Is your kitchen overflowing with apples?
Then it is time to bake the easiest, coziest, no-fuss maple cinnamon apple crisp. This simple apple dessert comes together with one bowl for the topping, a baking dish full of sliced apples, and a handful of wholesome pantry ingredients. It is naturally sweet, warmly spiced, perfectly crumbly, and easy to make gluten-free or vegan if needed.
And honestly, please do not serve it without a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Warm apple crisp with cold, creamy ice cream is one of the best fall desserts. The golden oat topping, tender cinnamon apples, and bubbling maple sauce are wonderful on their own, but the ice cream makes every spoonful even better.
The recipe starts with plenty of apples. Maybe you went apple picking and came home with more apples than you knew what to do with, or maybe you simply grabbed a big bag from the store. Either way, this maple cinnamon apple crisp is a delicious way to use them. Peel the apples, slice them thinly, and pile them straight into the baking dish.
The apple slices are tossed directly in the pan with a few simple ingredients that help create the sweet, spiced filling:
Plenty of cinnamon, because a good apple crisp needs warm cinnamon flavor in every bite.
A small amount of nutmeg, because just a little adds depth without overpowering the apples.
Maple syrup for natural sweetness and that rich maple flavor that pairs so well with apples.
Lemon juice, which helps balance the sweetness and keeps the filling bright.
Apple cider, apple juice, or water to add just enough liquid so the apples bake into a glossy, caramel-colored sauce.
A little arrowroot starch or cornstarch helps thicken the juices so the filling becomes saucy without turning watery.
Next comes the crisp topping, which is quick, rustic, and incredibly satisfying.
You will mix rolled oats, flour (almond flour, oat flour, whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour all work here), more cinnamon, coconut sugar, melted butter or coconut oil, and a little salt.
That is all you need.
Stir the topping together until crumbly, scatter it evenly over the cinnamon maple apples, and bake until the fruit is tender and the topping is crisp and golden.
As it bakes, the apples soften while still holding their shape, the topping turns beautifully browned, and the filling bubbles up around the edges of the dish. The maple syrup, apple juices, cinnamon, and butter or coconut oil create a rich sauce that settles at the bottom of the pan and makes this homemade apple crisp taste extra comforting.
Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or your favorite dairy-free alternative. It is simple enough for a weeknight dessert but cozy enough to serve after a fall dinner, a holiday meal, or any time you want a classic apple dessert without making pie crust.
If you love apple crisp, this maple cinnamon version is a recipe you will want to make again and again. It uses everyday ingredients, does not require any complicated steps, and can be adjusted to suit what you have on hand. Make it gluten-free with certified gluten-free oats and gluten-free flour, make it vegan with coconut oil or vegan butter, or add walnuts or pecans to the topping for extra crunch.
The best part is that this recipe is flexible. Sweeter apples work especially well because the filling is not loaded with sugar, but tart apples can also be used if you add a little more maple syrup. However you make it, the result is a warm, fragrant, maple-sweetened apple crisp with a crunchy oat topping and a soft, cinnamon-spiced apple filling.
If you make this maple cinnamon apple crisp recipe, leave a comment below and share what you think. Happy baking, friends.
MAPLE CINNAMON APPLE CRISP
Time: 75 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
filling
- 6-8 very large apples (or 10 smaller apples)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons arrowroot starch (or cornstarch)
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider or apple juice (can sub water)
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- a few shakes of nutmeg (1/8tsp or less)
topping
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup flour of choice (almond, whole wheat, all-purpose)
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
- optional: 1/2 cup finely diced walnuts or pecans
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Set out a large baking or casserole dish, ideally 10 inches or larger.
- Peel and thinly slice the apples, placing them directly into the baking dish. Add the remaining filling ingredients over the apples and toss well until everything is evenly coated. You can use clean hands or a sturdy wooden spoon.
- Add all topping ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir until combined. Use your hands to crumble the mixture evenly over the apples.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let the apple crisp cool for at least 10 minutes after baking, then serve warm, preferably with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
- Store leftovers, if you have any, in the fridge for 3-4 days. This apple crisp tastes best reheated.
NOTES: The beauty of apple crisp is that you can use almost any type of apple you have on hand. Since this recipe is not overly sweet, sweeter apples such as honeycrisp, ginger gold, or mutsu work especially well. If your apples are more tart, add a few extra tablespoons of maple syrup to the filling.
MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Use certified gluten-free oats and choose a gluten-free flour such as almond flour, oat flour, or a gluten-free all-purpose blend.
MAKE IT VEGAN: Use melted coconut oil or vegan butter in the topping.