This easy, comforting and healthy stovetop apple crisp takes a total of only 20 minutes to prepare and does not compromise on flavor. You cook the apples in a skillet, then sprinkle them with a buttery and crunchy toasted oat, pecan and sesame seed topping. The recipe works equally well as a delicious dessert or a healthy after-school snack and you can easily make as many or as few servings as you want.
For more delicious apple desserts, also check out these mini apple cakes and this cardamom apple frangipane tart!
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What's in the apple crisp base?
The apple crisp base with made with apples that are sweetened with brown sugar, flavored with cinnamon and cooked in butter.
Which apples are best for apple crisp?
I tested five different apple varieties for this apple crisp recipe (see table below) and the variety that worked best was Gala. Gala apples have a mild flavor and the perfect balance between sweetness and acidity for an apple crisp. Gala apples also require only a short cook time on the stovetop (7 minutes).
A good alternative if Gala apples are not available is Fuji. Fuji apples need a slightly longer cook time but have a nice flavor balance as well.
| Apple Variety: | Cook Time: | Flavor Characteristics: |
|---|---|---|
| Gala | 7 min. | Mild, pleasant flavor. A little acidity that balances the sweetness well. |
| Fuji | 9 min. | Good flavor and good balance between sweetness and acidity. A good choice if Gala apples are not available. |
| Red Delicious | 9 min. | Mild flavor, quite sweet and with practically no acidity. |
| Honeycrisp | 8 min. | Good flavor but the mild sweetness is not enough to balance the acidity. |
| Granny Smith | 14 min. | Very, very acidic and with almost no sweetness for balance. Not suitable for this recipe. |
What's in the topping?
The topping is made with rolled oats, pecans and sesame seeds that are sweetened with brown sugar and toasted with butter. (Note that rolled oats are sometimes also called old-fashioned oats.)
How to make it:
See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!
Step 1. Cut, core and peel the apples, then cut them into ½-inch chunks. Melt butter in a skillet, then add the apple chunks, brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix everything around until well combined.
Step 2. Put on the lid and cook the apples until they're soft (about 7 min.).
Step 3. Once the apples are done, prepare the topping. Melt butter in a small pan then stir in brown sugar, rolled oats, chopped pecans and sesame seeds.
Step 4. Toast the topping on the stovetop on low heat until it is crunchy.
RECIPE NOTE: One quick word of caution about the topping: it's very easy to burn it, so don’t take your eyes off the pan. No texting while cooking for this one!
How to serve it:
To serve, add the warm cinnamon apples into individual serving bowls and sprinkle them with the toasty oat/nut/sesame mix. You can put a dollop of whipped cream (or ice cream) on top but I find that the crisp already tastes mighty delicious by itself and also makes a great (and healthy) snack.
How to store leftovers:
Store any leftover apples and topping separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 1 day. Reheat both components separately on the stovetop.
How many servings does this recipe make?
Literally however many you need. Because you're not locked into the volume of a baking dish, you can easily scale this recipe up or down to however many servings you like (one of the great advantages of stovetop desserts). The recipe card below is set to four servings but you can use the portion slider and easily adjust the number to your liking.
Is this apple crisp gluten free?
Yes, as long as you make sure to use rolled oats that have not been contaminated with gluten-containing ingredients during processing, this apple crisp is gluten-free.
More delicious fall-flavored apple desserts:
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating or comment! Thank you!
Full Printable Recipe
Stovetop Apple Crisp
Equipment:
- measuring cups and spoons
- knife and cutting board
- skillet with lid
- small pan
- wooden spoon
Ingredients:
For the apples:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 Gala* apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
For the topping:
- ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ¼ cup rolled oats**
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 1 ½ teaspoons sesame seeds
- whipped cream and/or vanilla ice cream (optional)
Instructions:
For the apples:
- Melt the butter in a skillet.
- Add apples, cinnamon and brown sugar. Stir until well combined.
- Put the lid on and let the apples cook on medium to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until they are soft (about 7 minutes).
For the topping:
- Melt the butter in a small pan.
- Add sugar, oats, pecans and sesame seeds and brown for a few minutes until crunchy. (Do this on relatively low heat and watch closely, it will burn easily.)
- Serve apples in a bowl and sprinkle the topping on.
- Top with ice cream or whipped cream (optional).
Notes:
Nutrition Information (Estimated):
Nutrition values provided on this website are generated from a nutrition database and are estimates only. The accuracy of the nutrition information for any recipe on this website is not guaranteed. Nutrition values can vary quite a lot depending on which brands are used.
Tiffani Williams
Excellent
Nicole B.
Thanks! So glad you like it!
Deanne Evans
I put the toppings in on top of apples, cinnamon, brown sugar and butter. Cooked for a couple minutes then let it sit for 5 minutes. Ate it with Greek vanilla yogurt on the side. Very yummy and healthier. Thank you!!
Nicole B.
You're welcome, Deanne! I'm so happy to hear that you liked this recipe. Thanks so much for making it and sharing your review!
Jim W.
Wow, this is fantastic! I had some sliced apples simmering with a little water in a skillet and then added cinnamon and some maple syrup. I googled ‘apple crisp’ and found your topping recipe, which I modified based on what I had. It was Quaker Oats, brown sugar, some pecan pieces, and maple syrup; toasted this in a pan on the stove. Mixed the toasted topping with the cooked apples and put a serving in a bowl with some soy milk on top, it’s like the greatest granola ever! Fast and easy! Thank you!
Nicole B.
Thank you so much for your wonderful comment, Jim!! I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Orion
This was absolutely incredible! I didn't have the pecans and so I meant to double the oats but forgot, and it genuinely tasted like kettle corn. I highly recommend trying it with half the nuts/oats or double the butter and sugar! Even the apples alone were delicious though. I topped it with canned whipped cream and this is definitely one of the best desserts I've had in a while. I look forward to trying it with the nuts!
Nicole B.
That's wonderful to hear, so glad you enjoyed it!!
Karen D
I substituted nectarines from a friends tree and threw in some fresh blueberries for color. I topped it off with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.Everyone raved about how good this recipe tasted! I will definitely use this recipe again.
Nicole B.
That's so wonderful to hear, Karen! Such a great idea to use nectarines, I'm going to have to try that! :)
Toni
Can I use quick oats to make the crisp topping?
Nicole B.
Yes, that will work fine.
Karla Grigsby
Needed a healthy snack/dessert for my 2yr old son.tried this recipe he absolutely loved the no bake topping. not only did he love it so did my husband and I.Thx for this one!
Nicole B.
That is so great to hear, Karla! Thank you so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it! :)
Chandni
Hi! Tried this recipe today and it was really good :) Was in a hurry so replaced the nuts and seeds with museli with nuts. Thanks for this one!
Nicole B.
That's so great to hear, Chandni! Thanks for leaving such a nice comment, I really appreciate it! Such a great idea to substitute muesli, I have to try that. :)
Chandni
Please do! And you are most welcome Nicole. Please keep more such recipes coming. It's very motivating for budding home chefs :)
Sian
Thanks for this recipe - I've used the no bake topping twice for a speedy dessert and my family loves it!
Nicole B.
That is SO GREAT to hear, Sian! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave feedback, I really appreciate it. :)