Peyton's Momma™

Minnesota based Family Lifestyle blog. Mother Daughter duo take on food, travel, and more.

Slow Cooker Apple Crisp (Easy Crockpot Apple Dessert)

Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

Nothing says fall quite like the smell of warm apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar filling your home. This Slow Cooker Apple Crisp is one of my favorite autumn desserts because it’s incredibly easy to make and lets your crockpot do most of the work. There’s no need to turn on the oven, making it perfect for busy weeknights, holiday dinners, or cozy weekends at home.

Made with fresh apples, warm cinnamon, buttery oats, and a crisp crumble topping, this slow cooker dessert has all the comforting flavors of a traditional apple crisp with almost none of the fuss. As the apples slowly cook, they become perfectly tender while the topping develops a delicious buttery crunch thanks to one simple trick.

If you’re lucky enough to live in Minnesota like I do, Honeycrisp apples are an obvious choice since they were developed right here. Their sweet flavor and crisp texture make them perfect for baking. Of course, you can also use Fuji, Pink Lady, Gala, or Granny Smith apples depending on your taste.

Top each warm serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you’ll have a dessert that’s guaranteed to disappear quickly.

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

  • Easy crockpot dessert
  • Perfect for fall and apple season
  • No oven required
  • Great for holiday dinners
  • Buttery, crunchy oat topping
  • Makes the house smell amazing
  • Delicious with vanilla ice cream

Ingredients

Apple Filling

  • 3 pounds apples (about 6 medium apples)
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Cooking spray

Crisp Topping

  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Ingredient Notes

Apples

Honeycrisp apples are my favorite because they stay slightly firm while becoming perfectly tender. Fuji, Gala, Pink Lady, Jonagold, and Granny Smith apples also work wonderfully.

Lemon Juice

A little lemon juice brightens the flavor while helping keep the apples from browning during prep.

Rolled Oats

Old-fashioned rolled oats create the best crunchy topping. Quick oats will produce a softer texture.

Butter

Real butter gives the crumble topping its rich flavor and crispy texture.

How to Make Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

Peel, core, and cut the apples into approximately 1-inch chunks.

Generously spray the inside of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray, making sure to coat the bottom and sides.

Add the apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and lemon juice to the crockpot. Stir until all of the apples are evenly coated.

Spread the apple mixture into an even layer.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter.

Using a fork or pastry cutter, stir until the mixture becomes crumbly with no large pockets of dry flour remaining.

Evenly sprinkle the topping over the apples.

Lay two paper towels across the top of the slow cooker before placing the lid on. Pull the towels tight so they don’t touch the topping. This helps absorb condensation, keeping the topping crisp instead of soggy.

Cook on Low for 2½ to 3 hours or High for about 1½ hours.

Once the apples are tender, carefully remove the lid and paper towels.

Continue cooking uncovered for one additional hour to allow the topping to brown and crisp.

Allow the apple crisp to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Pro Tips

  • Cut the apples into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
  • Don’t skip the paper towels—they make a huge difference in keeping the topping crisp.
  • Old-fashioned oats create the best texture.
  • Let the crisp rest before serving so the filling thickens.
  • If you love extra cinnamon, sprinkle a little over the topping before cooking.

Variations

Caramel Apple Crisp

Drizzle warm caramel sauce over each serving.

Apple Cranberry Crisp

Add one cup of fresh or frozen cranberries to the apples.

Maple Apple Crisp

Replace the granulated sugar with pure maple syrup for a deeper fall flavor.

Nutty Apple Crisp

Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the topping for extra crunch.

Apple Pear Crisp

Replace half of the apples with ripe pears for a delicious twist.

Storage

Store leftover apple crisp covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheat individual servings in the microwave for about 45 seconds or warm larger portions in a 300°F oven until heated through.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best apples for apple crisp?

Honeycrisp, Fuji, Pink Lady, Jonagold, Gala, and Granny Smith are all excellent choices because they hold their shape while baking.

Can I leave the skins on?

You can, but peeling the apples creates a softer filling with a more traditional apple crisp texture.

Why do I put paper towels under the lid?

Slow cookers trap moisture. The paper towels absorb excess condensation, helping the topping stay crisp instead of becoming soggy.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! Prepare the apple filling and topping separately, refrigerate them, and assemble everything in the crockpot when you’re ready to cook.

Can I freeze apple crisp?

Yes. Freeze cooled apple crisp in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

This Slow Cooker Apple Crisp is everything you love about fall desserts—warm apples, cozy cinnamon, buttery crumble topping, and the easiest preparation imaginable. Whether you’re making it after a day at the apple orchard, serving it for Thanksgiving, or simply craving a comforting dessert, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite.

The combination of tender cinnamon apples and a crispy oat topping is irresistible, especially when paired with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream. Best of all, your slow cooker handles the work while your house fills with the incredible aroma of fresh-baked apples and cinnamon.

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below and let me know which variety of apples you used and whether you topped yours with ice cream, whipped cream, or caramel sauce.

Be sure to check out our other slow cooker recipes and come back tomorrow to see what’s next.

Print Pin

Apple Crisp in the Slow-Cooker

A fall classic! Learn how to make slow-cooker apple crisp.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Apple Crisp, crockpot, slow cooker

Ingredients

Filling

  • 3 lbs Apples, peeled and diced into 1 inch
  • 1/3 C Sugar
  • 2 tbsp Flour
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice

Topping

  • 1 1/4 C Flour
  • 3/4 C Rolled Oats
  • 1/2 C Brown Sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 8 tbsp Butter, unsalted and melted

Instructions

  • The hardest part of this recipe is peeling the apples. I like to take an apple slice and slice the apples, I think it makes them easier to peel when they are wedges. 
    For this recipe I used Honey Crisp Apples, after all, we are in Minnesota - the home of the Honey Crisp!
    Once you've peeled your apples, cut them into 1-inch chunks. 
    Take the cooking spray and give the slow-cooker a generous spray. Be sure to spray up the sides. The better the coating the easier this will be to clean up later. 
    Place the apple chunks, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and lemon just in the slow-cooker.  Stir it until all the apples are coated. Then spread the apples out in the slow-cooker to an even layer. 
    In a bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter.  I like to use a fork to combine this mixture. You'll want to be crumbly but not dry. It does take a while to get it all combined. 
    Once the topping is mixed well pour it over the apple mixture in an even layer. 
    This next step is crucial to get a crunchy apple crisp. Take paper towels and place them on top of the slow-cooker then place the lid on. You don't want them to touch the apple crisp so be sure to pull it taunt. This will absorb the moisture and keep your topping from turning to mush. 
    Cook the apple crisp on low for 2.5 to 3 hours or on high for 1.5 hours. 
    Once you've reached that time limit, remove the lid and paper towels. Cook for an additional hour with no lid. This is going to brown the topping.  
    Let the Apple Crisp cool for about 15 minutes then scoop and serve with vanilla ice cream. 
    This will be a huge hit!

About Shanna

Shanna started writing shortly after her daughter was born. She's written for various outlets over the years. When she's not writing about her adventures with her daughter, she's out having adventures!