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Apple Crisp Bites

Apple crisp bites with buttery shortbread cups and a cinnamon oat crumble topping, baked until golden and filled with thick, caramelized apples. These mini tarts are easy to assemble in a muffin tin for bite-size dessert servings 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: 170
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, cubed
  • 2 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 sauce
  • 1 caramel sauce for drizzling

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep oven and shortbread cups
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin.
  2. Combine all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt, then cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks crumbly.
  3. Add the ice water (1–2 tablespoons) and press the dough into the mini muffin cups to form shells.
Cook the apple filling
  1. Sauté the diced apples with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch for 5-7 minutes until thickened.
  2. Let the apple filling cool before assembling the bites.
Make the oat crisp topping
  1. Combine rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then cut in the cold butter until clumpy.
Assemble and bake
  1. Fill each shortbread cup with apple filling.
  2. Top each cup with the oat crumble mixture.
  3. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 375F until golden.
  4. Drizzle caramel sauce over the hot bites.

Notes

For clean mini-tart edges, press the shortbread firmly up the sides of each cup—if the dough feels dry, add a few drops more ice water. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat briefly in a 350F oven for 5 minutes to re-crisp. Freezing: not recommended because the shortbread texture softens. Dietary swap: use a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend in both the cups and topping for a gluten-free version.