Microwave Apple Crisp 🍎🍁 is ready in just 5 minutes and generously serves one person or can be shared by two. Top this FAST and EASY dessert with ice cream, whipped cream, or caramel sauce for the ultimate treat!
Easy 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.
Ingredients in Microwave Apple Crisp
- Apple: You can use almost any apple variety you like for this single-serving apple crisp. Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Jonagold all work well. Fresh pears may also work, but I have only tested this recipe with apples.
- Unsalted butter, light brown sugar, old-fashioned oats, all-purpose flour, and salt: These make the buttery oatmeal crisp topping. I have only tested the recipe with old-fashioned rolled oats; quick oats are less chewy and may make the topping too dry.
- Granulated sugar, cornstarch, and spices: These coat the apple base so it cooks up sweet, warmly spiced, and slightly thickened rather than watery. Do not omit the cornstarch because the recipe will not turn out right without it. I use plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg, but you can reduce the spices to taste or add pinches of pumpkin pie spice, ginger, cloves, or allspice.
- Sugar: This is meant to be a sweet treat, and sugar adds both flavor and structure. You may be able to reduce the brown sugar slightly, but I would not reduce it much more than that.
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:
- Stir together the crisp topping ingredients until the mixture resembles fine sand.
- Microwave the diced apple with butter to soften it, then stir in the sugar, spices, and cornstarch.
- Sprinkle the oat topping over the apple mixture and microwave again until the apples are juicy, bubbly, rich, and caramely.
- Enjoy warm as-is, or top with ice cream, whipped cream, or caramel sauce for an extra cozy treat.
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.
©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
More Easy Apple Desserts:
Crustless Apple Pie — Sometimes called Swedish apple pie, this EASY recipe for apple pie without a traditional pie crust is a FAST, foolproof, no-mixer recipe!
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! :)