This quick and easy Small Batch Apple Crisp has delicious tender apples and a sweet crumb topping. Perfect for a small household of two or make a double recipe for a family.
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We all need easy apple recipes, and this old-fashioned apple crisp is like Grandma would make—beautiful in its simplicity and one of the best apple crisp recipes for home cooks. Make the crumb topping, spread it over the prepared apples, and bake to golden brown.
What to do with old apples as they get soft? They are perfect for this easy small-batch apple crisp recipe that only needs three apples, a few panty ingredients, and only an hour to make.
While it is perfect for two, scale it up and use it as your every day "pass a dish recipe," take it to friends, or make the family smile.
Don't miss these other apple recipes, like Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Easy Apple Crumb Pie, Crock Pot Apple Cobbler, and Apple Bread.
This smaller recipe is based on Allrecipes.com Apple Crisp - Perfect and Easy with a few changes. Even though it is small, it is one of the best apple crisps you can make at home.
🍎Ingredients you will need to make apple crisp
- Apples—2 large or 3 medium apples, usually Green Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Ida Red.
- Pantry ingredients—All-purpose flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and butter.
👨🍳How to make small batch apple crisp
- Prepare apples by cutting into cubes or slices and peeling them if you want.
- Prepare the topping with flour, sugar, butter, and cinnamon.
- Pour apples into a prepared baking pan and top with all the toppings.
- Bake at 375° until golden brown—about 40 minutes.
This is a summary of the steps and ingredients. See the recipe card or the step-by-step photo instructions below for complete instructions.
🍎The Best Apples to Use
This simple recipe is an excellent way to use up extra apples that are overripe, old, or soft.
Use the apples you have and love. Apple varieties that are firmer and tarter are the best choice here. Green Granny Smith apples are suggested if you buy apples for this recipe, but other good options are Honey Crisp and Ida Red.
Other apples like pink lady, Braeburn, and Fuji all make good apple crisps. I use what I happen to have in the house, but I would not recommend using Red Delicious or Macintosh. You may want to adjust the sugar for the sweetness of the apples, especially if using tart or very sweet apples.
↕️How to make this "for two" or "family size"
This small recipe fits nicely in an 8 by 8 inches baking pan. You can also use a 6 by 9 oblong baking dish or 9 inches round.
This recipe doubles easily and fits nicely in a 9 by 13 standard cake or casserole pan. You can also make a half recipe which will fit in two ramekins of 8 or 10 ounces (about 4-inch diameter.)
- Use the recipe card and adjust the number of servings.
- Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
- Cook until the top is brown, the filling is bubbling, and the apples are soft. Ramekins may only take about 20-25 minutes. A double recipe may be almost an hour.
🥣What are Cobblers, Crumbles, and Crisps?
Cobblers are easy; they have a biscuit or cake-like topping.
Crumbles and crisps are frequently used interchangeably. But some feel that the differentiating factor is crumbles have oats in the topping, and crisps do not. This seems to be not widely accepted; almost nobody follows that differentiation. So, in my world, this is a crisp. But call it a crumble if you want.
Check out these other crisps, crumble, and cobbler recipes, like Crock Pot Apple Crisp, Apple Berry Crumble, or Berry Crisp for Two.
❄️How to store leftover apple crisp
After cooking, refrigerate for 3-4 days, covered tightly. Reheat briefly in a microwave.
Apple crisp can freeze for about three months when sealed tightly—I suggest plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. If you freeze it, thaw it before reheating.
❓FAQs
No, it is more of a matter of personal taste. I have always had peeled apples, so you will see that in the images, but entirely your option.
Like apple pie, a scoop of vanilla ice cream is the traditional topping. But a drizzle of caramel sauce is a good addition.
Yes, use gluten-free flour.
If the apples are set after preparation, they can turn brown with oxygenation. Coat with ½ teaspoon of lemon juice will help prevent this.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°.
Peel(optional) and cube or slice 2 ½ to 3 cups of apples. That will be two larger apples or three smaller ones. Use Granny Smith, Ida Red, or many other varieties but avoid Red Delicious and Macintosh apples.
Prep an 8-inch square baking dish with a butter coat.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of sugar but adjust the sugar to ¾ cup if your apples are very sweet. Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon salt. Mix well. Cut 8 tablespoons of cold butter into dry ingredients with a fork or pie crust cutter.
Spread the prepared apples in the dish. Spread the topping mixture over the apples.
Bake for about 40 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool some before serving.
📖 Recipe
Small Batch Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- 2½ to 3 cups apples - sliced about 2 large or 3 medium
- 1 cup flour
- ¾ to 1 cup sugar - depending on the sweetness of the apples
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick butter - ½ cup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Peel(optional) and cube or slice 2 ½ to 3 cups of apples. That will be two larger apples or three smaller ones. Use Granny Smith, Ida Red, or many other varieties but avoid Red Delicious and Macintosh apples.
- Prep an 8-inch square baking dish with a butter coat.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of sugar but adjust the sugar to ¾ cup if your apples are very sweet. Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon salt. Mix well. Cut 8 tablespoons of cold butter into dry ingredients with a fork or pie crust cutter.
- Spread the prepared apples in the dish. Spread the topping mixture over the apples.
- Bake for about 40 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool some before serving.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- This fits nicely in an 8x8 pan, but a 9X6 or 9-inch round will work. A 9x9 will be thinner and not suggested.
- This is an easy recipe to adjust up or down. A double recipe fits nicely in a standard 9 by 13 cake or casserole pan. Various pan sizes are discussed in the post.
- Use the apples you love, but I suggest not to use Red Delicious or Macintosh. Granny Smith is suggested.
- Cut the sugar down to ¾ cup if the apples are very sweet. Brown sugar may be used for a slightly different flavor.
- The amount of apple slices can vary up or down some.
- A bit of cooling before serving helps it hold together.
- Store refrigerated airtight for 4 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheats nicely in the microwave.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Publisher Note: Originally Published October 25, 2014, It is a great simple recipe. It was updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Terry Getchell
Dr. Dan, You suggest to NOT use Macintosh but not why. I've had this apple crisp for 60 years and it was ALWAYS made with Macintosh apples. Is it because they break down that you don't suggest them? I was born and raised in the north and for that reason I assume it's why I like the soft apples in this crisp. It's an wonderful recipe and tastes just like my Grandmother's and Mother's when they made it.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Terry,
Macintosh apples, somewhat like red delicious apples, will breakdown rapidly during cooking although more so with the red delicious apples (not the golden). So it is a texture thing with Macs. Having said that, my favorite apples are cortlands which are similar to macintosh but just a little firmer and hold up well during cooking—but are harder to find.
Have said all that, use what you love, you love macs, use them.
Dan