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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Originally published September 12, 2013 and republished with updated text August 14, 2020.
really good and fast, next time i will use less cinnamon. but it was a hit
Glad you enjoyed it!
I was so glad I found this recipe, I LOVE apple crisp. Unfortunately I currently unable to use my oven so this was the best thing to come across. The only thing I disliked about it was that it was just too sweet for me. I will definitely be making it again, just with a little less sugar. Thanks you so much for this amazing recipe.
Easy to reduce sugar to taste next time. Glad you enjoyed this.
This recipe turned out to be one of those that I will turn to frequently.
I was looking for a recipe for a fruit crisp that I cold use in my mini microwave (only used for heating coffee& snacks before) as my regular oven broke down… I wanted to make a rhubarb crumble & wanted to know if it could be done in the microwave oven…I found most recipes called for quick cook oats which I don’t have so was very pleased when I found that your recipe used regular oatmeal…It was also easy to assemble & worked even in the low power micro oven…I cooked the fruit as directed & once the topping was on checked after the 2 minutes then gave it another 2 & it came out as well as I had hoped for.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it worked out great and that you will turn to it frequently!
I can’t believe how amazing this recipe is! Thank you for the great idea!
Thanks so much!
Is there anyway to adapt this to make it without sugar? I’m thinking of using this as a breakfast dish – but am also concurrently trying to cut out all sugar from my diet. Seems delicious – so I realize this might be a silly question, but thought I’d ask…
I wouldn’t omit it, not sure if it will really be a crumble at that point – but you can always experiment.
Made this for my kids and it was soooooo fast and easy and super delicious. Two thumbs up from my kids and I!
Glad it was a hit!
Great recipe thanks for sharing. Was about to try it but realized im out of corn starch ☹️. Any suggestion???
Yes, go to the store and buy cornstarch :) That’s my suggestion or else the recipe won’t work.
i substituted the cornstarch for tapioca flour and it turn out just great! :)
Glad that it worked out great!
This is a perfect dessert when you love apples and cinnamon. YUM!
I absolutely love this recipe, and have made it several times now. I was wondering if I could make it in the oven though, because I would like to make a few at the same time, without having to sit in front of the microwave for half an hour. At which temperature do you think should I try it out? And for how long should I cook them?
I haven’t tried making in the oven so can’t give a timeframe but I would start with 350F and just keep an eye on them and bake until they’re done to your liking.
Well this was a pretty cool recipe – Easy Microwave Apple Crumble breakfast. The spices were a little strong for me when I made it exactly according to the recipe. For me, I had to cut the cinnamon and nutmeg in half the second time I made and then it was pretty good.
Thanks for the feedback. Made the apple crisp–it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe. :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And thanks for understanding about the other feedback :)
I just made this–and I was proud enough to have all of the ingredients. I may have overcooked it a bit, but other than that, it tastes pretty good. Like, really pretty good.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
what size bowl or baking dish did you use?
It was probably about 5 inches in diameter, give or take. Just an average small bowl will be fine.
Oh Im so so sorry! *Averie
Avery this looks SO perfect I can’t wait to make it for brunch! Tell me, is it the same to use red or green apples? Love :)
I’m sure either will be fine – green is more tart and for something like this, I prefer red.
Has anyone calculated the calories in this dish? BTW best GF apple crumble I have ever had…you are bookmarked in my tool bar. I had all the ingredients including the GF rolled oats so it was easy to make! Loved it :)
Thanks for saying this is the best GF crumble you’ve ever had!
I haven’t taken the time to plug in the data but my usual tools are listed in #4 here https://https://www.averiecooks.com/faq/
Thanks Averie! This tool will help me with all my recipes! Thank you for sharing ) Wanted to add, my husband and kids were all looking at my desert last night with puppy dog eyes! I gave them all the back off its mine look!!!! They already had pumpkin pie and ice cream this was all for me!
I love that they were trying to hone in on yours but you gave them the back-off look :)