Apple Crisp Crock Pot. I’ve been dreaming of a simple and easy to follow crock pot recipe for apple crisp since last Halloween when I pinned the amazing idea on Pinterest. This recipe doesn’t have a long list of hard to find ingredients and takes just minutes to throw together. It’s the perfect recipe to cook up this fall if you’re looking for an easy dessert idea.
Crock Pot Apple Crisp
All call for the apple haul! It’s that time of year to take advantage of sweet, crisp apples. This Crock Pot Apple Crisp won’t require you to turn on your oven, is an easy way to make dessert for a crowd, and any leftovers are excellent topped with yogurt for breakfast the next day (trust me!).
Without fail, every apple season, I go bonkers at the orchard.
It’s as if the moment I step into the rows of apple trees, I temporarily forget that I am feeding a household of two, not a family of fruit bats.
Bring on the surplus!
Apples have a good shelf life.
Plus, my friends who often apple pick alongside me have come to count on me showing up with a great big apple dessert.
It would be a pity to let them down.
Today’s simple slow cooker apple crisp is laced with cinnamon and ginger, sweetened with maple syrup, and has a generous, buttery oat topping, just as any good crisp should.
You can make this apple crisp with any mix of baking apples.
Take a look at what’s available near you and embrace the apple craze.
How to Make Crock Pot Apple Crisp
The most challenging part of making a crisp in a crock pot is getting the topping crispy.
Fortunately, I learned a thing or two from this Slow Cooker Triple Berry Crisp and have you covered.
Your topping will be golden, glorious, and worthy of the name “crisp” indeed!
The Ingredients
- Apples. You can use a single variety of sweet, crisp apples (Honeycrisp is my go-to) or a mix. Just make sure that the apples are a good variety for baking, or your crisp will turn out watery.
THE BEST APPLES FOR BAKING
For baking, you’ll want to find an apple that’s firm and flavorful.
- The best types of apples for baking are Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Gala, Melrose, Haralson, Jonathons or Jonagolds, and Cortland.
- Avoid apples like McIntosh, Red Delicious, or Golden Delicious which are too soft for baking (however, they’re perfect for Slow Cooker Apple Butter and Crockpot Applesauce).
- Pure Maple Syrup. Provides rich, caramel-like natural sweetness that pairs wonderfully with the apples and spices.
- Cornstarch. Helps thicken the apple mixture to ooey-gooey perfection.
- Lemon Zest + Juice. Adds a tasty pop of freshness while also keeping the apples from turning brown.
- Spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger are the warm, cozy spices this apple crisp needs to truly shine.
- Oats. Oats are what make a crisp a crisp, not a crumble or a cobbler. They also give this recipe a certain homeyness and are key to the topping’s crispy texture.
- Flour. To create big, yummy clumps of topping (YES, you want this), this slow cooker apple crisp is made with flour, in addition to the oats. To make this slow cooker apple crisp healthy (or at least healthier!), I used white whole wheat flour for the whole grain boost.
SUBSTITUTION TIP
For a slow cooker apple cobbler with flour exclusively, you can play around with swapping diced apples for the peaches in this Crock Pot Peach Cobbler.
You’ll have a spin on crockpot apple dump cake, but made with real, simple ingredients like fresh fruit and no cake mix.
- Butter. Not only does butter make our topping extra rich and delicious, but it also helps it get brown and crispy.
- Sugar. Brown sugar and granulated sugar add scrumptious sweetness to the crisp topping.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate apple crisp in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Gently rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
- To Freeze. Freeze apple crisp in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
MEAL PREP TIP
Did you know crisp topping is freezer-friendly? Mix up the topping and freeze it in a ziptop bag. Anytime you are craving crisp, scatter it over your fruit and bake.
Slow Cooker Apple Crisp
Slow cookers are a great way to make delicious apple crisp without heating up your kitchen during the summer! It’s also the perfect fall dessert and a flavorful treat for those cold winter nights.
Add a few ingredients to the slow cooker before dinner and your dessert will be perfectly ready just in time. Next, try Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake or Slow Cooker Scalloped Apples.
All you need to make this comforting dessert is apples, some brown sugar and flour, ground nuts, butter, and cinnamon. It cooks in your crockpot on high for 2 1/2 hours before serving with ice cream or whipped cream on top!
Is it better to cook apple crisp in the oven or slow cooker?
- Slow Cooker Apple Crisp is perfect for at-home cooks with busy schedules.
