Microwave Apple Crisp — 🍎🍏🍁 It’s hard to believe something SO GOOD can be made in the microwave – and in just 5 minutes but it’s true! This microwave apple crisp comes together in just 5 minutes and generously serves one person, or very shareable for two. Top it with a scoop or ice cream, whipped cream, or caramel sauce for the ultimate FAST and EASY treat!
Table of Contents
Quick Microwave Apple Crisp
This microwave apple crisp is the best and easiest thing to make with all those apples you bought because they were on sale. You don’t need to turn on your oven and it’s ready in 5 minutes.
I’m a big fan of crumbles, crisps, and anything with a crumbly or streusel topping. Those buttery, brown sugary nuggets with texture from oats get me every time.
But while I like baking crumbles, usually I don’t need or want a whole pan. It’s the type of dessert that’s really best served warm, with a big dollop of whipped cream or ice cream on top, and after the first, warm juicy piece, the leftovers just don’t measure up.
This quick apple crisp serves one generously, or two more modestly if you feel like sharing.
The apple base layer, comprised of apples, tossed with butter, cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, and a pinch of cornstarch cooks in just a couple minutes after adding the topping mixture. The cinnamon, brown sugar, and oatmeal topping is tossed together in a minute.
You get all the scent benefits that waft through the house as if you’d baked a traditional apple crisp, except you don’t have to heat up your house and it’s ready in 5 minutes.
Breakfast, snack, dessert, a midnight snack for one. So many ways to go with this microwave baked apples dessert.
Ingredients for Microwave Apple Crisp
To make this single serving apple crisp, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Old-fashioned oats
- All-purpose flour
- Spices
- Salt
- Apple
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Microwave Apple Crisp
Making apple crisp in microwave is fast, easy, and delicious! Here are the basic steps:
- Make the apple crisp topping by stirring the ingredients together until they resemble the texture of fine sand.
- Lay the diced apple in a microwave-safe bowl and top with butter. Microwave 1 minute to soften the apples.
- Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in the remaining apple crisp ingredients.
- Sprinkle the crisp topping over the apple mixture.
- Return to the microwave for another 2 minutes and cook until done. (Done means juicy, bubbly, rich, and caramely.)
Recipe Tip
Make sure to use a microwave-safe bowl or baking dish that’s got enough room for expansion. The apples release a fair amount of juice, the butter melts, and the whole thing puffs and rises as it cooks. Take that into account so you don’t have an overflow situation.
Recipe FAQs
You can use really any apple variety you’d like for this microwave apple crisp recipe. I used a Fuji apple, but Gala, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Jonagold would all work too.
No, this quick apple dessert won’t turn out right if you skip the cornstarch.
I’ve only made this recipe with old-fashioned rolled oats before, so I’m not sure if quick oats will work here. They’re not as chewy as rolled oats and might make the apple crisp topping too dry.
I’m not sure! I’ve only ever made this microwave apple crisp with fresh apples. You may be able to substitute fresh pears, but I can’t say for certain.
I used a fair amount of both cinnamon (2 teaspoons) and nutmeg (1 teaspoon) because I’m fond them, and like things more boldly spiced. If you don’t like as much pop from cinnamon or are more sensitive to nutmeg, dial down the spices, to taste. You could also work in pinches of pumpkin pie spice, ginger, cloves, allspice, or other warming spices you enjoy.
This is a question that I get frequently for this particular recipe and I only make it as it’s written. It’s a sweet treat and to keep it as such, I use the sugar quantities as indicated in the recipe. You could perhaps reduce 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar (in whichever section you’d like, base layer or apple layer) but I personally would not do more. Not only does sugar provide flavor, it adds structure and stability to desserts, too.
Storage Instructions
In the fridge or at room temp: Crumble is best warm and fresh, but leftover portion will keep airtight for up to 3-4 days.
In the freezer: Let cool to room temp, then seal inside an airtight freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months.
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5-Minute Microwave Apple Crisp for One
Ingredients
Crisp Topping
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (or vegan butter substitute)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons old-fashioned whole rolled oats, use Certified Gluten Free Whole Rolled Oats if necessary
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or Certified All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Blend
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
Apple Base Layer
- 1 medium apple, diced in about 1/4-inch cubes (I did not peel mine, peel if you wish; I used Fuji, use any variety you like)
- ½ tablespoon unsalted butter, or vegan butter substitute
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- optionally add pinches ground ginger, pumpkin pie spice, cloves, allspice based on taste preference
Instructions
- Make the Crumble Topping
- In a small bowl, combine all crumble topping ingredients and stir together with a fork until small pebbles and sandy crumbs form; set aside.
- Make the Apple Base Layer
- In a small to medium-sized microwave-safe bowl or baking dish, add apples and top with butter. Don’t use an overly shallow dish because the apples will release juices, the butter melts, and it will rise and puff in the microwave, and it will overflow if bowl is too shallow.
- Cook for 1 minute on high power to soften apples.
- Remove bowl from micro and add the sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, optional salt, optional other spices, and stir to combine and coat evenly.
- Evenly sprinkle with the crumble topping.
- Cook for about 2 minutes on high power, until juicy, bubbly, and topping is set. Due to variance in microwaves, climate, apples and their variable moisture content, cooking times could range from 1 1/2 minutes to slightly over 2 minutes. Start watching it carefully at 1 1/2 minutes and stop cooking when done; don’t overcook.
