Crock Pot Apple Crisp fills the whole house with cinnamon while it cooks. Granny Smith apples go soft under a buttery oat topping. Ten minutes of prep and the slow cooker handles the rest. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.
If you’re looking for some more yummy fall apple recipes, try my Caramel Apple Dip and Homemade Apple Fritters.
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Why this Recipe is a Keeper
This is the dessert I start in the morning and forget about until dinner. Here is why it works.
- Ten Minute Prep: Slice, stir, dump, top. Then the crock pot takes over completely.
- Pantry Ingredients: Oats, flour, brown sugar and spices. Nothing you need a special trip for.
- Frees Up the Oven: On a holiday when every rack is full, this cooks somewhere else entirely.
- Feeds Six: One crock gives you six generous servings, and it scales up easily.
What Is the Best Type of Apple to Use for Apple Crisp?
Granny Smith is the pick here. The texture holds up through hours of slow cooking without collapsing. The tartness also matters.
It balances the cup of brown sugar in the topping so the dessert is not cloying. McIntosh and Honeycrisp both work if that is what you have on hand.
Mixing two or three varieties gives you the most interesting flavor. Tart and sweet together beat either one alone.
What Reader’s Are Saying…
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I love that you can just throw this together and go about your day. The smell is amazing.”
~ Michelle
Ingredient Notes
A few of these are worth a closer look before you start.
This is an overview of key ingredients. Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Granny Smith Apples: Ten cups sounds like a lot, but they cook down considerably. Peel and slice them evenly.
- Oats: Old fashioned rolled oats are what I use. They hold their texture better than quick oats.
- Brown Sugar: A full cup in the topping is what creates those crisp, caramelized crumbs.
- Nutmeg: Just a quarter teaspoon in the filling. It rounds out the cinnamon without taking over.
- Butter: Melted butter binds the topping into coarse crumbs. Unsalted lets you control the salt.
Variations and Substitutions
This slow cooker apple crumble takes additions well. Try one of these.
➡️ Add Dried Fruit: Cranberries, raisins, or dried cherries scattered into the filling add tartness.
➡️ Fold in Nuts: Crushed pecans or walnuts in the topping give it real crunch.
➡️ Drizzle Caramel: A little caramel sauce over the finished crisp turns it into something richer.
➡️ Swap the Sweetener: Maple syrup or a sugar alternative works in place of the granulated sugar.
➡️ Bake It Instead: The same assembly works in a 9 by 13 pan in the oven if you would rather.
Kitchen Tools To Make It Easier
The slow cooker is the whole point. The rest is standard prep gear.
- Slow Cooker: Cook on low, not high. Low and slow is what keeps the apples from turning to mush.
- Chef’s Knife: Ten cups of apples is a lot of slicing, so a sharp knife earns its keep.
- Cutting Board: Give yourself room to work through the apples in batches.
- Measuring Spoons: The cinnamon, nutmeg, and leaveners are all small measures.
How to Make Slow Cooker Apple Crisp
Here is the overview. The recipe card below has the full detail.
These are just highlights. Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Spray the crock with nonstick cooking spray so nothing welds to the sides.
- Layer the sliced apples in the crock and stir in the sugar, spices, salt, and flour.
- Mix the oats, flour, brown sugar, leaveners, cinnamon, and melted butter into coarse crumbs.
- Spread the topping over the apples in an even layer.
- Cook on low for four hours, then serve warm with ice cream.
Prep Ahead and Short Cut Tips
Most of the work can happen before the day you serve it.
➡️ Slice Apples Early: Cut them ahead and toss with lemon juice so they do not brown while they wait.
➡️ Mix the Topping Ahead: Combine the crumb topping and store it in a sealed container for up to two days.
➡️ Hold It Warm: Once it finishes, switch the cooker to warm and let it sit until you are ready.
➡️ Reheat in the Crock: Make it a day early and warm it back up on low right in the same pot.
➡️ Portion the Spices: Premeasure the cinnamon and nutmeg into a small dish so assembly goes fast.
Alternate Cooking Methods
The crock pot is easiest, but this works other ways too.
- ➡️ Bake It in the Oven: Assemble in a 9 by 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees F until golden and bubbling.
- ➡️ Adjust for a Large Cooker: A bigger crock may need six to eight hours on low to soften the apples fully.
- ➡️ Make a Dump Cake: Swap the oat topping for a box of cake mix and dot it with butter.
Are Old Fashioned Oats and Quick Oats the Same?
They are not. Old fashioned oats are rolled and steamed, which leaves them with a firmer texture. Quick oats are cut smaller, so they soften faster and cook in less time.
For this topping, old fashioned oats hold up better over four hours in a slow cooker.
Quick oats still work, but expect a softer, less distinct crumb on top.
How to Store, Reheat, and Use Leftovers
- Storing: Store leftover crisp in an airtight container. It keeps at room temperature for up to two days.
- Reheating: Microwave individual portions for about 45 seconds, or warm the whole pot back up on low in the crock.
- Using Leftovers: Spoon it over yogurt or oatmeal for breakfast the next morning. It also works alongside apple pie bites or a cream cheese pumpkin pie.
Expert Tips for Making This Recipe
These are the things that make this crisp come out right.
➡️ Cook on Low Only: Never use the high setting, since it turns the apples to sauce before the topping sets.
➡️ Use the Towel Trick: Lay a dish towel under the lid every time to catch condensation.
➡️ Slice Apples Evenly: Keep the pieces uniform so everything softens at the same rate.
➡️ Toss With Lemon: Put sliced apples in lemon water while working through the rest of the batch.
➡️ Serve It Hot: Bring it to the table straight from the crock with ice cream already scooped.
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Crock Pot Apple Crisp
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Ingredients
FILLING
- 10 cups Granny Smith Apples, peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Flour
TOPPING
- 1 cup Oats
- 1 cup Flour
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ cup Butter, melted
Instructions
- Spray the crock of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the sliced apples in the crock.
- Add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and flour; stir to combine.
- To make the topping, mix all of the ingredients together until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Spread topping on top of apples in an even layer.
- Set slow cooker to low and cook for four hours.
Christina’s Notes
- Cook on Low: The high setting turns the apples to sauce before the topping sets.
- Use a Dish Towel: Laying one under the lid catches condensation and keeps the topping crisp.
- Choose Granny Smith: Their firm texture holds up through four hours of slow cooking.
- Use Old Fashioned Oats: Quick oats soften too much and lose their texture in the topping.
- Store at Room Temperature: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to two days.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
I love that you can just throw this together and go about your day. The smell is amazing.
what kind of oats for this recipe you use, old fashioned rolled oats? Thanks!
I use old fashioned. I found they work best with this recipe.