Slow Cooker Apple Crisp


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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 Apple Dump Cake, Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake, Slow Cooker Rice Pudding, or Scalloped Apples.

apple crisp done cooking with spoon in it

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?
ingredients for apple crisp on table

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.

collage of apple crisp before cooking

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
done cooking apple crisp in slow cooker

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.

scoop of apple crisp coming from slow cooker

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.
apple crisp in bowl with ice cream on top.

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.

This recipe makes enough so that you can enjoy it as an evening snack after dinner or have some leftovers for breakfast in the morning!

Be sure to save this recipe because there are lots of amazing fruit filling flavors you can make and they all sound equally tempting. Which flavor would be your favorite?

Other fruit desserts that can be made in the slow cooker:

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close up of apple crisp on wooden spoon

Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

4.84 from 6 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Canned apple pie filling topped with an oatmeal streusel and made in the slow cooker.

Ingredients 
 

  • 42 oz. apple pie filling, (two 21-oz. cans)
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup oatmeal (rolled oats)
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
  • 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • pinch salt

Instructions 

  • Add the pie filling to the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • In a large bowl add the remaining ingredients, stir until a crumble forms.
  • Sprinkle this evenly over the apples.
  • Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2.5 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
  • Serve topped with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

How to Video

Sarah’s Notes

Can I use fresh apples?
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 the slow cooker and continue with the recipe.
What can I use instead of apples?
  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 172mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 393IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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23 Comments

  1. Joseph says:

    5 stars
    I’m thinking of making a half recipe of this and just baking it in the oven in a square glass pan. Not having to peel, core, and cut up a bunch of apples is already a big help LOL. But I’m only doing it this way because number 1, there’s not many of us in my family anymore (just me, mom, and sis) and number 2 I only have 1 oval slow-cooker and I cook the meat in that one for Thanksgiving. But one day I might make the full recipe in the slow cooker. I’ll tell ya though this time of year I had a devil of a time finding canned apple pie filling that was no-sugar-added. Too many lazy diabetics (like me :P) doing Thanksgiving this year LOL!

  2. Anonymous says:

    I’m making this right now…I’m excited, lol! Thank you for the recipe!❤️

  3. Cathi says:

    5 stars
    Love this! It was a hit! I cut the recipe in half since there’s only 2 of us and I have a small crockpot (as well as a big one). I also did the apple pie filling from scratch and added blueberries since I was short on the apples ~ it was a fantastic mixture! Definitely a keeper!!

  4. Diane says:

    Can you make the topping without nuts?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Yes, you can leave the nuts out.