One of the best things about fall is the fact that you can make desserts like this Apple Crisp On Stove recipe. It’s warm, it has apples, it’s del Apple crisp has always been a favorite of mine , even when I was on a diet and just ate the crisp top layer with a fork. I’ve also discovered that it freezes well and is excellent warmed in the microwave. It can be made on top of the stove if you prefer that method.icious and easy to make, and you can even make it as a leftover treat for breakfast!
STOVETOP APPLE CRISP
This warm, comforting and healthy stovetop apple crisp takes a total of only 20 minutes to prepare and does not compromise on flavor. You cook the apples in a skillet and sprinkle them with a buttery and crunchy toasted oat, pecan and sesame seed topping. The recipe works equally well as a delicious dessert or a healthy after-school snack.
Why make this recipe:
- this apple crisp is easy to make and tastes delicious
- the recipe takes only 20 minutes to prepare
- you won’t need to fire up the oven
- you can easily make as many or as few servings as you want
Which apples are best for apple crisp?
I tested five different apple varieties for this apple crisp recipe (see table below) and the variety that worked best was Gala. Gala apples have a mild flavor and the perfect balance between sweetness and acidity for an apple crisp. Gala apples also require only a short cook time on the stovetop (7 minutes).
A good alternative if Gala apples are not available is Fuji. Fuji apples need a slightly longer cook time but have a nice flavor balance as well.
| Apple Variety: | Cook Time: | Flavor Characteristics: |
| Gala | 7 min. | Mild, pleasant flavor. A little acidity that balances the sweetness well. |
| Fuji | 9 min. | Good flavor and good balance between sweetness and acidity. A good choice if Gala apples are not available. |
| Red Delicious | 9 min. | Mild flavor, quite sweet and with practically no acidity. |
| Honeycrisp | 8 min. | Good flavor but the mild sweetness is not enough to balance the acidity. |
| Granny Smith | 14 min. | Very, very acidic and with almost no sweetness for balance. Not suitable for this recipe. |
Ingredients:
For the apples:
For the topping:
A note on the ingredients:
- rolled oats are sometimes also called old-fashioned oats
How to make it:
See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!
Step 1. Cut, core and peel the apples, then cut them into ½-inch chunks. Melt butter in a skillet, then add the apple chunks, brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix everything around until well combined.
Step 2. Put on the lid and cook the apples until they’re soft (about 7 min.).
Step 3. Once the apples are done, prepare the topping. Melt butter in a small pan then stir in brown sugar, rolled oats, chopped pecans and sesame seeds.
Step 4. Toast the topping on the stovetop on low heat until it is crunchy.
RECIPE NOTE: One quick word of caution about the topping: it’s very easy to burn it, so don’t take your eyes off the pan. No texting while cooking for this one!
How to serve apple crisp:
To serve, add the warm cinnamon apples into individual serving bowls and sprinkle them with the toasty oat/nut/sesame mix. You can put a dollop of whipped cream (or ice cream) on top but I find that the crisp already tastes mighty delicious by itself and also makes a great (and healthy) snack.
How to store leftovers:
Store any leftover apples and topping separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 1 day. Reheat both components separately on the stovetop.
How many servings does this recipe make?
Literally however many you need. Because you’re not locked into the volume of a baking dish, you can easily scale this recipe up or down to however many servings you like (one of the great advantages of stovetop desserts). The recipe card below is set to four servings but you can use the portion slider and easily adjust the number to your liking.
Is this apple crisp gluten free?
Yes, as long as you make sure to use rolled oats that have not been contaminated with gluten-containing ingredients during processing, this apple crisp is gluten-free.
