Classic Apple Crumble Recipe

Apple Crumble is a harmonious balance of sweetness and tartness in one easy recipe! Made with a few ingredients, this recipe is done in less than one hour!

Add this recipe to your list if you love apple desserts as much as my family does. It is easy to make and delicious, with juicy apples in a thick, sweet sauce topped with crunchy, buttery, nutty topping. It tastes great alone or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Besides apples and some essential baking ingredients, you do not need much to make this yummy treat—just some nuts, oats, and spices.

I bet everyone has had a grandmother who made apple crumble for them once or twice (or dozens of times). I know mine did! I got my cooking skills from my grandma, and she got them from her grandma, so our traditions go way back. What started as a family recipe has turned into what I call our classic apple crumble. 

What is different about our recipe is the nuts. My family likes to add chopped walnuts and slivered almonds to make the topping crunchier. Most apple crumble toppings are made with flour, oats, butter, sugar, and cinnamon. A lot of recipes do not even use oats. The original apple crumble recipe topping was made with flour, butter, sugar, and salt. I have had it all different ways, and I have to say I like ours the best. It is chewy and crunchy for a mouthful of flavors and textures in every bite.

Now, if you cannot decide whether or not to top it with ice cream, just put it on the side. That way, the topping will not get soggy either. This is the perfect dessert as well as a great breakfast or snack. I love how easy it is to make, and I always make some after we go apple picking.

Why you will love this recipe

• It is fast and easy: For such a fancy-looking dessert, it is fast and easy to make.
• Totally delicious: The apples are sweet and juicy, the topping is sweet, buttery, and crisp, and the sauce is thick and tangy.
• The kids can help: Give them an apple peeler, and they can help you make it!
• Control the sugar: You can add as much or as little as you want.

What you’ll need to make classic apple crumble

Special items:

• Baking dish – A two-quart baking dish is what I use.
• Mixing bowls – To mix the ingredients.
• Apple peeler – To peel the apples.

For the apples:

• Apples—I prefer granny smith apples because they are crisp and tart. I peel them and cut them into two-inch cubes.
• Cornstarch – This is an essential ingredient for thickening the filling. If you do not have it, you can use flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, or arrowroot.
• Sugar – White granulated sugar is perfect for giving the filling the right consistency and sweetness.
• Lemon juice – I recommend squeezing your lemon juice for the freshest flavor.
• Cinnamon – Adds a bit of extra tangy sweetness.
• Nutmeg – Blends perfectly with the cinnamon and apples like in apple pie.

For the topping:

• Rolled oats—These are oat grains that have been hulled and cleaned, sliced into three pieces, and rolled with huge rollers to flatten them. They only take 15 minutes to cook rather than 30 minutes like steel-cut oats or 5 minutes for quick-cooking oats.
• Nuts – I use slivered almonds and chopped walnuts, but you could also use chopped peanuts, pecans, or cashews.
• Flour—If you are serving someone with a wheat allergy, use gluten-free flour, such as almonds, rice, or oats.
• Brown sugar—Light brown sugar, packed well for the best flavor; dark brown sugar will give it a richer taste.
• Baking powder – You need this ingredient to make the topping light and fluffy.
• Cinnamon – Again, this adds a sweet and tangy taste.
• Nutmeg – Also nutmeg is a perfect pairing with apples and cinnamon.
• Butter – Use cold, unsalted butter for crisp, crunchy topping.
• Salt – Just a little kosher salt for a clean, fresh, salty taste.

Serving:

• Vanilla ice cream – Any vanilla ice cream, for serving.
• Caramel sauce – Try my deliciously rich and easy homemade caramel sauce. You can make it in 10 minutes with no candy thermometer.

How to make apple crumble?

1. Preheat the oven: Do this at a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Prepare the fruit: Peel and cube the Granny Smiths and then, sprinkle with cornstarch, sugar, and spices. Also, pour some lemon juice. Spread out the seasoned cubes in a baking dish.
3. Prepare the topping: Once you have mixed the topping ingredients in a bowl, spread it out on top while breaking up big chunks in between fingers.
4. Bake: Pop it in the oven for about 30 to 40 minutes. Once golden brown, remove from the oven.
5. Rest: Let the dessert rest for about 10 more minutes before serving.

Expert tip

The best apples for apple crumble

The best apples for baking are crisp and firm with a lower water content, so they do not make your apple crumble too watery. I prefer Granny Smith apples for this recipe because I love their tartness and crispness. They hold their shape well, and although they are juicy, they do not add too much water if you use the correct amount of cornstarch or another thickener.

Some other great baking apples include Braeburn, Cortland, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Mutsu, Pink Lady, and Winesap. Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Jonagold are all sweet and tangy while Mutsu, also known as Crispin, is similar to a Golden Delicious apple with firmer flesh. The Winesap apple has an intense taste like hard cider that adds extra flavor to your apple crumble.

