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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 love this recipe but I have to watch my sugar now. Can maple syrup or honey be substituted for the brown sugar? How much would I use?
Yes, you can use maple syrup or honey in place of the brown sugar in the crisp topping. Start by using 1 tablespoon and if you’d like the topping to be sweeter or if the topping needs more moisture to hold it together, add a bit more.
How much coconut oil can be used in lieu of butter?
To substitute coconut oil for butter, you can generally use a 1:1 ratio. This means if the recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of butter, you can replace it with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. However, since the original recipe uses softened, but not melted butter, you might want to slightly adjust the coconut oil amount. Softened butter is a bit lighter in texture compared to its solid form, so you may find that using a bit less coconut oil works better, perhaps around 1 and 3/4 tablespoons. This should give you a similar consistency in the topping without altering the texture too much. As with any substitution, a little experimentation may be needed to get the perfect result.
I made 2 apple crisps, one for me and one for hubby, and they were so tasty. I made no changes to the recipe ingredients, but to keep calories down, I made 1 batch of the topping, and spread it over the 2 ramekins, and it was enough to cover the 2 apples/ramekins in a nice, thin, tasty layer.
I only have 8 oz. ramekins, but they worked just as well with this recipe, with nothing spilling over the top.
I am so glad that I found this wonderful site! We are empty nesters now, so I no longer need to make desserts in large quantities. I’m also ‘watching my waistline’, so the idea of no leftovers is a major PLUS!
my go-to recipe! love it so much
Even before reading the notes I had decided this was the only recipe to use for a very large plum that my daughter got for me. It was great even though it could have used a bit more sugar as the plum was very tart.
Wonderful recipe. Super simple. I topped it with cinnamon whipped cream. Just enough for one. Delicious.
I love apple crisp and I love oats but I don’t love them in an apple crisp topping. It’s a texture thing. What else can you do for a topping?
Consider adding a streusel topping as in our coffee cake recipe – https://onedishkitchen.com/pumpkin-coffee-cake-with-streusel-topping/
Made this today and it is delicious, so happy to find this site!
I’m so happy you found us and that you love the apple crisp!
I made this for my husband and he loved it! I used a Rave apple. Because of the size of the apple, I felt it could have been two servings.
I’m so happy to know your husband enjoyed the dessert, thank you!
OMG this was so good. I used a honey crisp apple and because I wanted two servings I added a peach and doubled the recipe. I did cut back on the sugar by 1 tablespoon. One serving would have served two. It will be on my rotation list for dessert.