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Warm, buttery, and filled with sweet cinnamon apples, this Slow Cooker Apple Dump Cake is the kind of dessert I want waiting for me on a cool fall evening. And with just 3 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep, it couldn’t be much easier.
There’s something especially nice about an apple dessert bubbling away in the slow cooker. You can get it started in minutes, leave the oven free, and a few hours later, the apples are warm and soft underneath a tender, buttery apple-cinnamon topping.
Serve it while it’s still warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cold ice cream melting into those warm apples might just be my favorite part.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I love this recipe most on days when I want homemade dessert without adding another project to the kitchen. There’s no peeling or chopping apples and no cake batter to prepare. You only need apple pie filling, apple cinnamon muffin mix, and butter.
It’s also a great recipe to keep in mind when the oven is busy. Around the holidays, when casseroles, vegetables, and the main dish are all competing for oven space, being able to tuck dessert into the slow cooker is incredibly convenient.
And then there’s the apple-cinnamon combination itself. As everything cooks, the apple filling becomes hot and bubbly while the muffin mix and butter turn into a soft, cake-like topping. It’s simple, cozy fall dessert territory, and I’m very happy about that.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe keeps things wonderfully simple. You only need three ingredients, and each one has a job to do.
- Apple Pie Filling – This makes up the warm, fruity base of the dessert. You’ll need two 21-ounce cans, and you can use regular or sugar-free apple pie filling.
- Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix – This creates the soft, cake-like topping as it cooks with the butter. The recipe uses two 7-ounce packets of Martha White Apple Cinnamon muffin mix, but your favorite brand works too.
- Salted Butter – Butter gives the muffin mix richness and helps turn it into that buttery topping over the apples. You’ll need ½ cup (1 stick), either melted and poured over the top or cut into slices and evenly arranged over the muffin mix.
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, prepare the slow cooker.
Lightly coat a 4–6 quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
Add the apples.
Pour both cans of apple pie filling into the slow cooker and spread the filling across the bottom.
Sprinkle on the muffin mix.
Sprinkle both packets of Apple Cinnamon muffin mix evenly over the apple pie filling. Distribute the dry mix so there aren’t any unusually thick areas.
Add the butter.
Pour the melted butter over the muffin mix. The butter will not completely cover all of the dry mixture, which is fine. Alternatively, cut the butter into slices and arrange the slices evenly over the muffin mix.
Let the slow cooker do the rest.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3–5 hours, until the muffin mixture is completely cooked and the apple pie filling is bubbling underneath.
Serve it warm.
Serve the apple dump cake warm. Vanilla ice cream can be added when serving, if desired.
Expert Tips
Give the muffin mix an even layer. Before adding the butter, take a moment to spread the dry mix evenly over the apples. You don’t want a thick mound in one spot and a thin layer in another.
Don’t try to cover every speck of muffin mix with butter. If you’re pouring melted butter over the top, it’s completely normal for some of the dry mixture to remain uncovered at first.
Watch the topping, not just the clock. Slow cookers vary, which is why the cooking time ranges from 3 to 5 hours. When it’s ready, the topping should look cooked instead of powdery and the apple filling should be bubbling underneath.
Try not to peek too often. Every time the lid comes off, some of the trapped heat escapes. Leave it covered as much as possible and start checking toward the end of the cooking window.
Recipe Variations
The three-ingredient version is wonderfully simple as it is, but there are a few easy ways to give it a different spin.
For another autumn flavor, try apple cider muffin mix in place of the apple cinnamon muffin mix. A boxed cake mix can also be used instead, and spice cake is an especially natural match for the apples.
If you want to lean even further into the cinnamon flavor, stir about a teaspoon of ground cinnamon into the apple pie filling. A handful of dried cranberries can bring in a sweet-tart bite, while chopped pecans or walnuts add a little crunch.
Storage & Reheating
If you happen to have leftovers, transfer the apple dump cake to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Let frozen portions thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
For a quick dessert the next day, warm an individual portion in the microwave until heated through. If you’re reheating a larger amount, place it in an oven-safe baking dish and warm it gently in the oven.
Serving Suggestions
For me, this dessert is at its best warm with vanilla ice cream. The ice cream starts melting as soon as it hits the hot apple filling, giving you a little bit of cold, creamy vanilla with every spoonful of warm cinnamon apple and buttery cake.
Whipped cream is lovely here too, especially if you want something lighter. Or skip the toppings altogether and spoon the cake into bowls straight from the slow cooker.
This is also an easy dessert to add to a fall or holiday dinner. Get it going earlier in the day, use your oven for everything else, and by dessert time you’ll have warm apple cake ready to serve.
Recipe FAQs
1. Do I need to stir the ingredients together?
No, there’s no need to stir. Simply layer the apple pie filling, muffin mix, and butter in the slow cooker. Keeping the layers separate makes this recipe extra easy and helps create that soft, cake-like topping.
2. What if I can’t find apple cinnamon muffin mix?
You can use another brand of apple cinnamon muffin mix or apple cider muffin mix. You’ll need about 14 ounces total. A boxed spice cake mix can also be used and tastes great with the apple filling.
3. Should I melt the butter or slice it?
Either method works. You can melt the ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter and pour it evenly over the muffin mix, or cut the butter into slices and spread them across the top. Don’t worry if the butter doesn’t cover every bit of muffin mix.
4. How do I know when the apple dump cake is done?
The muffin mix should be fully cooked and look cake-like instead of dry and powdery. You should also see the apple pie filling bubbling underneath. Depending on your slow cooker, this will take about 3 to 5 hours on LOW.
5. Why isn’t the topping crispy?
The topping will be softer than an oven-baked dump cake because the slow cooker holds in moisture while it cooks. This gives it more of a warm, tender cake or cobbler-like texture. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an easy finishing touch.
Slow Cooker Apple Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cans (21 ounce) apple pie filling (can use sugar free)
- 2 packet (7 ounce) Martha White Apple Cinnamon muffin mix (or your favorite brand)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted (or cut into slices)
Instructions
- Lightly coat a 4–6 quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pour both cans of apple pie filling into the slow cooker and spread the filling across the bottom.
- Sprinkle both packets of Apple Cinnamon muffin mix evenly over the apple pie filling. Distribute the dry mix so there aren’t any unusually thick areas.
- Pour the melted butter over the muffin mix. The butter will not completely cover all of the dry mixture, which is fine. Alternatively, cut the butter into slices and arrange the slices evenly over the muffin mix.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3–5 hours, until the muffin mixture is completely cooked and the apple pie filling is bubbling underneath.
- Serve the apple dump cake warm. Vanilla ice cream can be added when serving, if desired.
Notes
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Sodium: 569mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g Nutrition information is per serving and based on 6 servings, as provided in the original recipe card.
