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This apple crisp for one bakes in a ramekin in about 35 minutes using one apple and topped with a buttery oat topping.
Featured Comment
“SO GOOD. If you’re debating making this… just do it.”
– Ella
Quick Look
- Prep: 5 minutes
- Bake: 30 minutes
- Total: 35 minutes
- Equipment: 10-ounce ramekin
- Cook method: Bake at 350°F (177°C)
- Servings: 1 serving
- Difficulty: Easy
A single serve apple crisp with soft, vanilla-scented apples and a hint of cinnamon beneath a golden oat and brown sugar topping that crumbles like a cookie.
An Individual Apple Crisp Worth Making
I make this single serving apple crisp when I have one apple sitting on the counter and want a real dessert. It comes together in one bowl with no special equipment. Just a spoon and a ramekin.
I make it with whatever apple I have on hand. Granny Smith gives you a tart filling that contrasts well with the sweet topping. Honeycrisp is softer and sweeter. Honestly, any apple works, which is one of the things I love about this recipe.
The topping is the best part. Oats, brown sugar, butter, a little cinnamon. It bakes up golden while the apple underneath softens into a warm spiced filling. I almost always serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
If you love small apple desserts, try my mini apple pie, apple cobbler for one, and mini apple cake.
Watch How To Make Apple Crisp For One
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
If you have any ingredients leftover from this individual apple crisp recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
An apple is the star of this recipe. Use one apple, any variety. Granny Smith holds its shape well during baking. Honeycrisp and Fuji break down more, giving you a softer filling. Both are good choices. If you have leftover apples, try them in small batch morning glory muffins or a single apple muffin.
Granulated sugar goes into the filling. It sweetens the apples and draws out their juices during baking, creating a light sauce at the bottom of the ramekin.
Brown sugar goes into the topping. It has more moisture than granulated sugar, which helps the topping clump together and bake up slightly crisp. Dark brown sugar gives you a richer, more molasses-forward flavor. Light brown sugar works just as well. If you’re out, make your own with our small batch brown sugar recipe.
All-purpose flour goes into both the filling and the topping. In the filling, it thickens the apple juices so they don’t run. In the topping, it helps the oats and butter bind together.
Rolled oats give the topping its crisp texture. Use old-fashioned rolled oats for the best result. Quick oats work but produce a softer topping. Leftover oats are great in small batch oatmeal bars, small batch oatmeal chocolate chip cookies or baked oatmeal for one.
Cinnamon goes into both the filling and the topping. It’s the spice that makes apple crisp taste like apple crisp. Don’t skip it.
Vanilla extract goes into the filling. It softens the tartness of the apple and deepens the overall flavor.
Salted butter goes into the topping. Use softened butter, not melted. Softened butter blends into the dry ingredients in small pieces, which is what creates those distinct crispy clusters in the topping. Melted butter will make the topping dense and soggy.
Recipe Variations
Try one of these single serve apple crisp variations:
Pear crisp for one: Swap the apple for a ripe pear. Use the same amount and the same method.
Berry crisp for one: Replace the apple with a handful of fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries.
Apple crisp without oats: Mix together 2 tablespoons of flour, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of softened butter. Add 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon if you’d like. Sprinkle over the apples before baking.
Vegan apple crisp for one: Substitute coconut oil for the butter. Use the same amount and work it into the dry ingredients the same way.
How To Make An Apple Crisp For One
These steps and photos walk you through the process. For ingredient amounts and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Mix the chopped apples, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla in a small bowl.
- Transfer the apple mixture to a 10-ounce ramekin.
- In a separate small bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut the softened butter into small pieces and work it into the dry ingredients with a fork or your fingers until the mixture clumps together.
- Scatter the topping evenly over the apples. Place the ramekin on a small rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the apples are soft and the topping is golden brown.
Expert Tips
Use softened butter, not melted. Softened butter should hold its shape but give easily when you press it with your finger. If it’s shiny or looks like it’s starting to melt, it’s too warm. Properly softened butter blends into the dry ingredients in small pieces, which is what creates those distinct crispy clusters in the topping. Melted butter makes the topping dense and soggy.
Use a 10-ounce ramekin. This is the right size for an apple crisp in a ramekin. A smaller dish will overflow.
Cover with foil if the topping browns too quickly. Lay a piece of foil loosely over the ramekin for the last 10 minutes of baking if necessary.
Place the ramekin on a baking sheet. The apple juices can bubble over during baking. A rimmed baking sheet catches any drips and keeps your oven clean.
