Microwave apple crisp truly is one of the BEST microwave desserts ever! It tastes just as amazing as oven-baked and takes only 5 minutes to prepare. Use this recipe to make an individual apple crisp in a mug, or scale it up to serve a group. With the warm, cinnamon-spiced apples and crunchy oat and pecan topping, everyone's going to love it! Bonus: it's vegan, gluten-free, and made without refined flour.
Why You'll Love It
How can an apple crisp made in the microwave be THIS good? Friends, I'm telling you, prepare to have your mind blown by this super simple dessert.
If you're anything like me, you love the comforting aroma of warm, cinnamon-spiced apples and a crisp oat topping, but you don't always have time or desire to bake a classic apple crisp.
Most apple crisp recipes make a huge amount, which isn't always practical. Maybe you only have one apple to use, or you live alone and need single-serving desserts.
If you only need a small amount, it just doesn't make sense to spend all that time and money preparing a traditional apple crisp!
In 5 minutes you'll be digging into this quick microwave dessert! And if you want to scale it up to share with family or friends, it's possible that scaling it up even more than 5 times will work, too! That's just the most we've tested so far.
Enjoy your apple crisp warm with a scoop of vanilla oat milk ice cream on top, and prepare to swoon. It's impossibly easy, quick, and way too delicious!
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Ingredient Notes
- apple - I like honeycrisp or granny smith apples here, but really, any variety you have on hand is fine.
- spices - cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg create a sweet and warm flavor and aroma. Pumpkin spice is also great!
- sugar - I used light brown sugar, but feel free to sub maple, date, or coconut sugar, if preferred.
- cornstarch - just a touch of starch combines with the juices from the apple and creates a wonderfully gooey filling. Arrowroot is a good substitute.
- oats - this is the base for the topping. I used old fashioned rolled oats.
- fat - this is what helps the topping get crisp. You can use a neutral oil, as if you were making granola, coconut oil (use refined if you don't want it to taste like coconut), or vegan butter. Vegan butter contains moisture and doesn't create as crispy of a topping as the pure oils do.
- pecans - optional; for additional texture and richness
See the recipe card below for quantities and full instructions.
Step By Step Instructions
Check out the photos below to see how easy it is to prepare the recipe.
Whether you're making a single serving in a mug (see the first 3 photos below) or a larger portion (as shown in the 6-inch white souffle dish), the process is the same.
The only difference is that you'll need to cook it just a bit longer if you scale the recipe up by 3 to 5 times.
Core and chop the apple and place it in your microwave-safe mug, bowl, or other dish.
Toss the apple with corn starch, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Microwave for about 45 seconds so the apple just begins to soften.
Mix together all ingredients for the oat topping.
To show another example of the type of dish you can use, pictured above is a 3-serving apple crisp in a 6-inch round souffle dish.
Sprinkle with the oat-pecan mixture and lightly press it down. Microwave for 45 to 60 seconds for smaller portions (1 or 2 servings), or around 75 seconds for larger batches. This is entirely dependent on the wattage and power of your microwave oven.
Tip: Until you've made the recipe once or twice and figured out how your microwave compares, it's better to be cautious and start with less time.
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You can always cook it longer, microwaving in short increments, but you don't want to accidentally turn the apples to mush or burn your apple crisp!
Serving Suggestions
It's best to let the apple crisp cool for at least 5 minutes before digging in. Not only is the flavor better when it's not piping hot but the apple filling will thicken as it cools.
Top your warm apple crisp with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or a dollop of non-dairy whipped cream for an extra special treat.
To enjoy your apple crisp for breakfast, try it with a dollop of non-dairy yogurt!
Variations
- Pumpkin spice - Replace the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger with pumpkin spice, and bump up the amount to make it as spiced as you like!
- Pear crisp - Sub pear for the apple and add a dash of cardamom.
- With berries - Mix in a handful of fresh blueberries or raspberries.
