The Best Apple Crisp Without Oats (High Altitude Approved)

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No oats, no mixer — just real ingredients. This apple crisp includes exact high altitude bake-time adjustments so it turns out right every time, even at 7,000+ ft.

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There’s a reason apple crisp shows up at every fall table in Colorado — it’s the dessert that doesn’t ask much of you and gives back everything. No pie crust to fuss over, no mixer to drag out. Just apples, a little butter, and a crumbly topping that turns golden in the oven while the rest of dinner comes together.

This one’s a family favorite around here because it’s made with real ingredients — six of them, to be exact. No 37-ingredient recipe, no shortcuts you can’t pronounce. Just apples, butter, sugar, cinnamon, flour, and water.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 4 medium to large apples, peeled and sliced – I highly suggest an apple peeler and corer – inexpensive and worth it!
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups flour

That’s it. No oats required (though if you’re an oat-topping purist, that’s a fine swap — more on that in the FAQ below).

How to Make Apple Crisp From Scratch

Prep the apples – Peel and slice your apples, then spread them evenly across a 9×13 baking pan. Pour the cup of water over and around the apples — this is the step people skip, and it’s the one that keeps your crisp from drying out in the oven.

Make the crumble topping – In a separate bowl, mix the softened butter, sugar, cinnamon, and flour together with a pastry cutter, fork or your hands until it turns into a crumbly, sandy texture. You want small clumps, not a smooth dough — that texture is what gives you the crisp, crumbly top instead of a cakey one.

Assemble and bake – Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples, covering them completely. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes at sea level (40 minutes at high altitude). Every oven and every altitude is a little different, so check for a bubbling edge and a golden top before pulling it.

Serve – Best served warm, straight out of the oven. A scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream on top is not optional in this house.

High Altitude Tips

Baking at elevation changes this recipe more than you’d think, so here’s what to adjust:

• Bake time: Plan on closer to 40 minutes instead of 30. Faster evaporation at altitude means the topping can look done on top before the apples underneath are actually tender.
• Check doneness with a fork, not the clock. Slide a fork into the center of the pan — the apples should give easily with no resistance. If they’re still firm, give it another 5–10 minutes.
• The water matters even more up here. At altitude, liquid evaporates faster, which is exactly why that cup of water in the bottom of the pan isn’t optional — it’s doing extra work to keep your apples from drying out before they’ve had time to soften.
• Watch the topping color. If the top is browning faster than the apples are softening, loosely tent the pan with foil for the last 10 minutes so it doesn’t over-brown.

What Apples Are Best for Apple Crisp?

Firmer, tart baking apples hold their shape and give the best texture — Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn are all great choices. If all you’ve got is a bag of whatever’s in the fridge, don’t stress — this recipe is forgiving. It’s the “no 37-ingredient recipe” of desserts: real ingredients, simple method, hard to mess up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to peel the apples? Yes, for this recipe — peeled apples give you that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture under the topping. Skip the peeling and you’ll get a chewier bite from the skins.

Can I use oats in the topping? This version is a classic butter-flour-sugar crumble without oats, which is what gives it that old-fashioned texture. If you love an oat topping, you can swap in 1/2 cup of the flour for old-fashioned oats.

Can I make apple crisp ahead of time? You can prep the apples and the topping separately up to a day ahead — keep them in separate containers in the fridge, then assemble and bake right before serving.

How do I store leftover apple crisp? Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or warm the whole pan in a 300°F oven for about 15 minutes.

Can I freeze apple crisp? Yes. Bake it fully, let it cool completely, then cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven to bring the topping back to life.

Can I double this recipe? Absolutely — double all the ingredients and use two 9×13 pans, or one larger roasting pan. Bake time will run a little longer, so watch for the same fork-tender doneness cue rather than sticking to a fixed time.

Is apple crisp the same as apple crumble? They’re closely related — “apple crumble” is the British name for the same style of dessert, a baked fruit topped with a streusel-style crumb. In the US, “crisp” is more common. This recipe uses a classic buttery crumble topping without oats.

Why doesn’t this apple crisp recipe use oats? Oats are common in a lot of apple crisp recipes, but they’re not required — a simple butter, sugar, cinnamon, and flour crumble gives you a topping that’s crisp and buttery rather than chewy, and it’s one less ingredient to keep on hand.

Final Thoughts

This is the kind of dessert that shows up every fall in my kitchen — simple, warm, and made with real ingredients you already have on hand. If you make it, I’d love to know how it turned out — leave a comment below or tag me on Facebook or Instagram @my.colorado.kitchen so I can see your crisp!

And if you’re building out your own from-scratch kitchen, I’ve rounded up all my favorite tools and equipment on my Amazon storefront — everything from the pans I use for recipes like this to my everyday baking basics.