Slow Cooker Apple Crisp
This Slow Cooker Apple Crisp is a cozy, hands-off dessert with tender cinnamon apples and a toasty oat topping. It gives you all the flavors of apple pie without turning on the oven.
Ingredients
- 6-7 medium apples about 2 1/2–3 pounds, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick; use a mix like Granny Smith and Honeycrisp or Fuji
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed, for the apple filling
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the apple filling
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional, for the apple filling
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch, to thicken the juices
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats do not use quick oats
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if needed
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed, for the topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the topping
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, cold, cut into small cubes; if using salted butter, reduce added salt slightly
- 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts chopped, optional
- nonstick cooking spray or butter for greasing the slow cooker
- vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or vanilla Greek yogurt optional, for serving
Instructions
- Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 5–6 quart slow cooker with butter or nonstick spray to help prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.nonstick cooking spray or butter
- Peel, core, and slice the apples about 1/4-inch thick, keeping the slices as even as possible so they cook at the same rate. If working slowly, toss the slices with a little lemon juice as you go to prevent browning.6-7 medium apples, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), lemon juice, vanilla, and cornstarch. Toss until every slice is well coated and no dry patches of cornstarch remain.6-7 medium apples, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Spread the apple mixture evenly in the prepared slow cooker, pressing down lightly so there are no large air pockets. This helps the apples cook down into a soft, saucy layer.6-7 medium apples
- In another large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and work them into the dry ingredients with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits of butter. Stir in the chopped nuts if using.1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
- Sprinkle the oat mixture evenly over the apples in the slow cooker. Do not pack it down firmly; leaving it a bit loose allows steam to circulate and helps the topping crisp up.1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3–4 hours, or on HIGH for about 2 hours, until the apples are very tender when pierced with a fork and the topping looks set and lightly golden around the edges. Slow cookers vary, so start checking a bit early the first time.
- For the last 20–30 minutes of cooking on LOW, prop the slow cooker lid slightly open with a wooden spoon if possible. This allows steam to escape and helps the topping firm up instead of becoming too soft.
- Turn off the slow cooker and let the apple crisp rest for 10–15 minutes to thicken slightly. Spoon into bowls and serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt, if desired.vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or vanilla Greek yogurt
Notes
For best texture, use firm baking apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady (or a mix). You can reduce the sugar in both the filling and topping by about 25–30% for a less-sweet, more breakfast-style crisp. Don’t skip the cornstarch or arrowroot—it thickens the juices into a glossy sauce instead of leaving them runny. A slow cooker crisp will be more tender and chewy on top than an oven-baked version; venting the lid near the end of cooking helps keep the topping from getting soggy.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal
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