- Serve immediately. Optionally serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Crumble Bars — These caramel apple cheesecake bars feature a buttery crust that’s topped with cheesecake and spiced apples. After they’re done baking, the bars are drizzled with salted caramel sauce!
Apple Turnovers — These apple turnovers take just 15 minutes to prep and are filled with the most incredible cinnamon apple filling. These are the ultimate fall dessert!
Caramel Apple Crumble Foil Packs – EASY, zero cleanup, made on the grill (or oven) in record time, and tastes amazing!
Cinnamon Roll Apple Crisp – A layer of cinnamon rolls topped with apples and a crunchy oatmeal crumble makes this the ULTIMATE apple crisp!
Carrot Apple Cream Cheese Tunnel Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting – If you like carrot cake, you’re going to LOVE this version that includes apples and a tunnel of cream cheese that runs through the center!
Sugar Cookie Apple Crumble Cheesecake Pie – A buttery sugar cookie crust, tangy cream cheese filling, tender juicy apples, and a crumble topping make this pie a total SHOWSTOPPER!! EASY and THE BEST apple pie!
Apple Fritter Bread — The bread tastes as decadent as the apple fritters of my childhood, no deep frying required and it’s more like cake disguised as bread.
Originally published September 12, 2013 and republished with updated text August 14, 2020.
You are so right, there’s nothing like a buttery, brown sugar crumble. Now if only this would magically appear for my breakfast!
I don’t know whether to want to love you or hate you right now.. but I’m leaning towards love because if you call that a single serving, you’re my kinda girl! That’s HUGE and the PERFECT xxl-solo size for someone who gobbles apple crisps like her life depends on it. Well… it does, kinda :)
I will say that the dish does look rather huge in the photos but in person, it really isn’t. Something about the white, the rim, the angles, yes I thought the same thing :) It’s still a generous single-serving, but not quite as generous as the photos make it seem like LOL :)
without a doubt, the BEST single serving dessert EVER!!
Aww, so sweet, thanks Heather!
You are so a genius Averie. I MUST make something like this! I really should be making more single serving things. Way better for the waistline!
WAY better on all fronts – leftovers, cost to make the recipe/grocery budget, how to handle leftovers, time invested overall – yeah girl, I am a fan!
Averie, your website is AMAZING!!! I love all your recipes – this one looks like fall in a bowl and DELICIOUS! Keep the great posts coming!! Carole
Thanks for the glowing compliments, Carole! :)
Ooooh, I love this!! Perfect that it’s only one serving – more would just be dangerous. ;)
LOVE this!!!!!!! I adore crumbles and crisps too and have made apple crisps for two in the oven, since we never need a big pan of it either — never thought to just do a microwaveable version for ONE! This is seriously dangerous :) in the best way. Thanks so much for the genius recipe!
Glad you like this and I had never thought to do a single serve or micro version til now – and it’s going to be my new thing :)
Love your microwave posts. I honestly won’t cook an egg or spaghetti in the microwave (its just weird for me personally). The mug cake and this crumble are outrageous.
I too love desserts with a crunch (I always mix something crunchy into my ice cream).
I am making this for dessert tonight. I am cooking with traditional ingredients, but love that your posts give the option for vegan (or not). I think I will use gala apples (that’s what I have) and trim the sugar down (so I can serve it to my sugar sensitive 3 year old).
Hi Donna & thanks for the great comment and hope you enjoyed this if you made it! I actually cook eggs in the micro every now and then for my daughter if she wants 1 egg and I dont want to deal with a big production. It takes like 90 secs and voila, ready!
I saw your Jack Daniels drink on the top row of FG yesterday. It reminded me of when I Saw it the first time a few weeks ago on your site – very thirsty again :)
Omigosh do I love this! I love how simple and flavorful this dessert is (perfect for fall as well) and I really like how you made it one serving- (or two modest :)) sized. We just don’t have the need in our household for truck-sized desserts, and my waistline certainly doesn’t need it either. ;) Fantastic recipe, Averie!
We dont have the need either! I mean, unless you’ve got 5 kids, big pans of things just are not practical – unless you have super sonic metabolism of course :)
Looks perfect. Ooey gooey, caramely and delicious!
WHAT. I’m in love. Averie, this quick crumble is amazing and you knowwwwww how much I love apple-y things. It looks completely gooey, rich, and irresistible. I mean how can you look at these photos and not want to grab one of those spoons?! I’d totally plop some vanilla ice cream right on top. I’ll take a stack of your apple pie pancakes followed by this for dessert…
I thought this turned out REMARKABLY well for being a micro recipe. Like, if I said I baked it, I don’t think anyone would doubt it based on appearance or taste. And seriously so fast and small-ish. When you dont need another!! big dessert or portion!
Yummmmmy! Apple and cinnamon are perfect together, and this looks amazing, pure comfort for one!
Apple season is upon us and I love it! We’re going apple picking this weekend :) Your delish 5-minute crumble just have to make an appearance in our house!
Have fun apple-picking!
Love… Love dishes that are quick easy and adaptable to a few people. I am definitely going to have to try this one :)
Good! LMK how it goes!
Yum! I like anything that is ready in 5 minutes and sweets are my weakness so this is a WIN, WIN! :)
http://www.prettybitchescancooktoo.com
the name of your site is classic :)
I love how you made this a single serving dish. Sometimes it’s just too tempting to have all those goodies laying around! haha Thanks for sharing :)
DON’T need mass quantities as a dessert blogger. I am over-run as it is! :)