Granola Apple Crisp Recipe

This recipe for granola apple crisp was originally a sponsored post. It’s simple and delicious, and I love the crunch of the crispy topping.

Some of the links in this article are affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them.

Little Miss is not easy in the morning. Like me, she may be a little cranky before she gets going, and that’s been making feeding her breakfast not so fun for anyone.

She’s bored with oatmeal in all its incarnations. She is off eggs of any kind.

And I’d like her to eat something other than straight granola bars. We’ve been at an impasse lately, with neither of us happy. As we had breakfast for dinner the other night, it dawned on me that I could recreate something we typically eat at another time of day and make it “breakfast” for her.

And thus this granola apple crisp recipe was born.

I have a history of taking foods and simply putting them in a different form and suddenly they’re magical and special to the wee ones. I can take Mister Man’s Greek yogurt breakfast and put it into a popsicle mold and freeze it – suddenly it’s a special treat even though it’s exactly what he’s been eating day after day.

In this case, I cut up apples with a little lemon, cinnamon, and nutmeg and placed them into ramekins. I created a topping with granola, a cereal they love to eat, and a little brown sugar, flour, spices, and butter.

Baking that in the oven made my whole house smell amazing, and this recipe creates six servings, which means that I can store the extras in the fridge so that Little Miss can pull out her own breakfast and eat another day.

These granola apple crisps are just as tasty the second day, whether you eat them cold from the fridge (like she does) or reheat them.

While this sounds like a dessert, there’s only 1/4 cup of sugar added for 6 servings, which is about 2 teaspoons per serving, and the same holds true for the butter added.

It adds a little sweetness and richness, but it’s something I’m still comfortable serving for breakfast, especially when I start looking at the sugar content of so many other breakfast options.

My brainstorm for this dessert-cum-breakfast appeared last week when I was at my wits’ end after yet another go-round with Little Miss over what she was going to eat for breakfast. She settled on an orange and nothing more, and I wanted her to have something more substantial.

Dessert for breakfast that only feels like a treat? It’s been done before, like with my baked cherry oatmeal.

Needless to say, when I decided to make this granola apple crisp recipe, I quickly had two helpers in the kitchen with me who ensured we got the crisp in the oven that much faster as Mister Man took over the job of chopping the apples while Little Miss worked on the topping.

And once we finished and got these beauties out of the oven? There were happy smiles all around.

What are the best apples to use in an apple crisp?

The key for a crisp is to have a apple that won’t break down. You can choose to use multiple varieties to give different flavors or focus on just one.

My personal favorite for just about all baking uses is a Granny Smith apple. Although they aren’t the sweetest apple, they have great flavor that pairs well with the granola topping.

If I plan to use a variety of apples, I will add Jonagold, Braeburn, and Fuji. While Golden Delicious are not my favorite apples, many will use them or Crispin if you can find them.

What kind of granola should I use?

When I make this, I usually use my homemade granola and simply leave out the dried cherries – or pick them out from what I measure to use for the topping I mix up.

Alternatively, you can use your favorite granola cereal you purchase. I look for one that isn’t overly sweetened to start with, and I remove any fruit. Nuts I leave in, however.

This is a perfect use for muesli, as well.

What size ramekins should I use?

I use my larger ramekins for this, as it’s primarily apples with a bit of the granola topping. As this is my entire breakfast I want it to be filling.

My ramekins are the eight ounce size, which is perfect for this.

You can use smaller ramekins, which will make for more than six granola apple crisps. You also will need to cook them for five or so minutes less.

Can I make this apple crisp if I don’t have ramekins?

Yes, you absolutely can still make this. I love creating this with individual portions, which lets me serve my family easily and pull out leftovers for a quick breakfast the next day.

If you don’t have ramekins, you can use mini loaf pans if you have those.

Otherwise, you can use an 8×8 baking dish. If you use the larger pan, increase the baking time to 45-55 minutes.

Watch for bubbling around the edges, and you can gently insert a knife to be sure that the apples have softened.

How should I store leftovers?

If you have leftover granola apple crisp, let the servings cool fully to room temperature. Once cooled, wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge.

These will last for up to three days in the fridge. You can enjoy them cold, or gently reheat them in a 200 degree oven for 5-10 minutes.

Besides a granola apple crisp, what creative breakfast ideas do you have?

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Enjoy this article? Please share it and save it for later!