Individual Apple Crisp Recipe
This easy apple crisp recipe has all the warm, cozy flavors you want in a fall dessert!
Juicy, vanilla-laced apples sweetened with maple syrup are topped with a thick layer of buttery, cinnamon-scented oat almond topping. Serve warm with a big dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and perhaps a drizzle of salted caramel sauce.
It’s a fantastic dessert to prepare when you are entertaining. It can be made early in the day, chilled, and baked while you eat dinner. Additionally, your kitchen will smell fantastic!
Want more individual dessert recipes? Try my Strawberry Eaton Mess, Silken Tofu Chocolate Mousse, or Apple Pie Yogurt Parfait.
You know those moments when you’re craving something sweet, but the last thing you want is to have lots of leftovers? That’s where small-batch desserts come in handy.
Why you’ll love this apple crisp recipe
- Easy to make: apple crisp is easier to prepare than apple pie and tastes just as good!
- Quick: it only takes a few minutes to prepare, and you can even prep different components ahead of time.
- Perfectly portioned out for one: unlike the traditional recipe, which is made in a large dish, this apple crisp is perfectly portioned out and baked in little ramekins.
- Customizable: you can use any fruit you want.
- Delicious: what’s better than warm apples and a crisp oat topping?
Here are a few notes about the ingredients that you will need to make this recipe:
- Apples – I used Pink Lady, but you can use your favorite ones. You need about 3 or 4 medium apples, peeled and chopped into cubes. Feel free to slice the apples, but chopped pieces tend to work better in ramekins. See below for the best variety to use in this crumble.
- Maple syrup – you need it for both the filling and the topping. Use real maple syrup, not maple-flavored pancake syrup.
- Rolled oats – it gives a nutty, chewy texture. Rolled oats are the same as old-fashioned oats.
- Butter – melted butter makes for a crunchier crisp.
See the recipe card below for a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions
Recipe Variations
Feel free to experiment and have fun customizing the recipe. Here are some suggestions:
- Fruit – the beauty of a crisp is that it works with practically any fruit. Replace the apples with pears; add cranberries; use berries or stone fruits in the summer; and rhubarb in the spring.
- Spices – try pumpkin spice or apple pie spice instead of cinnamon.
- Sweetener – substitute the maple syrup with brown sugar, granulated sugar, coconut sugar, or honey.
- Nuts – I used sliced almonds to add some crunchy texture to the topping. You can replace them with chopped pecans or walnuts or omit the nuts entirely.
- Make it vegan and/or dairy-free – use vegan butter or coconut oil instead of butter.
- Make it gluten-free – swap the flour for a gluten-free flour blend or almond flour. Make sure the oats are gluten-free too.
How to make mini apple crisp with oats
- Prepare the apple filling – in a medium bowl, toss together peeled, cored, and cubed apples along with maple syrup and vanilla extract. Divide the filling among 3 ramekins.
- Make the crumb topping – in another bowl, toss together old-fashioned oats, flour, salt, sliced almonds, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Next, add the melted butter and stir until the butter is well incorporated.
- Assemble and bake – top the apples with the cinnamon oat topping and bake until the apples are tender and the topping is golden brown.
- Serve – once it’s ready, let it cool for about 5-10 minutes, then serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or with a dollop of homemade whipped cream. It’s also perfectly delicious on its own.
Tips for success
- Make thick slices – I chopped the apples into cubes but if you prefer slices, don’t cut them too thin or you’ll get mushy.
- Ramekins – 8-ounce ramekins are the perfect size for this recipe. If your ramekins are smaller, baking time should be reduced, if they are larger, they’ll need additional baking time.
- Use a baking sheet – I recommend placing the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet before baking to help catch any possible spills. It will also be easier to transfer the ramekins to and from the oven.
- Cover, if necessary – if the topping is starting to get too brown but the apples still need more time to cook, simply place some aluminum foil loosely over the top and continue baking.
Make ahead and storage instructions
Make ahead – this is a great dessert to prepare when you are entertaining. Assemble the apple crisps a few hours in advance and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to bake them.
Leftovers – cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Gently rewarm in the oven or microwave. The crumble topping will continue to absorb moisture from the apples as it refrigerates, so it won’t stay crispy. But it will still be delicious!
