Have you ever tried Pillsbury Apple Crisp Recipe? If yes, you can skip this post. Otherwise, read on! The Pillsbury Apple Crisp recipe has been a popular dessert for years, but it is also one of the easiest desserts to prepare. Its simple ingredients and cooking process are what make it appealing on many levels.
Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp
- Prep20 Min
- Total2 Hr 50 Min
- Ingredients10
- Servings6
Skip the oven and make dessert in your slow cooker with this Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp recipe! This decadent dessert cooks up beautifully in the slow cooker to a warm, delicately spiced treat packed with fresh apples and finished off with an irresistible oat topping.
Ingredients
- 6small apples, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices (6 cups)
- 1/2cup granulated sugar
- 2tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
Topping
- 1/2cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2cup old-fashioned oats
- 3/4cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4teaspoon salt
- 1/2cup cold butter, cut into 8 pieces
- Ice cream, if desired
Steps
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- 1Place apples in large bowl; add granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and the cinnamon. Stir until apples are evenly coated.
- 2Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place apple mixture into slow cooker.
- 3In large bowl, mix 1/2 cup flour, the oats, brown sugar and salt. Stir until well combined. Using fork or pastry blender, cut cold butter into mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle over apple mixture. Cover and cook on High heat setting 2 hours. Turn off heat; remove cover, and cool 30 minutes.
- 4Serve warm with a scoop of your favorite ice cream.
Tips from the Pillsbury Kitchens
- Tip 1Choose a firm, tart apple variety for this Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp with oats recipe, such as Granny Smith.
- Tip 2Be sure to cut apples into even 1/2-inch slices—too thick, and they won’t be tender enough; too thin, and they might turn to mush in the slow cooker.
- Tip 3Swap old-fashioned oats for quick-cooking oats when making this Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp, if desired.
- Tip 4Make this the very best Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp you’ve ever dreamed up by serving with a scoop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.
- Tip 5Keeping the cover off the slow cooker for 30 minutes after cooking helps to evaporate any excess liquid as the crisp cools.
Apple Crisp
This easy Apple Crisp is a classic fall dessert that’s beyond delicious. Warm spiced apples sweetened with brown sugar under a CRUNCHY topping with lots of oats makes for a perfect dessert.
Perfectly sweet apples flecked with cinnamon covered in a crunchy topping make for an AMAZING dessert! I love apple crisp because it’s a quick, foolproof treat you can make in advance with ingredients you probably have laying around.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THIS RECIPE
Apples: I used Granny Smith apples for this recipe but honey crisp, braeburn, golden delicious, gala, and cortland apples are all great too. You can always use a mix as well.
Spices: I stuck with the classic cinnamon and nutmeg combination for this recipe but feel free to add 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom, cloves, allspice or any other spice you enjoy.
Brown Sugar: I used a light brown sugar for this but dark brown sugar is a great choice if you want more of that caramel flavor throughout.
HOW TO MAKE APPLE CRISP
1. Set oven to 350F and start off by making the apple crisp topping. In a medium bowl add the brown sugar, flour, salt and rolled oats. Mix together and break up any sugar clumps you find. A half teaspoon of cinnamon can be a nice touch here as well if you feel like it.
2. Dice the cold butter into small pieces and toss with the dry mixture. You can use a pastry cutter to work the butter in or just use your clean hands to work it together. Once the butter has been incorporated just to the point where the mixture is crumbly set aside and start the filling.
3. Peel the apples, cut the flesh from the core and slice thinly. You can give an additional chop for smaller pieces that fit nicely on a spoon if desired. If you’re planning on using a 9×9 inch baking dish then add an additional pound of apples to the mix, that’s about two large or three medium apples if you don’t have a scale.
4. In a large bowl mix the brown sugar and corn starch then add the apple slices. Sprinkle the lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples then toss to cover the apples completely.
5. Add the apples to an 8×8 inch baking dish in a few layers placing roughly teaspoon-sized daubs of butter throughout.
6. Top apples with the crisp then bake at 350F for about 45 minutes or until golden brown with juices bubbling up. Allow it to cool slightly before serving.
