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Apple Crisp Bites

Apple crisp bites with buttery shortbread cups and a cinnamon apple filling, baked until the oat crumble turns golden and crisp. Mini-muffin tarts make a portable dessert with caramel-drizzled flavor in every bite.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 24 bites
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 170
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the shortbread cups
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 tbsp ice water Use 1-2 tbsp as needed.
For 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
For 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 sauce
  • 1 caramel sauce for drizzling Amount to drizzle.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prepare the pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F, then grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin so the cups release easily.
Make the shortbread cups
  1. Combine all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt, then cut in cold unsalted butter until the mixture looks crumbly with small butter pieces.
  2. Add ice water and press the dough into the mini muffin cups to form a shell, smoothing the surface with your fingertips if needed.
Cook the apple filling
  1. Sauté diced apples with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch until the mixture thickens, about 5-7 minutes, stirring until glossy.
  2. Cool the apple filling until it thickly holds together, then keep it ready to spoon into the cups.
Make the oat crisp topping
  1. Combine rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then cut in cold butter until clumpy and evenly coated.
Assemble and bake
  1. Fill each shortbread cup with apple filling, leaving a small gap at the top for the crumble.
  2. Top each filled cup with oat crumble, letting the clumps sit high so they toast into crisp bits.
  3. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 375F until golden, with crisp edges visible and the topping set.
  4. Drizzle caramel sauce over the warm bites so it slightly melts into the crisp topping for a glossy finish.

Notes

For clean removal, let the bites rest in the muffin tin for 5 minutes after baking before lifting them out. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm at 300F for 5 minutes to re-crisp the oat topping. Freezing: freeze baked bites up to 2 months (freeze without caramel drizzle, then drizzle after reheating). Dietary swap: use a plant-butter substitute for both the shortbread cups and filling for a dairy-free version while keeping the same baking times.