- The slow cooker can be left unattended while cooking the apple crisp, which frees up your time to do other things. Cooking apple crisp in an oven requires monitoring, so it cooks evenly, and the topping doesn’t burn.
- Both cooking methods taste great, so why not opt for less stress by using the crockpot?
Can I use fresh apples instead?
To make things simple, we’re using canned apple pie filling for this recipe. Apple pie filling in a can has a great thick texture and flavor.
If you choose to substitute fresh apples, you’ll want to slice and peel them before adding them to the slow cooker.
Here are the ingredients for from scratch apple pie filling:
- 6 apples, thinly sliced and peeled
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons flour (to help thicken the sauce)
Toss the apples in the sugar, cinnamon and flour. Add to the slow cooker and continue with the recipe.
What should I use for the topping?
Streusel toppings are typically made with flour, sugar, butter (or margarine), baking powder or soda, salt, and sometimes spices like cinnamon. I find that the oats we use in this slow cooker apple crisp, paired with the flour and ground pecans, is crumbly and cooks perfectly.
How to make slow cooker apple crisp
- Apple pie filling: Any brand, be sure not to grab sugar-free unless you are needing sugar-free.
- Brown sugar: Light brown sugar works best
- Oatmeal: Rolled oats, not quick-cooking.
- Flour: All-purpose flour
- Chopped pecans: I buy these already chopped, this saves a step! This is what gives the topping a “crunch”.
- Butter: Salted butter, melted
- Seasonings: Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, salt
What is the difference between apple pie and apple crisp?
Apple pie is made with a pastry crust while apple crisp is made with a streusel topping.
How long does it cook?
Apple crumble cooks approximately two and a half on high in the crock pot.
Can you cook it without an apple pie filling?
- You can use any fruit filling for the recipe such as cherry, berry or strawberry.
- Other options would be whole cranberry sauce, canned sliced peaches, or even pineapple chunks, and I’ve even seen a recipe with frozen blueberries mixed in. They all sound delicious, so get creative if you’re interested in trying a variation without apples.
The slow cooker apple crisp is a delicious dessert that won’t heat up your kitchen on those warm summer days. It’s also great for the winter months when you don’t want to worry about turning on the oven and heating up the whole house.
SLOW COOKER APPLE CRISP
- prep time: 15 MINUTES
- cook time: 180 MINUTES
- total time: 195 MINUTES
- yield: 8 SERVINGS 1X
DESCRIPTION
This Slow Cooker Apple Crisp recipe is made with warm cinnamon apples, a delicious oatmeal-almond topping, and baked until it’s nice and “crispy” in the crock-pot. So delicious!
INGREDIENTS
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SLOW COOKER APPLE CRISP INGREDIENTS:
- 8 apples, peeled, cored and thinly-sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons McCormick Ground Cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- cinnamon crumble (see below)
- optional serving suggestions: vanilla ice cream, warm caramel sauce
CINNAMON OAT CRUMBLE INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup (uncooked) old-fashioned oats
- 2/3 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon McCormick Ground Cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 4 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil
INSTRUCTIONS
TO MAKE THE SLOW COOKER APPLE CRISP:
- Add apples and lemon juice to a large mixing bowl, and toss to combine. Sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt evenly on top, and toss until completely combined. Pour the entire mixture into the bowl of a large slow cooker, and spread everything out so that it is in an even layer.
- Prepare the cinnamon oat crumble (see below), and sprinkle it evenly on top of the apple mixture.
- Place a dish towel or a few paper towels on top of the slow cooker, and place the lid on top of the towel(s). The towels will help soak up the condensation that forms along the top of the lid, and keep that oat crumble nice and crisp.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours until the apples are soft and cooked through. Remove the lid and the towel(s), and serve the apple crisp immediately.
TO MAKE THE CINNAMON OAT CRUMBLE:
- In a large mixing bowl (you can use the same one you used for the apples), whisk together the oats, almonds, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt until evenly combined. Drizzle the melted butter (or coconut oil) over the mixture, and then whisk until combined.
NOTES
*If making this recipe vegan, use coconut oil in place of butter (and be sure to use vegan ice cream and/or caramel sauce for serving). If making this recipe gluten-free, be sure to double-check that all of your ingredients are certified gluten-free.
**I also have to legally disclaim that using your towel with a slow cooker could be a fire hazard, and you do so at your own risk. I have done it dozens of times with different recipes, and have never had a problem. But different slow cookers heat up to different temperatures. So if this is your first time using the towel method, I recommend checking it an hour into cooking to be sure that the towel is not too hot.