This Apple Crumble is the perfect cosy dessert — tender spiced apples topped with a buttery, golden oat topping. It’s simple to make, comes together in just about an hour, and is divine served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients – Just pantry staples like apples, oats, flour, butter, and sugar.
- Cosy and comforting – Warm cinnamon-spiced apples + crisp crumble = pure comfort food.
- Make-ahead friendly – Assemble ahead of time and bake when you’re ready to serve.
- Versatile – Use your favourite apples or mix in pears, berries, or nuts.
Ingredients to make Apple Crumble
- Apples – Use a mix for the best flavour and texture. I love Granny Smith + Honeycrisp or Fuji.
- Lemon juice – Adds brightness and keeps the apples from browning.
- Oats – Old-fashioned rolled oats give the topping its perfect chew and crunch. Avoid quick oats — they get mushy.
- Brown sugar – Deepens the flavour of the topping with rich molasses notes.
- Butter – Melted butter makes the crumble super easy to mix and helps it bake into golden clumps.
Substitutions & Variations
- Add berries – Try mixing in a cup of blueberries, raspberries, or cranberries.
- Make it gluten-free – Use gluten-free oats and a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Use pears – Sub some or all of the apples with ripe but firm pears for a fun twist.
Apple Crumble
Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: MediumServings
4
servingsPrep time
15
minutesCooking time
45
minutesYeild
1
9×9 panIngredients
For the apple filling:
6 medium apples (about 2 lbs), peeled, cored, and sliced
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
For the crumble topping:
1 cup old-fashioned oats
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×9 baking dish or a similar-sized pan.
- In a large bowl, toss sliced apples with sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
- In a medium bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in melted butter and stir until mixture is crumbly and moist.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples. Don’t press it down — just let it sit loosely on top.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the topping is golden and the apples are bubbling at the edges.
- Let cool for 10–15 minutes, then serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
- Cut apples evenly – For consistent baking, slice apples to about ¼-inch thick.
Add crunch – Mix chopped walnuts or pecans into the crumble topping for extra texture.
Make individual portions – Bake in ramekins for a cute, single-serve presentation.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Make ahead: Assemble the crumble up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate. Bake just before serving.
- To store: Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Warm in a 300°F oven for 10–15 minutes or microwave individual portions.
- To freeze: Freeze unbaked or baked crumble (tightly wrapped) for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen or thaw overnight first.