PRO TIPS FOR THIS RECIPE
PRO TIPS FOR THIS RECIPE- Choose firm apples you like. I used Granny Smith apples for this recipe but honeycrisp, and gala are great options too. Use room temperature apples if possible.
- This is a great prep ahead dish. You can have the apples cut, mixed and in the baking dish ready then sprinkle on the topping and pop into the oven before guests arrive.
- If you LOVE a lot of apples in your cobbler consider adding two more large apples to the mix.
- Want to make a giant dish of apple crisp? Double the recipe for a 9×13 dish.
- Top with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel for a perfectly decadent treat.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT APPLES ARE BEST FOR THIS?
I used granny smith apples for this recipe because they have that great tart taste that contrasts nicely with the brown sugar but honeycrisp is a wonderful apple to blend in. Braeburn, golden delicious, and cortland apples are all great choices.
HOW LONG WILL IT KEEP FOR?
You can store this crisp for up to three days in the refrigerator or a month in the freezer. It will of course lose some of that crunchiness so it’s really best eaten the day of.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN APPLE CRISP AND APPLE CRUMBLE?
These two dishes are similar but an apple crisp will have a crisper more crunchy topping thanks to the addition of oats and occasionally chopped nuts.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT’S DONE?
You’ll see the juices bubbling up and the top will be a golden color.
The Best Apple Crisp
Apple Crisp Recipe
If you are anything like me, you always think your recipe is the best. I was convinced that the apple crisp I have been making for the last couple of years couldn’t be beaten but was I ever wrong! I tried this recipe last fall and have made it at least 15 times since. It is perfect every single time!
I opted for Challenge Butter to make sure that my apple crisp would be the best-tasting crisp you will ever try!
Brown Sugar Apple Crisp
Most recipes call for all granulated sugar or 1/2 granulated and 1/2 brown. While these recipes are sweet, they lack the depth of flavor that all brown sugar adds. And after you try this apple crisp, you will definitely understand what I mean. I used light brown sugar, but you can definitely use dark brown sugar as well.
How to Make Homemade Brown Sugar
For light brown sugar add 1-2 tablespoons of molasses to 1 cup of granulated sugar. For dark brown sugar add 3-4 tablespoons to 1 cup of granulated sugar. I like to mix up a big batch in my food processor but you can also mix by hand if you prefer.
How to Bake the Oat Mixture
One thing that makes this recipe unique is that the oat mixture is used on the top AND the bottom. The amazing thing about this layer is that it changes depending on how long you bake the crisp.
If you bake at 375°F for 35 minutes, the bottom oat mixture will be slightly caramelized and gooey while the top will be perfect crispy deliciousness.
If you bake at 375°F for 45 minutes, the bottom oat mixture will be crispy throughout. The top will be darker, but if you prefer a less dark crispy top you can add a foil tent to the crisp after 35 minutes.
Can I Use a Different Size Pan?
You can. If you want to make this in an 8×8 or 9×9 pan, cut the recipe in half.
Best Apples to Use in an Apple Crisp
It is important to usetart apples in order to get that tang that contrasts well with the buttery topping in an apple crisp.
- Honeycrisp- they are crisp and juicy with a honey-sweet and tart flavor
- Granny Smith- they are crisp and sour
- Golden Delicious – sweet
Any of those apples will work, but you could also do a combination of the two. When I tested this, I did enjoy it but found that the leftovers did not reheat as nicely as the version will all tart apples.
Want to Make This into an Apple Crumble?
Just add nuts! 🙂 Years ago there was a more notable distinction between Crisps and Crumbles. Usually, crumbles did not include oats; it was a wonderful mixture of flour, sugar, butter, and sometimes even nuts like walnuts or pecans. Today, the lines are very blurry between crisps and crumbles, and the names are actually used interchangeably. However, you could simply add nuts to this recipe and call it the Best Apple Crumble and no one would be the wiser.
How to Store Apple Crisp
Apple crisp is best when it is served warm and then allowed to completely cool to room temperature. After it is cool and you want to store leftovers, cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you want the crisp tp remain crispy when reheating, place individual-sized portions into the air fryer or oven for about 10 minutes.
