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In Search Of Yummy-ness > Recipes > Desserts and Treats

Apple Crisp with Pecans

Updated: May 12, 2025 • Published: September 25, 2019 • Written By: Shareba Abdul • This page may contain affiliate links. • 9 Comments

4.2 from 30 votes
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A bowl of warm apple crisp topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Text overlay says "Apple Crisp with Pecans for Cozy Fall Days".

Get cozy with this delicious apple pecan crisp, packed with tender apples, warm cinnamon and a crunchy oat-pecan topping.

This recipe is a breeze to make - with no apple peeling necessary!

Whether you're looking for a satisfying morning treat, or a comforting dessert to wind down your day, this recipe has all the cozy Autumn vibes in a single bowl.

A fancy bowl full of apple crisp topped with a scoop of ice cream.
Jump to Section:
  • 🍎 Ingredients & Substitutions
  • 🥣 How to Make Apple Crisp with Pecans
  • 🥧 How to Serve
  • • Recipe •

Apple season has officially arrived, and I couldn't be happier!

While pumpkin spice tends to steal the spotlight this time of year, there's just something irresistibly comforting about the scent of warm apples and cinnamon.

If you're an apple fan too, and find yourself reaching for spiced apple cider, apple cinnamon oatmeal, or apple pie as soon as the leaves start to change, then this apple crisp with pecans might just be your perfect fall dessert.

🍎 Ingredients & Substitutions

This recipe uses brown sugar in both the apple filling and the oat-pecan topping, so be careful to separate the amount needed for both parts of the recipe!

Ingredients for apple crisp in bowls on a table
  • Apples: Cortland or SweeTango apples work well here. Or try combining a very sweet apple like Honeycrisp with a tangy apple like Granny Smith.
  • Lemon Juice: helps prevent the apples from turning brown. Omit if your apples are very tangy.
  • Brown Sugar: adds a caramel-like sweetness. Substitute with white sugar.
  • Ground Cinnamon: I used pre-ground cinnamon, but you can grate a cinnamon stick on a microplane grater if you prefer to.
  • Ground Nutmeg: I used pre-ground nutmeg, but you can grate a whole nutmeg on a microplane grater if you prefer to. Omit if you dislike the flavour.
  • Cornstarch: This helps to create filling texture similar to apple pie.
  • Old-fashioned Oats: These larger flaked oats create a great crispy topping. Substitute with quick oats if you must, but it won't be the same. Avoid using steel cut oats here.
  • All-purpose Flour: This helps hold the topping together and adds to the overall texture. Whole wheat flour should work as a substitute, but I have not tested that myself.
  • Pecans: The nuts add flavour to the topping, but can be substituted with almonds or omitted entirely.
  • Salt: Brings out the flavour of all of the topping ingredients. Do not omit unless you're using salted butter.
  • Unsalted butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can control the saltiness of the final dish. If you choose to substitute this with salted butter, do not add more salt to the topping.
An illustration of a recipe card next to a green bowl with ingredients falling into it.

See the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and recipe instructions.

About Those Apples...

After testing this recipe multiple times with various apples, I've concluded that the type of apple you use in this recipe dramatically impacts the final flavour and texture.

  • Granny Smith apples are a classic choice for apple crisp, but they're not my favourite. While they have good flavour, they don't soften enough for my liking.
  • Pink Lady apples also stay firm after baking, but they lack the tanginess of Granny Smith apples. These are my least favourite apples to use in this recipe.
  • Honeycrisp apples are a good option if you want a very sweet crisp. Or, you can mix them with Granny Smith apples to create a balanced apple crisp flavour.
  • Cortland apples are my current favourite apples to use in Apple Crisp. They have a sweet yet tangy flavour and soften enough during cooking to give the crisp filling an apple-pie-like texture. Corlands lose their texture as they age, so a fresh Cortland will be more crisp than an older one. Mixing Cortlands with Granny Smith apples created good flavour with interesting texture since the Cortlands cooked down and the Granny Smiths remained in firmer chunks.
A large clear bowl full of chopped raw apples
An illustration of a red apple.

Don't have these specific apples in your area? No problem! Use your favourite baking apple.

Can you use quick oats for apple crisp?

You can, but it won't give you the best results.