Easy Stovetop Apple Crisp
- Servings: 4
- Time: about 20 minutes
Ingredients:
For the topping:
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of butter
- 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats
- 3 Tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/4 cup of slivered or chopped almonds or pecans
For the apple filling:
- 4 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon of butter
- 2 Tablespoons of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
- a squeeze of lemon juice
Directions:
Wash, peel, and thinly slice your apples and set them aside. In a large skillet, melt 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts. Cook, stirring often, over medium heat until the mixture turns golden brown and feels crispy. With a wooden spoon, scoop the topping onto a plate. Carefully wipe out the skillet with paper towels. In the same skillet, melt a Tablespoon of butter. Add the apple slices and cook over medium heat until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar, cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice. Continue to cook for several more minutes, until they are very tender. Cover the skillet while cooking, if you want them to soften more. When the apples reach your desired tenderness, serve them in bowls, topped with the crisp topping. If you wish, add a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!
Why You’ll Want To Make This Recipe
- Uses minimal ingredients – one of the many great things about fruit crumbles, is that they use very few ingredients. The crumble base is made with just 4 ingredients and the topping just two. Easy!
- No oven required – This is cooked 100% on a stove top and you will not need an oven to finish it off.
- Taste – Of course it’s a tasty dessert as well. The soft and slightly caramelized apples topped with a sweet buttery topping. A perfect easy dessert.
Ingredients
- 6 apples peeled, cored & cut into small wedges
- 3/4 Cup flour
- 1/4 Cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon
- Pinch salt
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 Cup water
REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.
Instructions
- Prepare the apples – peel, core and slice the apples into about 1/2 inch slices.
- Cook apples – In a non stick skillet set over medium heat, add the apples and sprinkle over the tablespoon of sugar. Cook the apples for a few minutes and then add a bit of your water. Continue cooking until all the water has absorbed and then add more water if needed (if the apples are sticking to the pan) Continue cooking until apples are soft and golden in colour. About 15 minutes.
- Make the crumble topping – In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Mix to combine. Then cut in the butter and use your fingers to incorporate it into the flour mixture until you have a crumble mixture. Set aside.
- Cook the crumble topping – pour the crumble topping into a skillet set over medium heat. Leave it for about 2 minute and then start to gently stir it around. You should notice that the bottom of the crumbs starting to slightly brown. Continue to stir every few minutes until the crumble is slightly browned and cooked. This will take about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Serve – To serve, put apple slices in a bowl and top with the crumble mixture. We served it with Greek yogurt as it was what we had on hand. Worked really well as a camping dessert!
Recipe Tips For This Skillet Apple Crumble
- Cut the apples evenly – pay attention to when slicing the apples. They will cook more evenly if they are cut to relatively the same size. For this recipe, I cut mine into about 1/2 inch slices.
- Pay close attention to the topping – It’s easy to burn the crumble topping, so don’t leave it on the stove top and walk away. Pay close attention and stir regularly until the topping is cooked through.
- Time saving – Cook the apples on one burner and the crumble topping on another burner to save cooking time.
- Best apples to use for this crumble – You can use many varieties, I used Honey crisp. Other apples that will work are Gala, Fuji, Red Delicious or even Granny Smith. Keep in mind apples cook at different times. So depending on which apples you chose for your recipe, the cooking time may vary a little.
Can I Add Any Additional Flavours Or Make Any Substitutions
- Make it a crisp – by adding 1/2 oats and 1/2 flour to the topping you are essentially making it a crisp not a crumble.
- Add nuts – you can choose to add pecans, almonds or walnuts the topping for extra flavour and texture.
- Spices – You can add a little nutmeg or allspice to the apples for a richer flavour.
- Make it gluten free – By using only oats for the topping and omitting the four all together you would make this a gluten free dessert.
How To Serve This Stove Top Dessert
This apple crumble is great served with fresh whipped ream, vanilla ice cream or even Greek yogurt. And if you want to really fancy it up a bit, add my Homemade Caramel Sauce for a show stopping stove top dessert.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between and Apple Crumble and an Apple Crisp?
An apple crumble has a crumbly topping consisting of just flour, sugar an butter. Whereas a crisp has a topping of flour, oats, sugar and butter. As well, sometimes people add nuts into a crisp topping.
Can I reheat Apple Crumble?
Yes, this dessert can be reheated on the stove top. Just place the apples back in the skillet over a low heat for just a few minutes until warmed through. I would leave the topping at room temperature so you don’t risk burning it by placing it back over heat.