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.
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?
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.
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
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.
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.
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:
- Slow Cooker Blackberry Cobbler
- Slow Cooker Pecan Pie
- Slow Cooker Banana Nut Cake
- Slow Cooker Pineapple Coconut Spoon Cake
- Slow Cooker Lemon Spoon Cake
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Slow Cooker Apple Crisp
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:
- 6 apples, thinly sliced and peeled
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons flour (to help thicken the sauce)
- 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 Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Cathi says
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!!
Diane says
Can you make the topping without nuts?
Sarah Olson says
Yes, you can leave the nuts out.
Marcia wilkins says
Can you freeze the apple crisp
Sarah Olson says
Yes, apple crisp freezes well.
Marcia wilkins says
Can you double the recipe?
Joseph says
I think trying to cook a double recipe in the oval slow cooker would result in the edges burning before the inside of it cooked. Theoretically you could but I haven’t seen any slow-cooker units larger than that 6 – 7 quart oval one being used in these recipes. Or if you happen to have a second oval slow-cooker lying around. If I did this for Thanksgiving I’d have to have at least 2 oval ones…one for this recipe and one for the turkey breast (one 5 – 6 lb. breast fits nicely in the oval slow-cooker and I usually cram in some fresh poultry blend herbs underneath the skin). Heh….theoretically if I had enough slow cookers I could do almost the whole meal in slow cookers LOL!
Charla says
The topping doesn’t crumble. Is there supposed to be softened butter too?
Sarah Olson says
No, just the melted. You made it right.
Suzanne says
Thinking this will be great with blueberries and topped with Tillamook vanilla ice cream!
Alicia says
Once cooked on high for the 2.5 hours can I leave on either low or warm? If so, how long can I do this for? I’m thinking of making for a potluck. Thank you!
Sarah Olson says
2 hours is the most I would do.
Jody says
Hi. This looks so delicious and I’ll be making it tomorrow. I’m curious though what size a serving is. I’m diabetic and have to work this into my diet. I think my serving size would be higher than what it really is. Thank you!
Joseph says
I’ve seen no-sugar-added apple pie filling and instead of brown sugar you could probably use something like the Splenda/brown sugar blend or the Swerve brand brown sugar substitute. I’m not diabetic but I figure it’s a good idea to watch my added sugar intake now that I’m in my 40+ years.
Joy says
Can you use fresh apples?
Sarah Olson says
Yes, will work fine.
Muriel Hattie Schreiber says
Will try again was easy
Muriel Hattie Schreiber says
Good &tasty Not crisp
William says
Can I use gluten free crumble mixture that I made instead of oatmeal
Sarah Olson says
Yes, I don’t see why not!
Lisa says
Had to tweak the recipe to be gf. Was very quick and easy recipe. Hardest part was waiting the 2 hrs to finish. Loved not having to turn the oven on and heating up the kitchen, in this Hot Florida weather! Turned out delicious. Definitely will make again