I used to make my crisps with quick oats, but I've come to realize that old fashioned oats (a.k.a. rolled oats) are the way to go if you want a nice crunchy topping.

A pile of old fashioned oats and a pile of quick oats on a cutting board

The reason why quick oats doesn't create a really awesome crisp topping is that the pieces are too small and too thin, so they don't lend much texture to the topping.

Whereas old fashioned oats are larger and have more surface area, which creates a satisfying thick crunchy layer of topping.

🥣 How to Make Apple Crisp with Pecans

Before you get started, give your apples a good wash.

We're keeping the skins on in this recipe (unless you don't want to), so you want to make sure they're clean before you get to chopping!

Once your apples are clean, you can remove the cores and start chopping them up.

Don't worry about making all of the pieces uniform. The smaller bits will break down into the filling and any larger pieces will add texture to the finished dish.

Make the Filling

A measuring cup of brown sugar being poured over a bowl of chopped red apples.

Step 1: Add the lemon juice, sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and cornstarch to the apples.

Glass bowl with a wooden spoon with slice

Step 2: Stir well to coat the apples with the spice mixture.

Step 3: Once that's done, you'll pour the apple mixture into a prepared 8x8 baking dish.

Chopped spiced apples in a a baking dish with a wooden spoon

Baking Dish Options

When I photographed this recipe, I used an old Le Creuset square 8" x 8" x 1.5" enamelled stoneware baking dish for this recipe. It has a volume of about 1.5 litres.

Many 8" x 8" baking dishes have a depth of 2 inches, which means the pan holds more volume. If you use an 8" x 8" x 2" square baking dish, the filling won't fill up the pan as much as mine did, which is totally fine.

I recently tested this recipe with a round pie plate that is 9.5" x 1.6", which also works well for this recipe.

An illustration of butter in it's packaging.

Note: While greasing the pan is helpful, I have been known to skip this step once in a while. It usually comes out just fine.

Make the Oat Pecan Topping

Save yourself an extra dish to wash and make your topping in the same large bowl that you used to mix the apples.

Bowl of ingredients for Apple Crisp with a wooden spoon.

Step 1: Combine all spices into a large bowl and combine thoroughly with mixture

Ingredients for apple crisp topping in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon.

Step 2: Stir in melted butter until the topping mixture looks moist.

Baking pan of unbaked ingredients for Apple Crisp.

Step 3: Spread the topping over the layer of apples in the baking pan.

Baking pan of baked apple crisp.

Step 4: Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, or until apples are cooked and juices are bubbling up the sides of the pan.

I bake my crisp in the middle of the oven, but if you find the oats are browning too quickly, you can move the crisp down to your bottom rack to finish cooking.

An illustration of a food processor.

If you make your apple crisp topping in a food processor, you won't have to pre-chop your nuts!

A spoonful of baked apple crisp in a baking dish

🥧 How to Serve

Once the crisp is baked, let it cool slightly to allow the filling to set. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate cozy treat.

This apple crisp also makes a wonderful Thanksgiving dessert. You can prepare it ahead of time, freeing up your oven for the turkey on the big day.

And don't forget about the leftovers—they're delicious the next day, too!

Enjoy leftover crisp at room temperature with Greek yogurt for breakfast, or reheat portions in the microwave and top with ice cream or whipped cream for another round of dessert (or even a special breakfast—no judgment here!).

I hope you enjoy making this recipe! If you give it a try, let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

• Recipe •

Bowl of Apple Crisp with Oats and Pecans covered in a scoop of ice cream with a spoon.

Apple Crisp with Pecans

This apple pecan crisp combines tender apples, warm cinnamon, and a crunchy oat-pecan topping, and the best part is, there's no peeling required!
Created By: Shareba Abdul
4.2 from 30 votes
Prevent your screen from going to sleep.
PREP TIME: 20 minutes mins
COOK TIME: 45 minutes mins
RESTING TIME: 10 minutes mins
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
SERVINGS: 8 servings
PRINT RATE SAVESaved!

Equipment

  • 8" x 8" x 1.5" Baking Dish, or a 9.5" x 1.6" Pie Plate

Ingredients
 

Apple Cinnamon Filling

  • 1.5 pounds apples (Cortlands, Granny Smith etc.), cored and diced (about 4-5 apples)
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • ½ cup brown sugar, scooped, not packed into measuring cup
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Oat Pecan Topping:

  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats, (rolled oats)
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup pecans, chopped (or almonds)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
US Customary - Metric

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8 baking dish with melted butter.