- Streusel topping - No oats? Replace the oats and oat flour with a scant ¼ cup whole-wheat or all-purpose flour, and increase the butter and sugar to 2 Tbsp each.
Equipment Needed
Obviously, for a microwave apple crisp, you'll need a microwave! My appliance is 1100 watts. If yours differs substantially, you'll need to adjust the cook time.
You'll also need a large mug for a single-serving crisp. Or for a larger yield, any dish that comfortably fits inside your microwave and holds the chopped apples will work - think glass Pyrex container, large bowl, etc. Again, just make sure it's safe for use in the microwave.
Storage
Since this is meant to be a quick-to-prep, smaller portioned dessert, it's not likely you'll have leftovers. But if you do, luck you! Once the apple crisp is cool, simply cover it and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat apple crisp in the microwave for about 45 seconds or until warmed through.
FAQs
Apples with a dense and crisp texture hold up well, but really, for this quick and simple recipe you can use any variety of apple you have. Our favorites are granny smith and honeycrisp.
Absolutely. The bake time depends on the serving size and dish you use. For a single-serving apple crisp in a large ramekin, bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the apples are tender.
Helpful Tip
As mentioned above, the first time you try any microwave recipe it's a good idea to keep a close eye on the dish and be conservative with the cook time until you know how your microwave will perform.
You can always increase the cook time if needed. Your apple crisp is done when the topping is dry and golden and you can hear the apples sizzling.
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I hope you enjoy this microwave apple crisp recipe! Give it a try, and let me know in the comments below how you like to customize it!
Recipe
Microwave Apple Crisp (Easy Scalable Recipe)
Ingredients
For the apple filling:
- 1 large apple - any sweet or tart variety you enjoy
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon corn starch
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
For the topping:
- 3 Tablespoons rolled oats
- 1 Tablespoon oat flour - optional
- rounded ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- dashes of nutmeg and ginger
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 ½ Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon neutral oil or vegan butter
- 5 or 6 pecan halves, broken up by hand - optional
Instructions
- Locate an oversized, microwave-safe mug for a single serving or a larger bowl/dish if scaling the recipe. See Notes for tips.
- Make the filling: Core the apple and peel it if desired (I don't usually peel it). Chop into ¾-inch, bite-size chunks. Place in the mug or bowl/dish. Add the corn starch, cinnamon, and sugar, and toss to combine.
- Make the oat topping: in a separate bowl or mug, combine the topping ingredients, and use a fork to thoroughly mix the oil/butter into the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- Microwave the apple without the topping for 45 seconds. It should look slightly softened. Remove from microwave and sprinkle with the topping. Microwave for another 45 to 75 seconds, depending on your wattage of your microwave (mine is 1100 watts). The topping should look dry and crisp, golden, and you should hear the apples hissing/sizzling. Note: If scaling up the recipe by 3x or more, cook time will be slightly longer. It's better to microwave in short increments, check on it, and add more time as needed than to overcook the apple crisp.
- Let cool for 5 minutes, top with vegan ice cream or whipped topping and enjoy!
Notes
-
- Pumpkin spice - replace the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger with pumpkin spice.
- Pear crisp - sub pear for the apple and add a dash of cardamom
- With berries - Mix in a handful of fresh blueberries or raspberries.
- Streusel topping - replace the oats and oat flour with a scant ¼ cup whole-wheat or all-purpose flour, and use 2 Tbsp vegan butter and 2 Tbsp sugar.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Kristin Neubauer
The BEST!! This dessert was super-easy and loved by everyone. I had to make some substitutions due to some food sensitivities around here: I replaced the oats with Rice Krispies, which worked out surprisingly well….I replaced the sugar with honey….and I replaced the vegan butter with pure olive oil. I think olive oil goes with everything, but the flavor of the oil didn’t even really come through. Great recipe….we loved it!
Lori
Ahhh, using Rice Krispies is genius, Kristin! Glad you all enjoyed it.
JoJo
I tried this recipe the second I saw it in your email newsletter and it is AMAZING! So easy! I used Pink Lady apples and it was delicious!