Try our Air Fryer Apple Crisp with Gala Apples for the perfect fall dessert. The warm spiced apple filling is topped with a crispy oatmeal topping and cooks in 15 minutes! Finish off this homemade apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
In the traditional method, apple crisp is oven-baked in a casserole dish and then enjoyed alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream. We decided to use the air fryer for a quick and easy variation for this fall dessert.
Speaking of ice cream, try our Passion Fruit Ice Cream, Homemade Creamy Pumpkin Ice Cream, and Egg-Free Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.
I divided the apple pie filling into petite Dutch ovens, or ramekins can be used as well. This presentation is especially appealing when you're hosting a gathering. Top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and transform this old-fashioned classic into an elegant dessert.
Adjust the recipe to accommodate the number of individuals you're serving. Whether it's a dessert for one or a treat for two, you can prepare a single-serving apple crisp.
The most important part of this apple dessert is the crispy topping! You can make an air fryer apple crisp with or without an oatmeal topping. Our recipe used oatmeal for the texture. Oats and apples go great together.
Apple crisp a la mode, meaning topped with vanilla ice cream, is the only way to finish this dessert!
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⭐️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The apple crisp cooks in only 15 minutes with the use of an air fryer.
- We used individual mini Dutch ovens (ramekins) for a fun way to serve this autumn dessert.
- Top your baked apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
📝 Ingredient Notes
Here is a visual overview of the apple crisp ingredients in this recipe. Scroll to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Gala Apples - Gala apples are an excellent choice for crafting a homemade apple crisp. Their sweetness and texture remain intact even when cooked. You'll see these red and yellow striped apples in markets year-round.
- Oats - You can make an apple crisp topping with or without oats. I have seen recipes using quick oats, but we opted for old-fashioned Quaker oats.
- Lemon Juice - Not only adds flavor but stops apples from turning brown.
See recipe card for quantities.
🥘 Substitutions & Variations
If you are looking for a different cooking technique or a healthy apple crisp recipe, check out the substitutions and variations below!
- Slow Cooker: Yes, you can get a crispy apple crisp made in the slow cooker, crazy right? A pro tip is to lay a damp paper towel over top to prevent the condensation from making the oatmeal topping soggy. Check out this Slow Cooker Apple Crisp Recipe for detailed instructions.
- In a mug: You can microwave apple crisp in a mug for a super quick fall dessert. Layer Gala apples and crisp topping in a mug and microwave for 3 minutes.
- Cast Iron Skillet: Cook sliced apples in butter, cinnamon, and sugar until apples are soft. Top apple crisp with the oatmeal topping and bake for 35 minutes at 350°F/176°C.
- Oats: You can swap out old-fashioned oats for quick-cooking oats or make a make apple crisp steel-cut oatmeal. Use my Oatmeal with Eggs recipe and top it with caramelized apples and Maple Granola.
- Paleo: Use gluten-free oats, almond flour, ghee, and maple syrup. By using these swaps, this dessert is now low-carb, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
Learn how to make an air fryer apple crisp with these easy-to-follow instructions.
Step 1. Prepping apples. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F/176°C. Peel and dice Gala apples into small cubes (Image 1). In a bowl, mix apples with lemon juice, cinnamon, white sugar, and maple syrup (Image 2).
Step 2. Cooking the apples. Spread softened butter inside mini Dutch ovens or small ramekins and set aside (Image 3). Spoon apple mixture into ramekins, place in the air fryer basket and cook for 15 minutes.
While the apples are cooking, let's make the oatmeal topping. Mix oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter together (Image 5). After 15 minutes, check on your apples. They should be tender but firm and golden brown (Image 6).
Step 3. Oatmeal Topping. Sprinkle the oatmeal topping over the apples and air fry for another 5 minutes (Image 7). Remove the apple crisp from the air fryer basket and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (Image 8).
👨🏻🍳 Chef Tips
- Choosing the right apples will make all the difference in a great apple crisp. I recommend Granny Smith or Gala apples.
- Cook apples evenly by cutting them uniformly in size.
- Adding lemon juice will prevent the apples from oxidizing and turning brown.
- Make sure to season chopped apples before air frying. We used maple syrup, cinnamon, sugar, and lemon juice for that classic fall flavor!
- Apple crisp is best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If apple crisp is refrigerated, pop them back into the air fryer at 300°F and cook for 5 minutes or until warm.
- I like to give my apples a stir at the halfway point (7 minutes in) to cook the apples evenly.
🤔 Apple Crumble vs Apple Crisp
Both recipes are great, but what's the difference between them? Apple crumbles very seldom include oats in the crumble topping. Instead, a crumble topping is like a streusel, made with flour, sugar, and butter.
Apple crisp is made just like a crumble but with a different approach to the crispy topping. Commonly, an apple crisp topping includes oats, butter, sugar, and flour.
❓Recipe FAQ's
Granny Smith apples are the popular choice for their crisp and tart flavor that makes for a perfect baking apple. We used Gala apples in this recipe for their sweet flavor and crisp texture.
I recommend removing the skin when baking because skin doesn't dissolve, and it's an unwanted texture when eating apple crisp.
Yes, you can freeze apple crisp. Cool it down to room temperature and place it into an airtight container or double wrap with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Yes, you can cook apple crisp in the air fryer. Portion into small ramekins and cook in the air fryer at 350°F for 15 minutes.
Try cooking the apples in the air fryer for 15 minutes and giving them a stir at the halfway point. If you like the apples very-soft, cook apples for an additional 5 minutes.
🍽 More Air Fryer Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Apple Crisp
Equipment
- Mini Dutch Ovens aka mini round cocotte
Ingredients
- 4 apples peeled and diced
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- softened butter for buttering ramekins
Oatmeal Topping
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
- Wash, peel, and dice apples into small pieces.
- Combine diced apples, lemon juice, white granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, and maple syrup together in a bowl.
- Butter 4 ramekins and spoon apple mixture into each ramekin.
- Air fry for 15 minutes or until apples are cooked through.
- In a bowl, mix together butter, brown sugar, oats, flour, and cinnamon.
- Top apples with oatmeal topping and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Apple crisp is best enjoyed warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- The best baking apples are Grany Smith, Gala, Honeycrisp, Pink Laby, and Fuji apples.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, swap out oats for gluten-free oats and flour for almond flour.
- Swap out butter for ghee or coconut oil for a dairy-free option.
- We recommend topping off the apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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