Apple Crisp
PREP TIME20 MINS
COOK TIME45 MINS
TOTAL TIME1 HR 5 MINS
Once you try this recipe you will never want another! Perfection in every bite!
Ingredients
Apple Mixture
- ▢10 cups Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and sliced (about 10 medium apples)
- ▢1 cup (200g) brown sugar
- ▢1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ▢1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Crisp Mixture
- ▢2 cups (180g) quick-cooking oats
- ▢2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- ▢2 cups (400g) packed brown sugar
- ▢½ teaspoon baking powder
- ▢½ teaspoon baking soda
- ▢2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ▢1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) Challenge Butter cubed while cold
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a 9×13 pan with baking spray or coating with butter.
Apple Mixture
- Place sliced apples in a bowl. Add brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Stir gently and make sure every piece of apple is covered in the sugar mixture. Set aside.
Crisp Mixture
- Combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together. Add in the cubed butter and use your hands to combine. You want the butter to be pea-sized and coated entirely. You should have 6 cups.
- Spread 3 cups over the bottom of your prepared pan and press flat. Pour the apple mixture over top and press down with rubber spatula. Pour remaining crisp mixture over top of the apples and bake uncovered at 375°F for 35-45 minutes.
WHAT IS APPLE CRISP?
Apple crisp is as simple as simple gets, when it comes to dessert. It’s just apples seasoned with a warm mix of spices, topped with a sweet and crunchy oat topping, and baked until the apples are gloriously tender. It’s kind of like apple pie for people who don’t feel like fiddling with pie crust. And it’s absolutely perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream!
WHAT KIND OF APPLES ARE BEST FOR APPLE CRISP
I prefer a sweet and juicy apple for apple crisp, like Gala or Fuji, but you can make almost any type of apple work. If you have an apple that is more tart, like a Granny Smith or Braeburn, you may want to add more sugar to the apple seasoning mixture. But the most important thing to look for when you’re choosing apples is to make sure your apples are juicy. Apples that are not fresh and juicy will make an apple crisp that is a little more on the dry side rather than deliciously saucy. Here’s a really cool chart showing apples according to their level of sweetness!
CAN I REDUCE THE SUGAR?
Sugar plays a very important role in both the filling and the topping of this apple crisp. In the filling the sugar helps draw out the juices from the apples, creating that nice saucy consistency. In the crumble topping, sugar helps crystalize the crumble and make everything crunchy. So, if you do choose to reduce the sugar, keep in mind that it will not only affect the sweetness of the dish, but also the texture.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER APPLE CRISP
Wait until your apple crisp cools to reduce condensation, then cover with plastic and refrigerate. Apple crisp will stay good in the refrigerator for about four days. The crumble topping will continue to absorb moisture from the apples as it refrigerates, so it won’t stay crispy, but it is still amazingly delicious all the same!
EASY APPLE CRISP
This Easy Apple Crisp is a simple dessert that is warm, cozy, and sweet. It’s the perfect dessert for chilly fall evenings.
SERVINGS
PREP15 mins
COOK45 mins
TOTAL1 hr
INGREDIENTS
Spiced Apples
- 2 lbs. apples ($1.33)
- 3 Tbsp sugar ($0.04)
- 1 tsp cinnamon ($0.05)
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.01)
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger ($0.02)
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves ($0.01)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ($0.14)
Oat Topping
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour ($0.03)
- 1/3 cup rolled oats ($0.06)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar ($0.32)
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature ($0.44)
- 1/8 tsp salt ($0.01)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon ($0.02)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Core and slice the apples into ¼-½ inch wide slices (peel, if desired). Place the sliced apples in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to season the apples. Sprinkle the mixture over the sliced apples and drizzle the vanilla extract over top. Stir the apples until they’re evenly coated in spices.
- Next, make the oat topping. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Cut the butter into chunks and then use your hands to work it into the oat mixture until it is crumbly and appears sort of damp.
- Sprinkle the crumbly oat mixture over the seasoned apples. Transfer to the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Serve hot with ice cream or whipped cream on top!