Air Fryer Apple Crisp in Ramekins
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My dad’s apple crisp got scooped straight out of his casserole dish, and by the time it reached a plate it was a pretty loose pile of apples and topping. Nobody minded. It took him almost no prep and it always pleased a crowd. This air fryer apple crisp is the version I’m sharing for a smaller group. It’s the same low-prep idea, just split into four ramekins instead of one big dish.
I’d never call that rustic scoop a flaw. It was part of the charm. But individual ramekins bring a flash of elegance to something this simple, because everyone gets their own golden top and nothing falls apart on the way to the plate. Strawberry crumble was one of his desserts too, and I make my strawberry crumble with frozen whole berries so it works in any month of the year.
This is the first dessert in my air fryer recipe collection, which has been all main dishes and appetizers until now. I’m really curious how these ramekins turn out in your kitchen, so tell me in the comments.
If you’re feeding more than four, my peach cobbler made with cake mix bakes in an 8×8, and I often double it in a 9×13 for a crowd.
How It Comes Together
Start the air fryer preheating at 375°F before you cut a single apple. It needs 3 to 5 minutes, which is about how long the filling and topping take, so the basket is hot the moment the ramekins are ready.
Toss the filling until every piece of apple is coated. Stir the topping with a fork until it’s crumbly with some pea-sized clumps, then scatter it over the apples and leave it loose. Do not press it down.
The one thing to get right is how full the ramekins are. Leave about ¼ inch of space at the top. They’ll look a little underfilled going in, and that’s right. The filling bubbles up as it cooks, and a ramekin filled to the rim sends sticky apple syrup over the side and into the basket.
Look for a golden brown topping and filling bubbling around the edges, then push a fork into the apples. It should slide in. If it meets resistance, give them 2 to 3 more minutes and check again. If all four ramekins don’t fit in your basket at once, cook them in batches.
The printable recipe card below has the full ingredient list, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Why these hold together when Dad’s didn’t. Two things keep this from being the loose scoop I grew up with. Each serving cooks in its own ramekin, so nothing gets broken up between the dish and the plate. And the tablespoon of cornstarch thickens the apple juices, so the filling turns saucy instead of watery. Give them the full 5-minute rest after they come out and the molten filling thickens a little more.
Ingredient Notes
Apples. Granny Smith are tart and hold their shape. Honeycrisp, Gala, or a mix of whatever you have works too. I leave the skins on. They soften as they cook and you barely notice them, but peel them if you want a smoother filling.
Lemon zest. A lot of apple crisp recipes use lemon juice. This one uses a full tablespoon of zest and no juice at all, so no extra liquid goes into the filling. One medium lemon gives you about that much.
Rolled oats. The package may say old-fashioned oats. Same thing.
Substitutions and Variations
- Berry apple crisp: add ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries to the filling. Frozen berries go in straight from the freezer, no thawing.
- Nut topping: stir ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts into the topping.
- Brown sugar topping: use brown sugar in place of the granulated sugar in the topping for a deeper, caramel-like flavor.
- No air fryer: bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is golden and a fork slides easily into the apples.
How to Serve Air Fryer Apple Crisp
Serve these warm, while the topping is still crisp. A scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a pour of heavy cream is all they need. If you want the ice cream to do more, homemade chai ice cream carries its own cinnamon and clove, so it picks up the spices already in the filling. Salted caramel sauce works too, drizzled right before serving.
A leftover ramekin also makes a good breakfast with a spoonful of Greek yogurt on top.
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, covered with plastic wrap right in the ramekins or moved to an airtight container. Reheat them in the air fryer at 320°F for 3 to 4 minutes and the topping crisps back up. The microwave warms them in 30 to 45 seconds, but the topping goes soft.
To freeze, let them cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. They keep up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the air fryer.
Air Fryer Apple Crisp with Cinnamon Oat Topping
Equipment
- Air fryer
- 4 small ramekins
- 2 mixing bowls
- Fork
Ingredients
For the apple filling
- 3 medium apples cored and cut into ½-inch pieces
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for the filling
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the filling
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg for the filling
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
For the crisp topping
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar for the topping
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon for the topping
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg for the topping
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F for 3 to 5 minutes while you make the filling and topping.
- Core the apples and cut them into ½-inch pieces. Peeling is optional. The skins soften as they cook.
- In a medium bowl, toss the apples with ¼ cup sugar, the cornstarch, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and the lemon zest until every piece is coated.
- In a second bowl, combine the oats, flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and salt. Pour the melted butter over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until the mixture turns crumbly with some pea-sized clumps.
- Divide the apple filling between the 4 ramekins, and press it down gently. Leave about ¼ inch of space at the top so the bubbling filling does not spill into the air fryer basket.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples without packing it down.
- Place the ramekins in the preheated air fryer basket and air fry at 375°F for 15 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling bubbles around the edges. If your ramekins do not all fit at once, cook them in batches.
- Insert a fork into the apples. If it meets resistance, air fry 2 to 3 minutes more and check again.
- Let the crisp cool for 5 minutes before serving, so the molten filling thickens slightly.
