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Apple Crisp Bites

Apple crisp bites with buttery shortbread shells and a thick cinnamon apple filling, topped with a clumpy oat crumble and baked until golden. Caramel sauce drizzled over each bite turns the mini muffin-tin tarts extra glossy and crisp.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 160
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shortbread cups
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup cold unsalted butter
  • 1.5 tbsp ice water
Apple filling
  • 3 apples peeled and finely diced
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp butter
Oat crisp topping
  • 0.5 cup rolled oats
  • 0.25 cup flour
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp cold butter cubed
Caramel drizzle
  • 1 caramel sauce

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and bake setup
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F, then grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin. Visual cue: the tin should be evenly coated so the cups release cleanly.
Make shortbread cups
  1. Combine all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt, then cut in cold unsalted butter until the mixture looks crumbly. Visual cue: the crumbs should be pea-sized.
  2. Add ice water a little at a time and press the dough into mini muffin cups to form a shell. Visual cue: the dough should cover the bottom and sides evenly.
Cook apple filling
  1. Sauté apples with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch for 5-7 minutes until thickened. Visual cue: the juices should look glossy and cling to the apple pieces.
  2. Cool the apple filling before assembling. Visual cue: it should thicken further and not run when spooned.
Make oat crisp topping
  1. Combine rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then cut in cold butter until clumpy. Visual cue: you should see oat-butter clusters rather than a powder.
Assemble and bake
  1. Fill the shortbread cups with the cooled apple filling. Visual cue: keep the filling level so it doesn’t overflow during baking.
  2. Top each cup with oat crisp topping to cover the surface. Visual cue: crumble should sit high enough to brown and stay crisp.
  3. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 375F until golden. Visual cue: the edges of the shortbread should look set and the topping should be browned.
  4. Drizzle caramel sauce over the warm apple crisp bites. Visual cue: the sauce should look glossy as it pools slightly over the crumble.

Notes

To keep the shortbread crisp, press the dough firmly into the mini muffin wells and avoid overfilling with hot apples. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm in a 325F oven for 5-7 minutes for best texture. Freezing: yes—freeze baked bites airtight up to 2 months and reheat straight from frozen. Dietary swap: for a dairy-light version, use plant-based butter in both the shells and filling.