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Easy Slow Cooker Apple Crisp with Oatmeal

posted by Liz Berg on October 8, 2017 (updated 10/29/22)

Try this Easy Slow Cooker Apple Crisp with Oatmeal when you need a quick, delectable hands-off dessert recipe! Your kitchen will be filled with the most amazing aroma while it’s cooking! And the slow cooker does all the work!

Crock Pot Apple Crisp has all the flavors of apple pie without all the work. The tender, cinnamon-spiced apples topped with an oatmeal crumble is delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It slowly melts and mingles with the sweet juices formed as the apples cooked.

Easy Slow Cooker Apple Crisp on a decorative white plate.

Table of Contents hide

1 Why You Must Make

2 How to Make

3 Expert Tips

4 Frequently Asked Questions

5 You May Also Like:

6 Easy Slow Cooker Apple Crisp with Oatmeal

Why You Must Make

I hardly ever use my slow cooker, especially when it comes to dessert. There are some amazing crock pot desserts out there, but I needed to get on the bandwagon.

This Easy Slow Cooker Apple Crisp with Oatmeal reminded me of how quick and painless baking a dish in a Crock-Pot can be!
The prep work is minimal, and the Crock-Pot does most of the work.
It’s not going to burn if you leave don’t serve it exactly when the timer goes off, plus your kitchen will smell amazing.

Bill would prefer there was not oatmeal in the topping, but it helps maintain the structure of the topping during the 4-hour cooking time. I, on the other hand, love an oat streusel on a crisp. Sometimes I win these battles, though my husband would insist I win more than I lose. A cook’s prerogative!

Easy Slow Cooker Apple Crisp with Oatmeal on a white dessert plate with a scoop of ice cream.

How to Make

This is definitely a no-brainer recipe. The most difficult part is peeling and slicing the apples.

Add the sliced and peeled apples to the crockpot.
Mix up the dry topping ingredients then work in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers (the latter is messy, but works wonderfully!).
Spread the oatmeal crumble over the apples.
Place a double layer of paper towels over the crockpot before placing on the lid.
Cook on low for 4 hours and you’ll have a hot, cinnamon-spiced slow cooker apple crisp for dessert!

Note that the topping will not be quite as crisp as a traditional oven-baked apple crisp. But it’s still extremely tasty. And easy. Just serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and savor every delicious bite!

Expert Tips

Use apples that will keep their shape when cooking, like Granny Smiths. Even these will lose most of their firmness–a common result of cooking apples in a slow cooker. The consistency of the end result resembles chunky applesauce.
PRO-Tip: Use old-fashioned oats instead of Quick Oats. They’ll hold up better in the slow cooker.
PRO-Tip: Don’t forget to put a double layer of paper towels between the lid and crock pot. As the crisp cooks and steam is produced, the paper towels absorb the steam instead of letting it condense and drip onto the topping.
And my favorite tip: Top your warm slow cooker apple crisp with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream that softens from the heat of the dessert. Heavenly.

Easy Slow Cooker Apple Crisp with Oatmeal on a decorative white plate with vanilla ice cream and a red handled fork.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between a Slow Cooker and a Crock-Pot?

Both are slow cookers, but a Crock-Pot is a specific brand of slow cooker. The names are used interchangeably. Slow cookers are electric appliances that are used to slowly cook dishes like stews, chili, and casseroles.

How Do You Keep the Topping Crisp in a Slow Cooker?

I have a trick that minimizes a soggy crust. If you put a few layers of paper toweling between the lid and the slow cooker, they will absorb the steam that develops as the apple crisp cooks.
Instead of dripping down on the crumble, the paper towels absorb the steam before it condenses. But the topping will never be as crisp as when it’s made in the oven.

How Do You Make a Crisp Topping?

Mix together the dry ingredients. Then using a handheld pastry blender or your fingers, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until they get crumbly. I prefer using my fingers to rub in the butter, then pinch the mixture into a coarse crumble.

How Do You Cook an Apple Crisp?

I have baked, grilled, and used a slow cooker to make an apple crisp. An oven will take about 40-45 minutes for the apples to soften and the crumble topping to brown. This slow cooker apple crisp takes 4 hours to cook, and the grill method depends on some variables.
If using a gas grill and can keep the temperature around 350 degrees, it will take about 45 minutes, like in the oven. We used charcoal and had to pierce the apples to determine if the dessert was done.