Make the Apple Cinnamon Filling:

  • In a large bowl, combine chopped apples with lemon juice and stir to coat.
  • Sprinkle the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cornstarch over the apples. Stir well to combine and evenly distribute cornstarch. Pour into prepared baking dish, using a spatula to scrape everything out of the bowl. Smooth into an even layer.

Make the Oat Pecan Topping:

  • In the same bowl, combine the oats, flour, pecans, brown sugar, and salt. Stir to combine.
  • Pour in melted butter and stir until evenly moistened. Spoon oat mixture on top of the apples. Do not break large clumps or press the topping down onto the apples.
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until apples are cooked through, juices are bubbling up the sides, and the topping has become golden brown in colour.
  • Allow the crisp to cool for 10-15 minutes, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream, or at room temperature with Greek yogurt.

Video

Notes

  • Cortland apples are sweet and tangy, and cook down to a soft apple-pie kind of texture. Granny Smith apples are more tangy, and stay more firm when cooked. Feel free to use your favourite baking apple.
  • I chopped 5 apples to get 1.5lbs of chopped apples (about 6 cups)
  • You can substitute the old fashioned oats with quick oats, but the texture of the topping won't turn out as nice.
  • I bake my crisp in the middle of the oven, but if you find the oats are browning too quickly, you can move the crisp down to your bottom rack to finish cooking.
Baking Dish Options:
  • Square 8" x 8" x 1.5" enamelled stoneware baking dish
  • Round 9.5" x 1.6" glass pie plate
  • If you use an 8" x 8" x 2" square baking dish, the filling won't fill up the pan as much as mine did, which is totally fine.

Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 84mg | Potassium: 200mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 404IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Disclaimer: this nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of this information cannot be guaranteed.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: Canadian
Calories: 365 kcal

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Comments

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  1. Melanie @ Bon Appét'Eat says

    October 15, 2019 at 11:35 am

    This looks like the perfect add on on a brunch table! I love pecans so I'm totally seduced by this recipe!

    Reply
    • Shareba says

      October 21, 2019 at 12:16 pm

      Thanks Melanie!

      Reply
  2. Ayngelina Brogan says

    October 01, 2019 at 4:56 pm

    Apple crisp is one of my all time favourite desserts, this is a great take on it.

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      April 28, 2024 at 2:14 pm

      Thanks so much for this recipe - I’ve used it for years but never commented so thought I should! The toasted pecans really do make this next level. Thanks for the thorough descriptions and tips - this is by far our favorite apple crisp recipe!

      Reply
      • Shareba Abdul says

        April 29, 2024 at 2:25 pm

        Thanks so much for your comment, Heidi! I'm glad to hear that you enjoy the recipe!

        Reply
  3. Janice @Kitchen Heals Soul says

    October 08, 2014 at 1:48 pm

    Was September apple month? Then I missed it too 😉
    I think my first apple recipe will be coming out next week. I've dedicated this week to pumpkin in honour of Canadian Thanksgiving!
    I love that you added bitters to the apple layer. What an interesting idea!

    Reply
    • Shareba Abdul says

      October 08, 2014 at 4:14 pm

      I totally forgot about Thanksgiving this year. Maybe I'll try to squeeze a post in on Friday... I'll come over to your blog to check out your pumpkin posts!

      Reply
  4. Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says

    October 22, 2013 at 6:28 pm

    It drives me crazy when my computer isn't running properly and when I have a recipe in mind and it doesn't work out. Thank goodness for Moms 😀 Apple crisp is at the top of my favorite apple desserts. I've never used bitters before...I may have to give that a try. Looks delicious!

    Reply
  5. Susan D says

    October 18, 2013 at 10:28 pm

    This looks delicious!

    I wanted to invite you to the Favorite Family Recipes virtual recipe swap I am hosting on my blog! Details are on my blog- http://www.thefoodette.com

    Reply
A photo of Shareba Abdul, founder of In Search Of Yummy-ness.

Hi, I'm Shareba!

I’m a home cook with a culinary arts certificate who shares seasonal comfort food recipes and cozy living inspiration.

Read More About Me

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