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Making apple crisp just got easier! This Crockpot Apple Crisp made with canned apple pie filling and oatmeal, takes just minutes to prep and then the slow cooker does all the work. This easy apple dessert is a classic fall dessert with cans of apple pie and an incredible oatmeal cookie-like crumble. It’s best served warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Learn all my tips below for making the best warm apple crisp inside a crockpot! And for more warm fruit crisp desserts be sure and try my Simple Apple Crisp or Peach Blueberry Crisp.
Favorite Fall Dessert – Hot Apple Crisp with Oat Topping
I love a good homemade fruit crisps dessert with the warm fruit and a buttery oats topping – but sometimes you just need something really easy that you can essentially throw into the crockpot and walk away.
Using canned apple pie filling yields a tender apples filling for this apple crisp that’s so simple and easy to make! Dump in the apple pie filling, mix up an easy brown sugar oatmeal crumble topping to sprinkle on top, and that’s it! The crockpot does all the work and you end up with a yummy, easy prep, semi-homemade dessert to serve the family.
Ingredients Needed For This Easy Apple Dessert
- Canned Apple Pie Filling : Two cans (21 oz each) of apple filling is the base for this apple crisp recipe. The soft apple pie filling bakes up perfectly in the crockpot and pairs so well with the brown sugar crispy oat topping.
- Cold Butter : Make sure the butter you use is straight from the fridge so it’s chilled. Cut the cold butter into small chunks which will make it easier to incorporate into the oatmeal crisp topping.
- Whole Old-Fashioned Oats : Its best to use the whole oats as they are larger in size and hold up better to the longer crockpot cook time. I don’t recommend using quick oats the making a warm apple crisp inside the crockpot.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Light Brown Sugar
- Ground Cinnamon
- Sea Salt : Just a pinch of salt is all it takes.
How to Make Apple Crisp with Canned Apple Pie Filling In The Crockpot (Recipe Card Below)
- Prep : Spray the insert of the crockpot with cooking spray. You can also use a crockpot liner for really easy clean-up.
- Apple Filling : Dump the apple pie filling into the crockpot. The apple mixture is as easy as the canned apple pie filling. Just dump and go. No need for an extra mixing bowl or other ingredients.
- Oatmeal Topping : In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cold butter, oats, brown sugar, flour, teaspoon ground cinnamon, and salt with clean hands or a spoon until it’s crumbly and the butter has mixed into the other ingredients. Sprinkle the crumble over top the apple pie filling.
- Cook : Lay a piece of paper towel (make sure it fits and covers the entire top of the crockpot I insert) over top of the crockpot and then put the lid on. Cook on HIGH heat for 2 hours. Uncover the crockpot (remove the lid and paper towel) and cook for and additional 1 hour.
- Serve : Serve the apple crisp warm with a giant scoop of vanilla bean ice cream over top.
Why Do I Need The Paper Towel When Making Apple Crisp In The Crockpot?
Naturally a crockpot retains lots of the moisture while cooking. Normally that’s a good thing because whatever you are cooking in it, will turn out super moist. But when making an apple crisp, with a crispy topping, it’s not so good. The paper towel absorbs some of that extra moisture from the crockpot while cooking. So instead of making the apple crisp soggy it makes the paper towel soggy.
Why Cook It Uncovered The Last Hour?
The crispy oats topping will be cooked after the initial 2 hour cook time. However, that last hour with the crockpot uncovered, is mainly for the crisp topping. It’s vital to getting that crispy and browned topping on the brown sugar crumble topping. When you first take the lid off, the crisp topping will appear soggy, but as it cooks that additional hour (uncovered) it will crisp up.
Serving Suggestions For Warm Apple Crisp
The best way to serve apple crisp is with a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream or vanilla ice cream. The warm crisp dessert pairs perfectly with the cold & creamy ice cream that just melts into the warm fruit and brown sugar oat crunchy topping. Other serving options and topping idea are freshly whipped cream or caramel sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Paper Towel : Don’t think that this is not important – and you can skip it! It’s essential to help absorb the extra moisture the crockpot makes while cooking, so instead of making the crisp topping soggy, it makes the paper towel soggy instead.
- Crockpot Heat Level : If you are using a really large crockpot (like an 8 QT) you probably won’t need the full 2 hours OR you can cook on LOW heat instead. If you know your crockpot cooks at a high heat (even on low heat) then feel free to cook on LOW heat instead. You may need to increase the cook time to 3 hours if using low heat and a normal sized crockpot (like 6 QT). The recipe itself does not need a lot of cook time to be done, it’s mainly for the crisp topping to brown and crisp up.
- Oats : Use whole, old-fashioned oats in this recipe. Quick oats are much smaller in size and won’t hold up well for the longer cook time.
- Variations : You can use any canned pie filling you want! Make a peach crisp in the crockpot by using canned peach pie filling. Use cherry pie filling for a crockpot cherry crisp, etc.
More Delicious Apple Recipes
More Fall Desserts To Try
- Cinnamon Streusel Pumpkin Cake
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Apple Cider Pudding Cake
- Applesauce Bread
- Banana Pumpkin Bread
Crockpot Apple Crisp (With Canned Apple Pie Filling and Oatmeal)
Ingredients
- 2 cans (21 oz each) apple pie filling
- 6 tablespoons cold butter (diced small)
- 1/2 cup whole old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Spray the insert of a 6 QT crockpot with cooking spray.
- Add the apple pie filling to the crockpot and spread it out evenly.2 cans (21 oz each) apple pie filling
- In a mixing bowl, add the diced cold butter, old-fashioned oats, flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt. Mix together using your clean hands, or a spoon, until it resembles a wet crumbly sand mixture.* Tip : It's easiest to use your clean hands so you can pinch and press the butter to help it incorporate better.6 tablespoons cold butter, 1/2 cup whole old-fashioned oats, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Sprinkle the oatmeal crumble mixture over top the apples inside the crockpot.
- Lay a piece (or two) of paper towel over the top of the crockpot and then put the lid on. Cook on HIGH heat for 2 hours.
- Take the lid off and the paper towel off and cook on HIGH heat for an additional 1 hour. * The addition 1 hour cook time should be done with no coverings or lid on the crockpot. This helps the oatmeal topping crisp up properly.* See notes below about cook time.
- Serve the apple crisp warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
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