The Best Individual Apple Crisp Recipe (in Ramekins!)

Are you looking for a perfectly portioned, incredibly charming, and ridiculously easy fall dessert that will make everyone feel special? These incredible Individual Apple Crisps, baked in their own personal ramekins, are your delicious answer. They offer all the warm, cozy, and comforting flavor of a classic, old-fashioned apple crisp, but in an elegant, single-serving format that is perfect for dinner parties or a special weeknight treat.

This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a guide to creating the most perfect and foolproof apple crisp you’ve ever had. We’ll show you the simple secrets to a perfectly tender, sweet-tart apple filling and a thick, buttery, and extra-crunchy pecan crumble topping. Baked in individual dishes, this dessert guarantees that every single person gets the perfect ratio of bubbling fruit to crunchy topping in every single bite.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Recipe Overview: The Perfect Personal Dessert

What makes this Apple Crisp recipe so fantastic is its charming individual ramekin format and its incredible, double-dose of pecan crunch. The recipe is wonderfully simple: a quick, no-cook apple filling is mixed in one bowl, and an easy, from-scratch crumble topping is mixed in another. This “dump-and-bake” method makes it a perfect dessert for bakers of all skill levels. Baking them in individual ramekins not only makes for a beautiful presentation but also helps them to cook faster and more evenly than a large, deep-dish crisp.

Metric	Time / Level
Total Time	55 minutes
Active Prep Time	15 minutes
Difficulty Level	Easy
Servings	4-5 individual crisps

The Essential Ingredients for the Best Crisp

This recipe uses a handful of simple, classic ingredients to let the beautiful seasonal fruit shine.

• The Apples: The sweet and tender heart of our crisp.
  • Best Variety: It is essential to use a firm, tart apple that will hold its shape during baking and not turn into a mushy applesauce. Granny Smith apples are the number one choice for a reason! Their bright, tart flavor is the perfect, delicious contrast to the sweet, buttery topping.
• The “Double Pecan” Crunch: This is what gives our crisp its signature, nutty flavor and texture.
  • Pecans in the Filling: Finely chopped pecans are mixed directly in with the apples, where they soften slightly and add a wonderful, nutty depth to the filling.
  • Pecans in the Topping: Coarsely chopped pecans are added to the crumble topping, where they get beautifully toasted and provide an incredible, buttery crunch.
• The Classic Crumble Topping: This is what provides the wonderful, buttery crunch.
  • Cold Butter: It is absolutely crucial to use chilled, cubed unsalted butter. When you mix the cold butter into the dry ingredients, it creates small, flour-coated pockets of fat. As the crisp bakes, these pockets melt and create steam, resulting in a topping that is wonderfully tender and perfectly crisp, not greasy.
  • Brown Sugar & Spices: Packed light brown sugar lends a deep, caramel-like sweetness, while a touch of cinnamon provides that classic, warm spice note.

Step-by-Step to Perfect Individual Apple Crisps

This recipe is wonderfully simple. It comes together with just a couple of bowls and is baked in individual ramekins.

Step 1: Prepare the Apple-Pecan Filling

First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

In a large bowl, combine the 5 peeled, cored, and chopped Granny Smith apples, the 1/4 cup of finely chopped pecans, the 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, the 1/2 cup of brown sugar, the 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and the 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

Mix all the ingredients together until the apples are evenly and thoroughly coated.

Divide this fruit mixture evenly among 4 to 5 (7- to 8-ounce) ramekins.

Step 2: Make the Crunchy Pecan Topping

In a separate large bowl, mix together the 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour, the 1/3 cup of brown sugar, the 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and the 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

Add the 6 tablespoons of chilled, cubed butter to the bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, “cut” the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms coarse, pea-sized lumps.

Stir in the 1/4 cup of coarsely chopped pecans.

Step 3: Assemble and Bake Your Individual Crisps

Generously sprinkle the prepared pecan crumble topping evenly over the top of the apple filling in each of the ramekins.

Place the ramekins on a larger, rimmed baking sheet. This makes it easier to transfer them in and out of the oven and will catch any potential drips from the bubbling fruit filling.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. You’ll know the crisps are perfectly baked when the fruit filling is hot and bubbling vigorously up the sides of the ramekins and the crumble topping is a beautiful, deep golden brown.

Let the crisps cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before serving, as the filling will be extremely hot.

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Serving Your Apple Crisps

The absolute best way to serve a classic apple crisp is warm from the oven. The beauty of these individual desserts is their charming, personal presentation. Simply place each hot ramekin on a small plate or a saucer to serve.

For the ultimate, classic comfort food experience, top each warm apple crisp with a large scoop of high-quality vanilla bean ice cream. The way the cool, creamy ice cream melts into the warm, buttery, and spiced fruit is one of life’s greatest simple pleasures. A dollop of fresh, sweetened whipped cream or a drizzle of salted caramel sauce are also fantastic choices.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

These Individual Apple Crisps are a wonderful dessert to have on hand for a sweet treat.

• Make-Ahead: You can prepare both the apple filling and the crumble topping up to a day in advance. Store them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake, simply assemble them in the ramekins and bake as directed. You can also fully assemble the unbaked crisps in their ramekins, cover them, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
• Storage: Store any leftover baked crisps, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheating: You can enjoy leftovers cold, but they are best when reheated. The best way to re-crisp the topping is to reheat the ramekins in a 350°F oven or an air fryer for 10-15 minutes, until they are warmed through and the topping is crunchy again.

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Creative Recipe Variations

This incredibly simple crisp recipe is a fantastic base for all sorts of delicious fruit desserts.

1. Add a Drizzle of Salted Caramel: For an even more decadent and delicious treat, you can drizzle each of the warm, finished crisps with your favorite store-bought or homemade salted caramel sauce just before serving.
2. Use a Different Fall Fruit: This individual crisp method is also absolutely fantastic with firm, ripe pears, a festive mix of apples and fresh or frozen cranberries, or even peaches in the summertime.
3. Make it Gluten-Free: You can easily make this recipe gluten-free! Simply substitute the all-purpose flour in both the filling and the topping with your favorite gluten-free 1-to-1 baking blend and make sure to add 1/2 cup of certified gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats to the topping for the best texture.

Enjoy The Ultimate Personal Dessert!

You’ve just created a truly perfect dessert that celebrates the simple beauty of fresh, seasonal fruit. This Individual Apple Crisp is a timeless classic for a reason: it’s incredibly easy to make, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, and it is the taste of pure, homemade comfort in a bowl. It’s the perfect ending to any meal.

We hope you and your family love every warm, bubbly, and crunchy bite!

If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy fruit dessert!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)