Perfect Gravenstein Apple Crisp Recipe (9x13 Pan) (2024)

This apple crisp is a very traditional, old-fashioned apple crisp made with lots of cold butter and oats for a crumbly, crunchy oat topping.

One of the things that separates it from other crisps is that it uses Gravenstein apples! These are some of the earliest apples to ripen each summer, and they’re beloved by the canning crowd for their flavor, especially when cooked.

It’s definitely a favorite for making homemade applesauce or apple butter. Unlike other varieties that can become grainy or too soft after cooking, Gravensteins keep their texture really well. They have the perfect texture, perfect flavor, and are my all-time favorite variety for baking!

Why you’ll love this Gravenstein apple crisp recipe

• EASY TO MAKE – Crisp is a classic for a reason! You don’t need any fancy equipment or tools at all. It also comes together very quickly!
• HEAVENLY FLAVOR – Gravensteins have the perfect texture and flavor for baking. They taste more like apples than other apples to me, and are especially perfect for this recipe.
• WARM & COZY – Is there anything cozier than sinking your spoon into a warm, cinnamony apple with a buttery crumble on top? Well yes, and that’s adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream to melt into every bite!

A Note on Apple Varieties

I’m a big believer in baking with what you can. There is so much variation in apples and how they stand up to cooking, but ultimately, I don’t let that hold me back. I recommend baking this recipe with whatever apples you have, but if I offer one tip? If you’re using a sweeter apple, like a Fuji, try to incorporate something a little more tart, too, like Pink Lady or Granny Smith. Mixing types of apples often leads to the best pies, crumbles, and crisps!

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Peel and dice apples in 1-inch chunks. Place into 9 x 13 baking dish.
3. Sprinkle the apples with remaining apple base ingredients (flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt). Mix toppings into the apple mix with hands. Let the mixture set while you prepare the crisp topping.
4. In a separate bowl, prepare the crisp topping by mixing in all of the dry ingredients.
5. Add the diced butter cubes into the dry crisp mixture. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, press the butter into the dry mixture until it starts to seem sandy. My husband recommends keeping the chunks pretty large in general for a really chunky crisp topping.
6. Place the crisp into a preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Your crisp should look golden and you should be able to see that the apples cooked down and created their own sauce.
7. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Tips & Variations

• Adjust the seasonings. Feel free to exclude the ginger or increase it to 1/2 or 1 tsp. It’d also be great with apple pie spice instead of cinnamon.
• Add nuts. This would be great with roughly chopped pecans or walnuts! Add about ⅓ cup to the oat topping.
• Let it rest. Apple crisp tastes best the next day after all the flavors mesh together! Definitely serve reheated with ice cream or homemade whipped cream!
• Save this recipe! Although I call it a Gravenstein apple crisp, it’s truly wonderful with a variety of apples. This is our go-to recipe that we use all year!

Apple Base

• 3 pounds apples, ideally Gravenstein, 9-10 apples; peel and chop in 1.5-2 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tbs cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tbs flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

Crisp Topping

• 1 1/2 cup oats, We used quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 sticks butter, chilled; diced into 1-cm cubes
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1 pinch salt

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

• Peel and dice apples in 1-inch chunks. Place into 9 x 13 baking dish.

• Sprinkle the apples with remaining apple base ingredients (flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt). Mix toppings into the apple mix with hands. Let the mixture set while you prepare the crisp topping.

• In a separate bowl, prepare the crisp topping by mixing in all of the dry ingredients.

• Add the diced butter cubes into the dry crisp mixture. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, press the butter into the dry mixture until it starts to seem sandy. My husband recommends keeping the chunks pretty large in general for a really chunky crisp topping.

• Place the crisp into a preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Your crisp should look golden and you should be able to see that the apples cooked down and created their own sauce.

• Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Feel free to exclude the ginger or increase it to 1/2 or 1 tsp. This would be great with roughly chopped pecans, too!

Apple crisp tastes best the next day after all the flavors mesh together! Definitely serve reheated with ice cream or homemade whipped cream!