Tender sweet fresh apples & a thin crunchy topping comes together beautifully in this Slow Cooker Apple Cobbler recipe. This easy dessert has just a few ingredients & is a fall favorite.
Why this Slow Cooker Apple Cobbler Recipe without Cake Mix is Amazing: It is as close to scratch made as you can get while still cooking it in the CrockPot instead of the oven. No boxed cake or Bisquick pancake mix needed.
All fall and winter you will be craving this simple apple dessert. No need for baking, just dump it all in & set the CrockPot.
This was inspired by my Slow Cooker Apple Sauce recipe on this site, which is another great way to use a lot of apples. Ok, now we cook!
Ingredients
This recipe is for a cobbler that is mostly fruit filling with a thin layer of topping. So if you love apples, this is the recipe for you.
Here are the ingredients needed to make this Crockpot dessert:
- Apples - baking varieties that are sweet & tart work best; Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, Fuji, or Granny Smith.
- All-Purpose Flour - for the topping & to help thicken the fruit filling
- Sugars - both brown and white sugar give this a caramel-like sweetness.
- Salted Butter - for the crumble topping.
- Lemon Juice - the citrus juice adds a bunch of sour flavor that balances the sweetness.
- Spices - traditional apple spice flavors like nutmeg, cinnamon, & ginger add a ton of flavor.
See the recipe card for quantities & substitutions/variations.
How to Make Cobbler in the Slow Cooker
This recipe is as easy as 1-2-3. The hardest part is prepping the apples & then just let the magic happen.
Here are the easy steps for making this recipe:
- Make Apple Filling
- Make Topping
- Cook in Crock-Pot
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Make Apple Filling
Wash, peel, core, & cube the apples. Make them into uniform sized pieces that are 1.5 inches square chunks.
Dump the apples, sugar, flour, lemon juic, & spices into the slow cooker.
Stir to combine and coat the apples with the other ingredients.
2 - Make Topping
Next is the topping for the apples. This will be a thin crumble topping.
NOTE: It is not biscuit or cake-like deep dish layer. Nuts can be added as an optional item, see recipe card.
In a mixing bowl combine the topping ingredients: softened butter, sugar, brown sugar, flour, & cinnamon. Use your hands to mix until the butter is small like pea-sized pieces.
Dump the topping evenly over the apple layer. It is ok if there are big chunks of butter, this will all cook down.
3 - Cook in Crock Pot
Put the lid on the slow cooker. Set the heat to low and the time for 3 hours.
When the apple are tender & it's been 3 hours, remove the lid & turn it off. The final step is letting the cobbler topping cool & harden.
Once it has cooled the topping will be set. It should be crunchy on top, almost like the sugar layer on a creme brulee.
Serving Suggestions
Scoop out servings and place in a bowl. Serve while warm.
This is best to make when apples are in season in autumn and winter. It is great for family Sunday suppers or for holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
What to Serve with Apple Cobbler : Add whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or caramel sauce to take it to the next level. OMG!
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here is my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, funny stories or bloopers, and more.
- #1 Tip - DO NOT eat right away, let the topping cool or it will be soggy & melt into the apples.
- Make sure the apples are cut into the right size chunks (1.5 inches cubes) so they cook evenly but are not overcooked & mushy.
- Baking apples that are sweet & tart work best.
- I do not recommend trying to speed this up by trying it on the high setting, low at 3 hours is what works best.
- Did you know that cobblers may also be called grunts, slumps, or pandowdy & the recipe goes back as far as 1859.
- Store leftovers for up to 5 days in the refrigerator & reheat in the microwave.
- The last serving of my leftovers was 100% all apple filling & I admit I spooned it over Greek yogurt for breakfast - don't judge!
FAQ
Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Flour is a great substitute where you use the same amount as if using regular flour. You can also try my recipe for Gluten-Free Apple Cobbler that is baked in the oven.
This recipe has a high apples to cobbler topping ratio. For anyone that loves a lot of fruit in their dessert, this is the recipe for you. For a more traditional cobbler with thick biscuit toppings, see the other recipes below.
Slow Cooker Apple Cobbler
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 6 cups apples cored, peeled, & large chunks
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspooon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
Cobbler Topping
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup salted butter 1 stick, slilghtly softened & cut into small chunks
- ½ cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds OPTIONAL
Instructions
- Set the butter out on the counter to soften a bit while prepping the apples.
- Peel, core, & cut the apple into medium-sized chunks - about 1.5 inches in size. If they are too small they will become mushy.
- Add the apple chunks to the slow cooker insert. Add the lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of flour, ¼ cup white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, & ginger. Stir to combine.6 cups apples, ¼ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ½ teaspooon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ginger
- In a mixing bowl, add the topping ingredients. Use your hands to distribute the butter throughout the dry ingredients. Mix until the butter is small like pea-sized pieces. add optional nuts here if using1.5 cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup sugar, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ cup salted butter
- Pour the topping mix over the apples in the slow cooker. Put the lid on and set the timer for 3 hours on low.
- Turn off and take off the lid. Let the cobbler topping cool & set for 30-40 minutes.
- Once the topping is firm & the apples have cooled off, scoop into individual bowls to enjoy. Top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Make sure the apple chunks are uniform in size & do not make them smaller or bigger than the directions (so they are tender but not overcooked/mushy)
- Do not skip the cooling step for the topping to set.
Nutrition
More Cobbler Recipes
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