all the things we wonder about when it comes to the food we buy, it felt really good to pick my own fruit and know exactly where it came from.
And then, of course, I had to figure out what to do with all those apples.
Enter the Ultimate Mega Apple Crisp.
Now, if you like a little apple with your topping, this is your recipe. 😂
My family LOVES the crunchy oat mixture on top, so I don’t hold back. I use plenty of oats, cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter to make a thick, crunchy, buttery layer that gets beautifully golden and crisp. Meanwhile, the McIntosh apples soften as they bake, creating wonderful juicy pockets under all that topping.
And because I picked these apples myself, this batch felt a little extra special.
Tools You'll Need (Affiliate Links Below)
- Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls – For effortlessly prepping your filling and thick crumble batter – Amazon (paid link) | Walmart
- Silicone Dough Scraper – To cleanly fold and divide those delicious, buttery oat clumps – Amazon (paid link) | Walmart
- Classic Wooden Spoon – The ultimate tool for tossing apples without bruising the fresh slices – Amazon (paid link) | Walmart
- Durable Measuring Cups & Spoons Set – For perfectly balancing your cinnamon ratios – Amazon (paid link) | Walmart
- Stainless Steel Baking Whisk – For thoroughly incorporating your dry sugars and starches – Amazon (paid link) | Walmart
- 9×13-Inch Glass Baking Dish – Watch your crisp bake to deep, golden perfection – Amazon (paid link) | Walmart
The Apple Filling
- 8 medium McIntosh apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into thick wedges
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – Amazon (paid link) | Walmart (#WalmartPartner)
- 1/2 cup granulated monk fruit sweetener – Amazon (paid link) | Walmart (#WalmartPartner)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon –
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour – Amazon (paid link) | Walmart (#WalmartPartner)
The Mega Oat Topping
This is where we go BIG on the topping. If your family loves those crunchy, buttery oats as much as mine does, you won’t want to skimp here.
- 1/2 cup (1 full stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats cinnamon: The cinnamon is divided between the apple filling and the oat topping. You’ll use 1 teaspoon in the apples and 1 1/2 teaspoons in the topping—2 1/2 teaspoons total.
Let's Make It
1. Get the oven ready.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease your 9 × 13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
2. Prep the apples.
Place your sliced McIntosh apples into a large bowl and pour the vanilla extract over them. Give them a good stir so the vanilla coats the apples.
3. Add the spices and flour.
In a small bowl, whisk together the monk fruit sweetener, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour.
Pour the mixture over the vanilla-coated apples and toss everything together until the apples are evenly coated.
Pour the apples into your prepared baking dish.
4. Start the topping with the butter.
Melt the butter right in a large microwave-safe bowl. I melted mine in the microwave, so there was no need to dirty another dish.
Add the salt and cinnamon to the melted butter and mix really well.
Then add the dark brown sugar and mix again until everything is well combined.
5. Mix the oats and flour.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour and old-fashioned oats. Give them a good stir so they’re evenly mixed.
6. Bring it all together.
Add the dry oat and flour mixture to the bowl with the melted butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar mixture.
Stir everything really well until the oats and flour are completely coated and you have a thick, buttery mixture with plenty of those delicious little clumps.
7. Pile it on.
Spread that beautiful oat mixture evenly over the apples.
And don’t be shy about it. You want a nice, thick layer covering those apples because that’s what gives this crisp its signature crunchy topping.
8. Bake until golden and bubbly.
Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, until the topping is deeply golden brown and fragrant and the apple juices are bubbling around the edges. If your oven runs cool or your apples were extra juicy, it may need the full 50 minutes.
Your kitchen is going to smell absolutely amazing.
Let the apple crisp cool for about 15 minutes before serving. This gives the juices a chance to settle and lets that buttery oat topping firm up into all those delicious crunchy pieces.
The Best Part
Grab a spoon and dig in while it’s still warm.
The apples are soft and juicy, the cinnamon and nutmeg make the whole kitchen smell like fall, and then there’s that thick, buttery, crunchy oat topping over everything.
And if you really want to make it extra special, add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream right on top. My family absolutely loves vanilla ice cream with their apple crisp, and honestly, I can’t blame them.
And because we picked these apples ourselves, there’s something extra satisfying about knowing exactly where this dessert started.
From the tree… to the baking dish… to the table.
Now that’s a fall dessert I can get behind.
More from Blooming Harbor
If you enjoyed this recipe, there’s more to explore around Blooming Harbor.
→ Explore my Desserts & Baking Recipes
Or take a little detour into one of my personal series:
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