This small-batch crock pot apple crisp recipe is simple to make and one of the best homemade apple desserts with crispy oat topping and apple pie flavor. It is versatile; use half the recipe for a mini apple crisp for two in a 2-quart crock pot or double it in a full-size slow cooker for a crowd.
🍎Ingredients
Apples—apples of your choice
Topping ingredients—rolled oats, flour, brown sugar (light or dark), butter, cinnamon and nutmeg
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Featured Comment by Catherine:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"…our dessert was Fabulous tonight… We Loved this apple crock pot dessert."
This simple old-fashioned dessert is perfect for entertaining the family or just yourself. Nothing is better than warm apple crisp with vanilla ice cream. We hope you love this recipe as much as we do.
👨🍳How to Make Crock Pot Apple Crisp—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
1. To make four cups of apple slices, you will need four to five medium apples, which you should peel and slice.
2. Mix topping of flour, light brown sugar, rolled oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut in butter with a fork until crumbly.
3. Spray 3 to 4 quart crock pot with cooking spary and add apple slices.
4. Pour the topping mixture evenly over the apples.
5. Cook for 2 hours on high covered, then rotate the lid to allow moisture to vent. Cook one more hour on high until the edges are brown and bubbling.
6. Allow to cool a little before serving so the apples will set up. This is great with ice cream.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
🤔Tips to make it right every time
I suggest peeling the apples, but you can leave the peels if you wish.
Add more cinnamon to the apples if you wish.
Coat the apples with lemon juice to prevent browning but this recipe moves quickly and I don't see it as needed.
Adjust the sugar in the topping for the sweetness of the apples.
Be sure to vent the top for the last hour of cooking to release the moisture from the apples.
Cook until the edges are browning well and bubbling.
🍎What are the best apples to use
Apples that are firmer and tarter are the best choice here. So, if you are buying apples just for this recipe, some good choices are Granny Smith, Gala, Jonathon, Ida Red, Honey Crisp, and Cortland. Red Delicious Apples are probably the only common poor choice due to the texture when cooked.
Soft apples may release more fluid, and the results may be runny.
↕️Making a mini or large crock pot apple crisp
The full recipe makes 6 servings in a 3 to 4-quart crock pot, which is perfect for our "for two" household since we love leftovers. A half recipe makes 3 servings in a 2-quart mini crock pot, and a double recipe makes 12 servings in a 6 to 7-quart full-size crock pot.
- Use the recipe card and adjust the number of servings to half or double.
- Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
- The half recipe will fit in a 2-quart mini crock pot.
- A double recipe fits in a 6-quart or larger crock pot.
- Cook until the edges are bubbling and the top is brown. The smaller one should cook faster, and the larger one should cook slower, but it depends on your crock pot, so watch for the endpoints.
📖Dessert Recipes
Don't miss these other dessert recipes, such as Crock Pot, Apple Cobbler, Homemade Apple Crumb Pie, Berry Crumble, and Berry Crisp for Two.
Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
This easy Old Fashioned Apple Crisp is a small-batch recipe requiring only three apples and a few pantry ingredients. It's easy to make for two or a crowd.
🍴How to serve apple crisp
While it is excellent cold, it is best served warm, especially when combined with vanilla ice cream. Some will like to drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with walnuts or pecans.
❄️How to store apple crisp
Keep your apple crisp covered loosely with foil or plastic wrap. You can generally keep it at room temperature for up to two days. If refrigerated, your pie will keep for 3-4 days.
Apple crisp may be frozen for 4 months. Cool completely and cut into slices before freezing. Seal airtight with two layers of plastic wrap and/or foil.
Reheat apple crisp in the oven or briefly in a microwave.
❓FAQs
Cobblers are easy; they have a biscuit or cake topping. I have a very nice Smaller Crock Pot Apple Cobbler, which uses a cake mix for the topping.
Crumbles and crisps are commonly used interchangeably. The differentiating factor is crisps have oats in the topping and crumble do not. This seems to be not widely accepted.
The recipe name should tell you what you're getting, so in my world, this is crisp. But call it a crumble if you want.
📖The Recipe Card
Small Crock Pot Apple Crisp
Save this recipe link to your inbox for later!
Ingredients
- 4 cups apple slices - about 4-5 medium apples
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Start with the apples of your choice. You will need about four medium apples to make four cups of apple slices—peel and slice.
Mix a topping of ½ cup each of flour, light brown sugar, and rolled oats in a medium bowl. Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Add 4 tablespoons of softened butter and cut into the topping with a fork until combined thoroughly. It will be crumbly-looking.- Give a smaller 3 to 4 quart crock pot a heavy spray of PAM.
- Add 4 cups of apple slices.
- Smooth the apples, then pour the topping mixture evenly over the apples.
- Cook for 2 hours on high covered, rotate the lid to allow moisture to vent, and cook one more hour on high until edges are brown and bubbling.
