Enjoy this sweet and warm comfort dessert in minutes when you make it in the microwave.
Let’s confront the elephant in the room. If you’re a purist, you probably don’t love the idea of baking in the microwave. Especially if you are baking a time-honored, iconic dessert like apple crisp. But let me make a case for this technique that results in a perfectly cooked treat featuring warm, sweet, tender apples and a buttery crisp topping.
The obvious benefits of microwave baking include both time and energy saving. A crisp can take an hour in the oven (and that’s not counting preheating), and microwaves generally use less energy than traditional ovens. So when you need a dessert in a hurry, this microwave apple crisp is a perfect choice. But another benefit is that microwaves are not just for heating food; they have a cooking function, too, so your fruit will come out tender and bubbling, and your topping will have that irresistible crunch.
One of the (many!) things I love about this recipe is that everything is mixed in one bowl. Sure, that makes for less cleanup, but the real gift is that when you mix the topping ingredients in the same bowl you used to mix the filling, the topping takes on the wonderful essence of apple left in that bowl. It’s also a really easy recipe, requiring just some slicing and mixing, and then the blending in of the cubed butter. Once the fruit and topping are in the (microwave-safe) baking dish, you’re only minutes away from a truly delicious dessert.
It’s a good idea to have some Vanilla Ice Cream at the ready to scoop onto the top of your crisp.
Tips For A Perfect Microwave Apple Crisp
Choose apples that have some tartness to them (Granny Smiths or Honeycrisps are great), and make sure all the slices are the same size (for even cooking). When adding the cubed butter to the topping mixture, use a pastry cutter if you have one. If not, use your hands and be patient. You want all of the butter incorporated into the rest of the ingredients until the mix resembles coarse crumbs. It’s the butter that’s going to create the crispy crust, so it needs to be in every bite! Finally, probably the most important tip involves the cooking time. Using a fork, start checking the apples’ tenderness at around the seven-to-eight-minute mark (some microwaves cook faster than others), and then continue to check every minute or so until you’ve reached the fruit consistency you desire.
FAQs & Tips
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Once cooled, the crisp can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer (in a freezer-safe container) for up to 3 months.
Any Good Add-In Ideas For Microwave Apple Crisp?
Many! When they’re in season, whole, fresh cranberries are a delicious addition to this dessert. But any kind of fruit that you enjoy with apples (pears, peaches, berries) works really well. A splash of maple syrup brings a layer of richness, while a squeeze of lemon will add brightness. We also like to add chopped nuts, particularly walnuts.
Can You Cube The Apples Instead Of Slicing Them?
Sure! If you do this, it will probably decrease the cooking time, so just keep that in mind.
Serving Suggestions
While we do love vanilla ice cream (including this rich Vanilla Bean Ice Cream), serving the crisp with Cinnamon Ice Cream is really delish because it picks up that lovely spice in the apples. When I make a hot Vanilla Spice Latte to go with apple crisp, I love to add more coffee flavor with this Coffee Toffee Ice Cream. But wait, there’s more: I also drizzle some homemade Caramel Sauce, and then add some crumbled English Toffee. I’m telling you—coffee, chocolate, apples, vanilla, cinnamon, and caramel all together is just divine.
But sometimes we have the crisp topped with Whipped Cream instead of ice cream, and it is just as good, especially when we scatter some Slow-Cooker Sweet And Spicy Nuts on top. You’ll love how they settle into the fluffy whipped cream!
Microwave Apple Crisp
Ingredients
For The Filling:
- 4 medium apples peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For The Crumb Topping:
- 2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
- 5 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix all of the filling ingredients until the apples are evenly coated.
- Transfer the apple mixture to a microwave-safe baking dish, spreading them out evenly.
- In the same bowl used for apples, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
- Add the cubed butter to the oat mixture. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to blend the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the apples in the dish. Microwave on high for 7-15 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Cooking time will vary depending on the appliance, so check the doneness of the apples occasionally during cooking.
Excellent. I replace flour for coconut flour in a smaller amount, and it was delicious. Thanks
Thanks Karen, so happy you liked it!