Troubleshooting
Why is my topping soggy?
The butter was melted instead of softened, or the topping wasn’t covering the apples evenly. Melted butter saturates the dry ingredients and bakes into a dense layer instead of crispy clusters. Use butter that’s soft to the touch but still holds its shape when pressed.
Why are my apples still hard after baking?
The butter was melted instead of softened, or the topping wasn’t covering the apples evenly. Melted butter saturates the dry ingredients and bakes into a dense layer instead of crispy clusters. Use butter that’s soft to the touch but still holds its shape when pressed.
Why did my topping burn before the apples cooked through?
The oven runs hot or the ramekin sat too close to the top of the oven. Place the ramekin on the center rack. If the topping starts to brown before the apples are soft, lay a small piece of foil loosely over the top for the last 10 minutes of baking.
What To Serve With Apple Crisp
A mini apple crisp is good on its own but it’s better with one of these:
Frequently Asked Questions
The best apple for apple crisp depends on the texture you want. Granny Smith, Braeburn, and Pink Lady stay firm and tart after baking. Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala soften and sweeten. A mix of varieties gives you the best balance of texture and flavor.
Yes, you can make apple crisp without oats. Mix 2 tablespoons of flour, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of softened butter together with 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle over the apples before baking.
Peeling the apple for apple crisp is optional. The skin softens during baking and won’t affect the flavor. I usually peel mine for a smoother filling, but leaving the skin on works just as well.
Yes. Double the ingredients and use either a 4×6-inch or 5×5-inch baking dish, or divide between two 10-ounce ramekins.
Apple crisp is done when the topping is golden brown and the apples are soft when pressed with a fork. If the topping browns before the apples soften, cover loosely with foil and continue baking.
Apple crisp and apple crumble are used interchangeably in the US. Technically, a crisp topping contains oats and a crumble topping does not.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this mini apple crisp recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Apple Crisp For One
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 medium apple -peeled, cored and diced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Topping
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons old fashioned oats
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons salted butter -softened
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Make the Filling
- Mix the chopped apples, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla in a small bowl.
- Transfer the apple mixture to a 10-ounce ramekin.
Make the Topping
- In a separate small bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut the softened butter into small pieces and work it into the dry ingredients with a fork or your fingers until the mixture clumps together.
- Scatter the topping evenly over the apples. Place the ramekin on a small rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the apples are soft and the topping is golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I saw this recipe in a recent email, but when I decided to make it I remembered that I had your “Cooking for One” cookbook and found a recipe for Apple Crisp in it. It wasn’t until after I made the one from the book I realized how different it is from this one online! There are no oats in the book recipe among other things, and it doesn’t look or taste anything like a crisp when done. Before I try another book recipe, I guess I’ll have to check here first.
Many of the recipes we created for the Simon and Schuster cookbook are different than the ones on our website. Are you giving 3 stars to the cookbook recipe or to the online recipe?
I haven’t tried the online recipe yet. My 3 stars was for the cookbook recipe, plus being a little frustrated with the differences. The cookbook recipe was more like a “compote” than a crisp. I still plan to try other recipes, but I I’ll just have to “double check” them, I guess.
I used half rhubarb and half apple, added a squeeze of fresh lemon to topping, and there weren’t any left overs.. recipe was a hit. Thanks for sharing!
Apple crisp for one, ease take note that your metric/us measurements on sugar and flour varies greatly when interchanged. 1 tablespoon suddenly becomes 1 teaspoon. But other tablespoon ingredients stay tablespoon when interchanging between US measurements and Metric. (LOVE your recipes) Regards.
I used the measurements exactly as shown and everything turned out perfect..
This is the perfectly little sweet treat after a long day at work. And drizzling it with some sea salt caramel sauce brings it over the top; definitely added to my favorites. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds real easy and will try
What can I substitute in place of the oats?
You can make an oat-free topping by mixing together 2 tablespoons of flour, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of softened butter in a small bowl and scattering it over the top of the chopped apples. Feel free to add ⅛ of a teaspoon of cinnamon to the mix.
I used the recipe in my 2.qt air Fryer. Covered ramekin with foil and baked at 350 for ten minutes. Checked it and kept going for another 10 minutes. I then uncovered and watched the top brown. It was yummy.
Love this recipe. Tried it today but made it in a square glass baking dish and made the recipe 4x bigger. It turned out perfect. My family loved it too.
Great recipe.
I wanted something sweet but not overly sweet. This was perfect. Just enough for me. I did not feel stuffed either. Great recipe.