- Allow to cool a little before serving so the apples will set up some. Great with ice cream.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Use the apples of your choice. A firmer tarter apple is a better choice. The only apples I would not use are red delicious apples due to texture issues when cooked.
- This recipe is for a 3 to 4 quart crock pot. A half recipe fits in a 2-quart mini crock pot, and a double recipe fits a 6-7 quart crock pot.
- Vent the crock pot top by rotating the top for the last hour of cooking. This will help the top crisp up better.
Your Own Private Notes
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
© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors.
Originally published October 3, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
James says
Let me start by saying this is a wonderful recipe. I have made it twice now. The first time was better than the second time I believe. The apples were different. The first time I made it I used Envy apples purchased at Aldi (could buy individual apples). The second time I made it with Granny Smith apples purchased at Meijer (entire bag). The Envy apples kept their shape and a 'soft' firmness to them. The GS apples turned to almost applesauce. I was not impressed. Moral of the story is to choose your apples wisely! Now I've got a half bag of GS apples that I will have to find another recipe to cook them in.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi James,
Welcome to the blog and I so glad the recipe is working well for you.
Now, about the apple choice, I have never cooked with Envy apples although I would think they would be good. Granny Smith apple are always the top recommend apple for any pie/cobbler/crumble recipe—specifically since they hold their shape and are a bit tangy. I usually have Gala, Honey crisp and Cortlands around (I will try more Envy soon).
Again, thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Catherine says
Aloha Dr. Dan, Catherine here. Thank you very much for your advice on Not using honey instead of brown sugar. My husband brought home some brown sugar and this afternoon and our dessert was Fabulous tonight. I see where the honey was not a good idea. We Loved this apple crock pot dessert. Wish I knew how to send you a pic of our dessert. We Love your pics of your Girls. Love our Fur Babies
Love all your recipes I have tried. White chicken chile is soooo yummy.
Aloha and Peace Catherine
Catherine says
Aloha Dr Dan I was hoping I can use honey instead of brown sugar??
This sounds fabulous..Mahalos Peace Catherine C.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Catherine,
The normal substitute is 1/3 cup of honey for 1/2 cup of brown sugar. But I believe you will have a clumpy mess with the honey, oats and flour and it will not spread out well. So not a substitute I would suggest doing.
Dan
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Thanks for the proofread. It got lost during the rewriting multiple times. Bake for about 45 minutes until golden brown.
ROBERT HENG says
Can I do this crock pot apple crisp and leave out the OATS and make it a crumble instead
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Robert,
Welcome to the blog.
Yep that should be fine I believe. You might find this recipe interesting https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/smaller-crock-pot-apple-cobbler/
Dan
Amy H says
Hello Dan, I followed the directions exactly however, I mixture did not come out crumbly rather pasty. Do you use quick oats? I am not sure how it will turn out but I am awaiting.
Merry says
I don't understand what you mean by "rotating the lid?"
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Merry,
See the picture in the post. I rotate the lid a bit to allow the humidity to vent some. It is not required.
Dan
Curt Bray says
I have a little trick that grandma showed me. She just loved cooking in crock pots. At her age it made it easier for her to put it in turn it on and leave it and timer would shut it off. Well the apple crisp where ya'll say the last hour to rotate lid. If u put a news paper in between last hour the news paper absorbs the stream. Just thought I'd try to keep her idea alive. She past last year.
DrDan says
Hi Curt,
Welcome to the blog. Sorry for the delayed response.
I have done that with heavy kitchen towels and paper towels. It does work fairly well and thanks for reminding me.
Thanks for the note and rating.
DrDan
Lucy Chipman says
Be careful using newspaper or similar items for any purposes common even 15 years ago. The ink and paper is much different now, and can in many cases add unhealthy or even toxic affects when the by products (such as would be in the food if newspaper is used in the manner that grandma used to do) are consumed.
I’m looking forward to years of new cooking hacks as we adjust to the technological advances surrounding recycling and sustainability.
Bylli says
What is the serving size?
DrDan says
About one cup I believe. I look at the cooking at the end and decide on what is a reasonable serving. I don't weigh or measure.
RossC says
Our kind of dessert.. This will be put together before the weekend... I'm certain this will rate all 5 stars...
Kate Kyleen says
Oooo yum! Do you think coconut flour could substitute for regular flour?
DrDan says
While I have never used coconut flour, I would think it would be fine.
DrDan
Lyn Brauer says
Sounds great! Would this work if doubled and cooked in a 6 quart?
DrDan says
It should be fine.
DrDan
Dahn@savorthebest.com says
I love apple crisp, it is so easy to make and it is such a healthier choice than a pie with all that extra fat laden crust.
Joan says
I have this on my "to try" list and will buy some apples today. It is my husband's favorite dessert so I don't think I will have much in the way of leftovers. I can "taste" a recipe when I read it so I am leaving a rating before making it and this is going to be really good.