Crock Pot Apple Crisp

This apple crisp made in the Crock Pot is delicious in autumn during apple season, of course, but I love it any time of year. Make it at home for your family or bring it to a potluck or special gathering to feed a crowd. It’s way easier to make than apple pie. 

In my house, it's always a toss up between this recipe and my Crock Pot Bread Pudding, Crock Pot Apple Cobbler, and Crock Pot Blueberry Cobbler. They’re all amazing and I recommend adding them to your rotation during the colder months!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Fuji Apples: Look for crisp apples for this recipe so they don't get too soft. I prefer Fuji but you could also use Cortland, Fuji, Braeburn, Jonagold, or Granny Smith.
• Sugar and Brown Sugar: Just a few tablespoons of granulated sugar will go directly on the apples, and then less than a cup of brown sugar is used to make the topping.
• Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Warm spices are what bring out the best flavor. You could also substitute pumpkin pie spice.
• Old Fashioned Oats: Rolled oats work best for this recipe. Don't use quick oats or the topping will be too thin and won't have that crispy crunch you're looking for.
• All-Purpose Flour and Unsalted Butter: These are used to bring together the brown sugar crumble that goes on top of the apples.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations

• Use Leftover Fried Apples: If you make my Cracker Barrel Fried Apples and have some leftovers, you can use them for a quick and easy crisp. All you need to do is put the fried apples back in the Crock Pot, add the brown sugar and oat topping, and cook them for about 30 minutes. So good!
• Add Berries: Fresh or frozen berries make a great addition to this dessert. You could use blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries sprinkled in halfway through the cooking time.
• Add Caramel or Maple: A little bit of salted caramel drizzled over top of this crisp is absolutely heavenly. You could also sweeten the crisp with real maple syrup instead of sugar to give it even more of an autumn flavor.
• Add Nuts or Dried Fruit: Mix some chopped pecans or walnuts into the oat topping or stir in some raisins or dried cranberries with the apples.

How To Make Apple Crisp in the Crock Pot

Curious how to make apple crisp? It’s so simple! Read the instructions here and before getting started, remember to put a Crock Pot liner in your slow cooker or spray it with non-stick spray so that cleanup is super easy.

1. Step 1: Prep the Apples. Wash, peel, and slice your apples to about ½ inch thick. Place them in a mixing bowl and mix with the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Transfer them to your Crock Pot. 
2. Step 2: Make the Oat Crumble Topping. Mix together the brown sugar, old-fashioned oats, and all-purpose flour in a bowl. Then add cubed butter and cut it into the oat mixture with two forks or a pastry cutter.
3. Step 3: Add the Topping and Cook. Spread the oat mixture over the apples, then cover and cook on high for 2 hours. 
4. Step 4: Turn Down the Crock Pot then Serve. When the cooking time is up, switch the slow cooker to the "warm" setting, remove the cover, and let it cool down for at least 30 minutes. Then serve the apple crisp while it's warm and enjoy.

Storage Directions

• Store Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe as it loses the texture.
• Reheat: For best results, heat leftovers up in a 350° F oven until warmed through. After being in the fridge, the oat topping will get a little mushier than when you first made the dessert and that's hard to avoid. One workaround is to do a quick broil on the low setting to crisp the oats back up. Watch it carefully, though, because it can burn quickly.

Serving Suggestions

This is the perfect dessert when you're entertaining a crowd because you can set it and forget it while you focus on cooking the main course.

• My favorite (and the most classic) way to serve this is with a simple scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. That’s what I always do with my blueberry cobbler in the slow cooker too!
• You could also serve the apple crisp with a glass of eggnog during the holiday season, or whipped cream on top. Sometimes we like to sprinkle pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon on the whipped cream (just a tiny bit!). 
• If you’re obsessed with apples, you could also make slow cooker apple cinnamon rolls as a breakfast treat with apples as the star.
• For the perfect autumn dinner and dessert combo, make slow cooker beef stew or chicken and dumplings for your main course, then serve the crisp for dessert.