Mini apple crisp is a healthy, single serving apple crisp recipe. It's an easy dessert recipe that is made without refined sugar and is sweetened by a touch of maple syrup and naturally sweet fruit; a lighter version of traditional apple crisp.
The ingredients are simple; fresh apples are topped with healthy oats, walnuts, and graham cracker crumbs to make a crisp topping. And these apple crisps are the perfect individual size!
This recipe makes two servings of apple crisp.
If you like naturally sweet desserts, check out these no-bake brownies or these chocolate bourbon balls.
Recipe Highlights
- It's Easy! It takes only 7 ingredients and less than one hour to make this easy apple crisp.
- These mini apple crisps are on the healthier side of desserts! They are made with naturally sweet maple syrup, whole grains and walnuts.
- Individual desserts are very customizable! Make one or two or as many as you want.
Here is What you Will Need to Make This Easy Recipe
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This is an overview of the ingredients and steps to make this recipe, scroll down to see the ingredient notes and substitutions as well as a full recipe card with exact measurements and instructions.
Ingredients
Apples
Old Fashioned Oats
Unsalted Butter
Chopped Walnuts
Ground Cinnamon
Maple Syrup
Graham Cracker Crumbs
Tools
Paring Knife
Ramekins
Mini Food Processor or Rolling Pin
Wooden Spoon
How to Make Individual Apple Crisps
Prepare the Ingredients: wash and dry two medium apples or three small apples, dice them into bite-sized pieces. Melt the butter and crush the graham crackers with a rolling pin or a food processor into coarse crumbs. Measure the cinnamon, oats syrup and walnuts.
- Place the apple pieces into a small bowl with the cinnamon and maple syrup; mix everything together.
2. Place equal portions of the apple mixture into two ramekins.
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3. Add the cracker crumbs, oats, walnuts, and melted butter in a medium bowl.
4. Use a wooden spoon to mix all of the topping ingredients together.
5. Pile the topping mixture over the top of the apples in the ramekins and bake until the topping turns golden brown.
Estimated Time To Make This Recipe: 35 to 45 minutes.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Apples. As with many apple recipes, you can use any kind of apples that you like to make this recipe. I like to use a combination of sweet and tart apples. Our favorite apple combination is granny smith apples and honeycrisp apples. Once they are baked, they are the perfect blend of sweet, tart and tender apples.
Other good apple choices are pink lady, jonagold, braeburn or gala apples.
Maple syrup. This recipe has very little added sweetener because the combination of honey and apples give this crisp a wonderful sweet taste without overpowering the flavor of fresh ingredients. If you prefer a more sweet taste, you can add a little more sweetener.
Substitute maple syrup for an equal amount of honey or brown rice syrup. You can also use 2 tablespoons coconut or date or organic brown sugar.
Graham Crackers. The crackers that I use in this recipe are low sugar such as these from Nairins or Annie's Graham Crackers. But any of your favorite graham crackers will work in this recipe.
Oats. Old fashioned rolled oats are the best choice of oats to use in this recipe. If they aren't available you can use quick-cooking oats. Steel-cut oats are not recommended.
Walnuts. Chopped pecans or almonds are a great substitute for chopped walnuts in apple crisp.
Recipe Tips & Variations
Make it vegan by substituting the butter with an equal amount of unrefined coconut oil.
Make it nut-free by leaving out the walnuts. To add some crunch, replace the walnuts with pepitas or sunflower seeds.
Change up the fruit by using a combination of diced pears and apples instead of only apples for a mixed fruit crisp.
Serving Ideas
Serve individual mini apple crisps with a scoop of ice cream, fresh whipped cream or a few slices of cheddar cheese.
You can also make individual apple crisps into apple crisps for two by placing all of the ingredients into one larger ramekin or a mini skillet.
Make-ahead Instructions
Make-ahead: This delicious dessert can be prepared ahead of time up to a day before baking it. Store the unbaked ramekins of apple crisp in the refrigerator.
Remove the ramekins from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking, and bake them according to the instructions in the recipe card.
Storing and Using Leftovers
Store leftover mini apple crisp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
To reheat, remove the leftover apple crisp from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature. Reheat them in a 350-degree oven or in the microwave. They also taste great cold.
Serve leftover apple crisp on top of vanilla ice cream or yogurt.
What's the Difference Between Apple Crisp, Apple Cobbler and Apple Crumble?
If you have ever wondered how these desserts differ, here's a quick explanation. An apple crisp layer of topping contains oats and nuts. Apple crumble topping is made with flour, butter and sugar and does not contain oats and nuts. An apple cobbler is usually made in a deep dish and the topping is made with a dropped biscuit dough.
You Might Also Like These Apple Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Click on serving size to scale this recipe
Ingredients
- 2 apples cored and diced (peeling is optional)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup divided
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ cup chopped walnuts
- 4 Narin's gluten-free graham crackers or your favorite graham crackers ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- ½ cup rolled oats
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350.
- Dice the cleaned and dried apples and place them in a mixing bowl.
- Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon maple syrup to the apples in the bowl and mix everything together making sure the apples are coated with the syrup and cinnamon.
- Place one half of the mixture into one 6 ounce ramekin and the other half into another 6 ounce ramekin and set them aside.
- Crush the 4 graham crackers with a rolling pin or a mini food processor. (this should make about ¼ cup crumbs) Place the crumbs into a mixing bowl.
- Add 3 tablespoons melted butter to the crumbs along with ⅛ cup chopped walnuts and ¼ cup rolled oats to the crumbs in the bowl and stir to combine all of the ingredients
- Spoon the topping mixture over each of the ramekins (the ingredients will overflow a bit, press them down with the back of a spoon) and bake for 30 minutes until the topping turns brown.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
Jean Choi says
These are so fun and cute, and delicious as well! Such a perfect way to use up apples after apple picking.
Kelly says
These are a wonderful fall dessert! I love that they are mini - great for entertaining! Nothing better than delicious warm apple crisp!
ChihYu says
Perfect little treats! I love that they're mini and you can have just enough of the delicious apple crisp or make plenty for a gathering!
Megan Stevens says
Such a great idea. LOVE the topping LOL; I want to eat it like granola! 😉
Donny says
I love this! There's only two of us so I don't usually want to make a whole baking pan's worth of dessert so this is perfect!