Apple Crisp Without Oats (Buttery Crumble Topping)

What Makes This Recipe Work

Cutting cold butter into flour and sugar creates sandy clumps that melt into crisp shards as they bake, the same technique behind any good crumble topping. A light touch keeps those clumps intact, and a hot oven finishes the apples into a jammy layer below.

Ingredients for Apple Crisp Without Oats (Buttery Crumble Topping)

• 2 lb (900 g) firm baking apples, peeled if you like, sliced 1/2 inch thick (about 6 cups)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour for the topping
• 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon for the topping
• 1/4 tsp fine salt for the topping
• 1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

How to Make Apple Crisp Without Oats (Buttery Crumble Topping)

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and butter an 8-inch square baking dish or a 9-inch pie plate.
2. Toss the apple slices with lemon juice, granulated sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/8 tsp salt in a large bowl until evenly coated, then spread them in the prepared dish.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and remaining 1/4 tsp salt.
4. Add the cold butter cubes and work them into the dry mix with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture forms clumps ranging from pea size to small walnut size, with some sandy bits left over.
5. Scatter the crumble evenly over the apples, pressing it on lightly so it adheres in places but stays rough overall.
6. Set the dish on a rimmed sheet pan to catch drips and bake 38 to 45 minutes, until the topping is deep golden and the apple juices are bubbling actively at the edges.
7. Let the crisp cool 15 to 20 minutes so the juices thicken, then serve warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Tips for the Best Apple Crisp Without Oats (Buttery Crumble Topping)

• Keep the butter cold right up until it goes into the topping; warm butter blends into paste instead of forming crisp clumps.
• Stop mixing as soon as the clumps form. Overworking the topping makes it dense rather than craggy.
• Check doneness by the juices, not just the color: bubbling filling means the apples are tender and the sauce has thickened.

Variations and Substitutions

• For the oat-topped version of this dessert, make the base Apple Crisp recipe, which uses oats and brown sugar in the streusel.
• The same no-oat topping works over sliced peaches for a peach crisp without oats; add 5 extra minutes of bake time for fresh peaches.
• Fold 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts into the crumble for extra crunch, or add 1/2 cup dried cranberries to the apples.
• Pick firm fruit with the Apples for Apple Crisp guide so the slices hold their shape under the topping.

How to Store and Reheat

• Cover leftover crisp and refrigerate up to 4 days; re-warm portions in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes to re-crisp the topping.
• Assembled but unbaked crisp can be frozen up to 2 months; bake from frozen, adding 10 to 15 minutes, covering with foil if the top browns too fast.

Apple Crisp Without Oats (Buttery Crumble Topping) FAQ