Instant Pot Apple Crisp

This Instant Pot apple crisp recipe is amazing! Tastes like copycat Cracker Barrel baked apples we love but made in less than 10 minutes total. Warm cinnamon apples coated with a ooey gooey brown sugar glaze your family will go crazy over for sure. Try this homemade pressure cooker fruit dessert this week!

Ninja Foodi Apple Crisp

I have used a similar recipe and have just adjusted the time to make Instant Pot applesauce too! I will show you how to make both of them here.

We share our crockpot apple crisp here so no matter what you have you can enjoy this. Want to make this as an easy Ninja Foodi recipe or have a Crockpot Express brand instead? NO problem, they all work basically the same and have the same functions.

Apple Crisp in Instant Pot

There is a basic recipe we love when we make homemade apple crisp.

Depending on how soft or firm you want your apples you can just use our recipe. Just adjust the time according to your preference.

• I have found after making this Instant Pot apple crisp 4 different times you need to use the right apples.

Smaller green apples are best because they are a bit firmer when they are done. You can see about the size we like here. Larger they are the more moisture they have inside and don’t hold up quite as well. Believe me as I go on and on about these specifics as I took weeks and weeks to perfect this Ninja foodi apple crisp recipe.

Instant Pot Apples

• The first time we made it it was far too soft but found that it made out to be some amazing pressure cooker applesauce. lol

I bought large green apples thinking they would be the same consistency and they weren’t. They turned out much softer. Either way you need to make the slices very thick or cube them to get it just right.

If you prefer really soft baked apples just add another minute on to this recipe.

But I really recommend small green apples cut into thick slices for the best results. They sell bags of about 10 of these in most grocery stores, already bagged.

If you have ever had Cracker Barrel baked apples these Instant Pot apple crisp reminds me of those.

All 5 of us just love them when we are able to visit for dinner so I really wanted to try and come close to that version. Using my original recipe in the crockpot I was able to make just a few adjustments to create the perfect pot full….as you see here below.

I love texture, the rolled oats provide that for this recipe.

Do not use instant oats as they will become too mushy and won’t work well.

• You don’t need a lot of liquid as the apples produce juice as they bake. I used water for the liquid but you could use a bit of apple cider and the rest water in this Instant Pot dessert.

If you’ve never had apple crisp it does come in many forms.

In the oven it creates a bit of a crunchy topping but in the crockpot or pressure cooker it doesn’t get crispy…but it’s still wonderful (we prefer it this way).

This is what you’ll need to make our Instant Pot apple crisp

1. Instant Pot – this is the one I have
   1. I HIGHLY suggest you get a non stick pot too!
2. Small green apples cut into thick slices or cubed
3. Brown sugar
   1. use 1/2 c. Splenda brown sugar for sugar free apple crisp
   2. alternative for diabetics
4. Flour
5. Butter
6. Water – can use half water half Apple cider
7. Oats – not instant – this is the one we buy
8. Cinnamon and nutmeg

Vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream is optional at end served on top. It saves well in the fridge too and have been guilty of enjoying leftovers for breakfast too.

You need to stand right next to this pot once it reaches pressure. The reason being is that one minute is exact! If you want them to keep some texture I have used zero minutes as well. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t cook, just means that it “cooks” while pressurizing but not enough time to completely break them down.

The best way to achieve the right consistency and tenderness to the apples was to set on high for 1 minute.

They are BEST when eaten immediately so what I do is when they’re done I scoop them into a serving bowl, throw my pot in the sink with some water to soak.

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  If you aren’t going to serve your Instant Pot apple crisp immediately then you still need to take out of the pot immediately! If you don’t they’ll continue to cook and soften too much.

  
  

You can prepare these pressure cooker baked apples with the crumble topping or without, great either way.

Here is a photo when I cubed my apples so you can see how large they need to be or they will become too soft.

Tips for a successful pot of Instant Pot apple crisp

• I remove 1/2 the skin using an apple peeler (do not remove more or they will get mushy)
• With the stem facing up I use a knife and cut the 4 sides off leaving the core remaining to throw away
• I cut each piece in half, and then half again or use an apple cutter to make very large thick slices (the bigger the better, see photo below)

As soon as it beeps after 0 or 1 minute do a quick release and lift off lid. 1 minute will make it softer.

• Quickly add crisp mixture and when it’s on saute for just 1-2 minutes do not stir too much, just push crisp mixture down and allow to bubble. Too much stirring will break down apples
• After 1-2 min. on saute turn the pot off immediately once sauce thickens or it will continue to cook and get mushy

Instructions below are for making them directly in your pot, pot in pot directions are below recipe card if you’d rather make it that way.

Watch this video to see how easy these Instant Pot baked apples are to make:

Pressure Cooker Apple Crisp

For the holidays baked apples and cranberries are delicious too. This is the only difference you will make for this combination.

• Follow the Instant Pot apple crisp recipe below (in the printable recipe card)
• In step 2 add 3/4 c. fresh cranberries 

If you cook it down further this makes a batch of our Instant Pot cranberry applesauce which is a healthy and yummy snack too.

Steps for making apple crisp in your pressure cooker

Step 1 – Peel your apples a bit. Like I state above do not remove more than half the skins or they will become too soft. You can leave all the skins off too if you prefer. Small green apples are your best choice. Put apples into your pressure cooker.

Step 2 – Add your cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, brown sugar and water into your pot. Stir together so apples are coated.

Step 3 – Pressure cook for zero or 1 minute, NO longer!

Step 4 – In a bowl mix together your flour, brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon and old fashioned oats. Do not use instant oats. 

Step 5 – Do a quick release when done and lift lid immediately. Turn pot off. Sprinkle in this crisp topping mixture and set to saute.

Step 6 – Allow to bubble and thicken. This will take only about 1 minute and then immediately pour everything into a bowl. If you leave it in the pot your apples will continue to cook and get mushy. Top with whipped cream if desired.

After this enjoy our other Instant Pot dessert recipes like these pressure cooker baked apples you see above.

• Then make some easy baked apples in your oven!
• If you want a quick treat try this Instant Pot carrot cake.
• Instant Pot angel food cake is low fat and oh so good.
• Our easy apple pie bread pudding is great if you want to use your oven.

Our air fryer apple crisp and cast iron apple crisp are the bomb too!

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If you want to make a smaller batch using the pot in pot method follow these directions:

1. Peel and slice 4 small green apples, slices 1/3″ thick or so (thinner the softer they will be etc…)
2. In a bowl combine
   1. Sliced apples
   2. 1/2 c. brown sugar
   3. 1/4 c. old fashioned oats
   4. 1/4 c. flour
   5. 1.5 tsp. cornstarch
   6. 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3. Toss together so all apples slices are coated with mixture
4. Pour into this large pot that fits inside either a 6 or 8 qt. Instant Pot

1. In a small bowl mix together (you can omit this if you want it as is and don’t want an additional topping)
   1. 3 tbsp melted butter
   2. 1/4 cup flour
   3. 1 quarter cup brown sugar
   4. 1/4 c. oats
2. Stir well and sprinkle on top of apples in pot
3. Pour 1/3 c. apple cider (or water) on top of everything
4. Cover tightly with foil
5. Put trivet into Instant Pot or pressure cooker + 2 c. water
6. Lower pot with apples on to trivet
7. Set to manual, pressure, high for 35 minutes
8. Enjoy (if they aren’t soft enough for your taste you can recover, and cook again on high for another 3-5 minutes and check again….texture for this is personal preference, we like them a bit firmer)