The Difference Between Apple Crisp And Pie

For a deliciously sweet and tart taste of fall, it's hard to beat an apple pie or apple crisp. These homestyle treats are enhanced by the incredible combination of textures and flavors that develop as apples break down and mix with sugar, spices, and other ingredients. While they're both delicious, it's vital for dessert cooks and apple lovers to remember they're not the same. In fact, the two dishes have some critical differences in how they're assembled and their origins.

The most obvious and significant difference between apple crisp and apple pie is the presence of a crust. In almost every case, an apple pie will have one, while crisps are defined by their lack of crust. The buttery, flaky pastry shell of a pie is replaced by a crisp's flavored, streusel-style crumble topping that becomes perfectly crunchy when baked.

This single, essential factor can have a big impact on the dish, both in the time and effort it takes to prepare and the final result. However, it's not the only one.

Apple crisp may seem like an old-school, rustic dessert, yet the recipe didn't appear in print until the 1920s. It's closely related to the dish known as apple crumble, a popular British alternative that sometimes omits the oats found in the American topping that provide the characteristic crispiness. 

For busy bakers, apple crisps can be a lifesaver. Without the need to make a crust (or go to the store to buy one), old-fashioned apple crisp recipes can come together with only about 10 minutes of prep time. While pies are typically baked in ordinary, round pie dishes, crisps offer more flexibility for home cooks. It's possible to prepare them in any circular, square, or rectangular baking dish in which the filling can be spread evenly.

In addition, crisps can be more forgiving than pies. Those preparing them just need to look for a bubbling filling and golden brown topping without worrying whether a pie crust is adequately baked.

As opposed to apple crisp's relatively recent origins, apple pies date back centuries. The first reference to the dish can be found in the 14th century. However, it only has a passing resemblance to the familiar present-day dish, thanks to ingredients such as raisins, figs, and even saffron. Surprisingly, early recipes sometimes included a crust that wasn't designed to be eaten; It just held the filling. The dish evolved to its modern form by the early 20th century, by which time it had already become popular enough to spawn the famous saying "as American as apple pie."

While apple crisps can be pretty straightforward, apple pies offer more variations based on style, geographical region, and more. These range from simple, easy apple pie recipes to Dutch apple pie, which replaces the top crust with a crumble-style topping. Whether you prefer apple crisp or apple pie, it's hard to go wrong with either of these popular treats — as long as you know the difference between them.