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Apple Crisp Bites

Apple crisp bites with buttery shortbread mini tart shells and a cinnamon apple filling, topped with a clumpy oat crumble and baked until golden. Each bite has a crisp topping and thickened fruit filling, finished with a caramel drizzle.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 24 bites
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 190
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 lb unsalted butter cold, cubed
  • 1.5 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
  • 0.1875 lb butter cold, cubed
  • 1 caramel sauce for drizzling

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 mini muffin tin

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin.
  2. Form shortbread shells by pressing the dough into each mini muffin cup to create a base and slight sides.
Make shortbread cups
  1. Combine all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt, then cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  2. Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time and press the mixture into dough, then divide and press into the mini muffin cups.
Cook apple filling
  1. Sauté diced apples with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch for 5-7 minutes until thickened.
  2. Cool the apple filling until it’s thick enough to spoon, not runny.
Assemble and bake
  1. Mix rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then cut in the cold butter until clumpy.
  2. Fill the shortbread cups with apple filling, then top each with oat crumble.
  3. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 375F until the tops are golden.
  4. Drizzle with caramel sauce immediately after baking, so it melts slightly and settles over the crumble.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the apple filling before assembling so it doesn’t soften the shortbread shells. Store baked bites covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm in a 325F oven for 5 minutes. Freezing: freeze unfrosted bites for up to 2 months and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. For a lighter option, replace half the butter in both shortbread and crumble with a neutral oil or use a plant-butter substitute (texture will be slightly less crisp).