Microwave Apple Crisp | Single-Serving Apple Crisp

Warm and comforting single-serving apple crisp made in the microwave! A perfect quick-fix dessert with the goodness of apples, oats, cinnamon, and allspice.

After brown betty, I am back with another apple recipe, and this time it is the single-serving apple crisp. It has similar fall flavors like brown betty, but it is not the brown betty. :-)

Single serving desserts!

Aren’t they perfect for those late-night sweet cravings? I love single-serving desserts, especially the microwave ones. This apple crisp is our favorite, and sometimes I make it an evening after-school snack for the kiddo. 

Kiddo loves cinnamon’s flavor and always adds a generous amount of cinnamon to his oatmeal too. So, needless to say, that this apple crisp is his favorite. Not only his, ours too. 

My husband and I are trying to reduce our sugar intake, and when I make big batches of desserts, it’s hard for us to resist. So I opt for these single-serving desserts. (PS – I do bake big batches for parties and potlucks) 

Crisp Vs. Crumble Vs. Cobbler

You can make zillion desserts with fruits, and you will come across crisp, crumble, and cobbler a lot. So what’s what?

These are classic desserts, and like every other recipe, you will find different variations, and every household will have its signature recipe.

Crisp and crumble are very similar, and these days they are used interchangeably. Both crisp and crumble are fruits topped with oats or streusel topping and baked till the fruit is soft and tender. 

I always prepare my fruit crisp with oats and fruit crumble without oats but with flour, more like the streusel topping. (More about this topping in the future posts). You can use fruits of your choice like berries, peach, apples, etc. 

Now coming to cobblers, they are one of the classic American desserts where the fruit is topped with biscuit/shortbread or pastry topping. No, it’s not pie either, as cobblers don’t have a bottom crust. 

Ok, I don’t want to dig deep into this topic. One thing for sure, all these desserts are so delicious, and you will fall in love with their flavors. 

Apple crisp or apple crumble.

Now coming to this dessert, call it apple crisp or crumble. This microwave version is easy to assemble and prepare, and you can make this dessert for one or two in less than 10 minutes. Yes, you need 10 minutes. 

I used one apple, approx 178 grams like the size below and made two mini-bowls of apple crisp.

You first prepare the apple layer by mixing the chopped apples, sugar, flour, butter, and allspice or any spice of your choice. You microwave the apples first to soften them; skip this step if you are grating the apples. Then add the oats crisp mixture and microwave again!. The total microwave time is 3 minutes! 

My version of apple crisp

I have considerably reduced the amount of sugar and butter in this recipe. I love to bring the sweetness of the fruits, so I reduce the sugar. The crisp mixture wasn’t dry, and we love it this way. 

I tested this recipe in my 900W microwave, and the 3 minutes cooking time worked perfectly for me. But the cooking time might vary depending upon your microwave power and setting. Test the apples for doneness and adjust the timing. They should be tender and soft, and that’s the perfect stage. 

Check the recipe notes for tips and variations. 

The critical thing here is the temperature of the butter. We need melted butter for the apple layer, whereas, for the crisp mixture, we need softened butter. I usually microwave the butter for 10 seconds to soften it and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds to melt it.

Serving and storing.

Like brown betty, you can serve it as is or serve it with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. As it’s a single-serving dessert, I haven’t stored them for a longer period. We relish them right away. 

The ramekins I use comes with a lid. So far, I have refrigerated them for up to 4 hours. But not more than that. Before serving, bring it to room temperature and warm in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. 

How to make single-serving apple crisp in Microwave

Prepare the apple layer and microwave.

• In a small mixing bowl, add the chopped apples, ½ tbsp all-purpose flour, ¼ tsp allspice, ½ tbsp brown sugar, and melted butter. 

• Mix well. Ensure you have incorporated the flour and the spice thoroughly.

• Divide the apple mixture into half and add them to two microwave-safe ramekins like below. 

• Now microwave the apple-mixture for one minute. This helps to soften the apples. I microwave them one-by-one. 

Prepare the crisp.

• While the apples are microwaving, in a mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour, softened butter, ground cinnamon, sugar, and oats. 

• Using a fork or with hand, mix the crisp ingredients. 

• Now divide the crisp mixture into half and spread them evenly on top of the apples like below.

• Microwave this apple topped with the crisp for 2 minutes or until the apple is soft. I shouldn’t take more than 3 minutes when you make in these small ramekins. 

• Let it cool for a bit and serve it as is or with ice cream or whipped cream.

Recipe Notes:

• Instead of allspice, you can use ground cinnamon for the apple layer. Or use allspice for both apple layer and crisp. Adjust the spice measure as per your preference. We love the flavor of ground cinnamon and allspice, so I always add more.
• I have considerably reduced the amount of butter used in the crisp. For this measure, you can add up to 2 to 2.5 tbsp of softened butter. Make sure you are not melting the butter for the crisp mixture. 
• With 1 tbsp of butter, the crisp was not dry, and especially when served with ice cream, it was perfect. If you feel your crisp is dry, then drizzle ½ to 1 tbsp melted butter and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.
• As I make in ramekins, I usually chop the apples into small pieces instead of slicing them. You can try slicing or grating apples also. 
• Adjust the sugar as per your taste preference, and I highly recommend brown sugar for this crisp.
• The cooking timing might vary depending upon your microwave power setting. Test the apples for doneness and adjust the timing. They should be tender and soft, and that’s the perfect stage. 
• I love both my brown-betty and apple crisp with red, gala, or honey crisp apples. You can use granny smith or other apples of your choice.

More desserts for this holiday season

PS:  If you try this apple crisp/crumble, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it A.S.A.P.  Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas! Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more gardening and recipe updates! You can also sign-up for my newsletter for weekly updates.

Sending this to Srivalli’s Kid’s Delight event – single-serving desserts, hosted by me this time.