To freeze – cover tightly and freeze for up to three months. You can freeze apple crisp either before or after baking. Allow to thaw first in the fridge before reheating in the oven or microwave.
Recipe FAQs
Look for apples with a firm texture so they don’t turn to mush when baked.
For a sweeter crisp, use Braeburn, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady.
If you’d like a tarter crisp, Granny Smith apples are the best. You could also use different kinds for even more flavor!
It’s up to you! I find apple crisp has the best texture when it’s made with peeled apples.
If you choose to leave the skins on, be sure to wash the apples thoroughly.
The ingredients are very similar, both desserts include baked fresh fruit. The main difference is in the topping: crisps have oats and crumbles don’t. However, these days the names are used interchangeably.
To double or triple the recipe, simply click on the number of servings in the recipe card and slide the toggle that appears to the number of servings you want to make. The ingredient amounts will change accordingly.
These apple recipes are a must-try!
If you tried these apple crisps or any other recipe on the blog, let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! I love hearing how it turns out for you! ♡
HOW TO MAKE IT: Individual Apple Crisp with Oats
Ingredients
For the apple filling
- 3 medium apples peeled, cored, and cubed
- 2 tablespoons (40 ml) maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the crumble topping
- ½ cup (45 g) rolled oats
- ¼ cup + ½ tablespoon (35 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (18 g) sliced almonds
- 3 tablespoons (40 g) unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons (40 ml) maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place 3 ramekins on a baking sheet.
Make the fruit filling
- In a medium bowl, toss the cubed apples with maple syrup and vanilla extract. Divide the apple mixture evenly between the ramekins. (You can fill them all the way to the top – they will sink down when baking)
Make the crisp topping
- Place the oats, almonds, cinnamon, flour, salt, and maple syrup in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and mix well to combine.Spoon the crumble topping onto the fruit, making sure it’s even.
Bake and serve
- Bake for 25/30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the apples are soft and easily pierced with a skewer.
- Serve them warm with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce.
Notes
- Ramekins – I used 8-ounce ramekins for these apple crisps. They are the perfect size for this recipe. If you use 6-ounce ones, I guess you can get 4 portions (and each portion will have fewer calories – 306 calories instead of 409 ). Keep also in mind that if your ramekins are smaller than 8 ounces, the baking time should be reduced. If they are larger, they’ll need additional baking time.
- Apples – for a sweeter crisp, use Braeburn, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady. If you’d like a tarter crisp, use a tart apple like Granny Smith.
- Make it gluten-free –swap the flour for a gluten-free flour blend or almond flour. Make sure you use gluten-free oats too.
- Make it dairy-free/vegan -substitute the butter with coconut oil.
- Storage – store any leftover covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Gently rewarm in the oven or microwave.
- To freeze – you can freeze apple crisp either before or after baking. Cover tightly and freeze for up to three months.
Love this apple crisp! Getting ready to make for the fourth time in the last month. I freeze unbaked and then keep a few for myself and share some with friends and family. Thanks for a delicious recipe.
So glad you like this recipe, Louise! Thank you for the feedback! :)
I made this recipe last night and it was delicious! Thank you!
Thank you for the feedback, Marian! Glad you liked it! :)
I love that these yummy apple crisps can be personalized so perfect for portion control though mind you they look so delicious I may be tempted to have two! :)
I am a chocoholic. Since I was told not to eat chocolate for a while, I crave this delicious apple crisp. The individual servings are perfect For my husband and I, with vanilla ice cream. This is a favorite of my adult granddaughter. Apple crisp is in the oven now to share with my granddaughter. My apple crisp is smelling so yummy.
I am so glad to hear that, Margaret! :)
I was looking for a fast and easy recipe and found this. I made it with green apples and it was good. Thanks for a great recipe
So glad you liked it, Sandra! Thank you for the feedback! :)
Hi Kate!
You can freeze baked or unbaked crips for up to 3 months.
If baked: thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in the oven at 175 degrees C (350 degrees F) for 20 minutes or until heated through.
Unbaked: allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake for 30/35 minutes at 190 degrees C (375 degrees F).
Let me know how it goes! :)