Others like to use a combination of different apples, so they get a variety of tastes and textures. I would avoid McIntosh, Gala, and Red Delicious because they can get too soft and mushy for baking. Also, Gala apples can turn grainy when baked, which is not appealing to bite into.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Tropical crumble: Add chunks of pineapples to the filling and a cup of coconut flakes to the topping for a tropical apple crumble.
• Make a scrumble: Instead of using the traditional crumble topping, make an apple scrumble using a scone topping made from flour, butter, caster sugar, milk, and vanilla. 
• No gluten: Using the same ingredients and instructions, substitute the flour for almond flour or gluten free flour, and ensure the oats are gluten-free. Nothing else should have gluten in it.
• Other fruits: Add peaches, bananas, pears, strawberries, and blueberries for a more complex crumble. Just remember that you may have to add more cornstarch, though.
• Chocolate crumble: Toss some chocolate chips in the filling and use chocolate syrup on top instead of caramel sauce for chocolate lovers.
• Mixed Nuts: Add a variety of mixed nuts to the topping and filling, almonds, macadamia, and pecans are great choices.

Serving suggestions:

Apple crumble is a delicious dessert. It also makes a yummy snack.

• I like to have a warmed up bowl for breakfast, and I usually like a cup of hot coffee to go with it.
• Although the most common topping for apple pie is vanilla ice cream, I love it with a thick, decadent whipped cream dollop.
• It also goes great with apple fennel chicken salad sandwiches. They are easy to make with my simple recipe.
• This dessert is perfect for a holiday get-together or a summer picnic in the park. 

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between apple cobbler and crumble?

Apple cobbler is an apple dessert made with a top crust of biscuit or pie dough but no bottom crust. The topping is soft and chewy, like pastry crust or biscuits. It is often made with biscuit dough. I have also made them with a cake mix. A crumble is crunchier on top, made with nuts, oats, butter, and flour with some cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg for flavor. Both have a sweet apple filling underneath.

Why isn’t my apple crumble crispy?

You may not have cooked it long enough if your topping is soft or chewy instead of crumbly and crispy. Try putting it back in the oven for a few more minutes. Another reason may be that you used too much butter or the butter was too soft. It is essential to use the right amount of butter and that it be cold to have the crunchy lumps in the topping. My recipe calls for slivered almonds and chopped walnuts, which will help make your topping crispy no matter what you do.

Why do you put baking powder in a crumble?

The baking powder gives your crumble topping a light and tender texture and crunchiness. While some recipes call for baking soda, you should typically use powder unless the recipe has an acidic ingredient like citrus or buttermilk, which this one does not. Baking powder already has citric acid in it to make the carbon dioxide it needs to work. If you only have baking soda, mix two parts baking soda with one part citric acid as a substitute.

Why is my apple crumble watery?

Apples, like all fruits and vegetables, are full of water, so they let off a lot of liquid when they cook. This is usually good because you do not want dry pie or pastry filling. But you do not want it to be too watery, either. So, that is why I add cornstarch to this recipe. If you add the right amount of cornstarch (or another thickener like flour, tapioca starch, or arrowroot), you should not have to worry about watery filling. If it is watery, add a tablespoon of cornstarch to an equal amount of cold water and stir until it dissolves. Then, stir it into the hot filling carefully, trying not to disturb the topping.

Storing recommendations:

• Make it in advance: Make a big batch and refrigerate the leftovers once they have cooled down completely. You can reheat within two days at the same temperature it was baked at. You can even keep it at room temperature for up to two days.
• Refrigerate it: Store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze it: You can assemble everything first, freeze, and then, thaw and bake on the day you would need it. This is also another way on how to make this in advance.
• Defrost: You must thaw it overnight in the fridge for the best taste and texture.
• Reheating: You can reheat it in the oven for 10 minutes or in the microwave for two minutes. 

More homemade recipes with apples:

Recipe tips:

• You can make double the toppings required and store the leftovers in the fridge for up to a week. With this, you can simply peel and cut up some apples to make a new batch to satisfy your cravings.
• Feel free to change up the ratio of the spices according to your preferences.
• If you are serving ice cream with it, serve it on the side so the topping does not become soggy.
• Ensure your butter is cold, and do not mix it in too much so you have little lumps for a crunchier topping.
• Do not skip the baking powder for a lighter and crispier crumble.
• Also, do not forget the cornstarch. Pectin makes the apples watery when they cook, and cornstarch thickens them up.
• Peeling the apples is optional. However, if you do not peel them, slice your apples thinly so they are easier to chew.
• If your apples are extra sweet, you can cut back on the sugar to make it a healthier dessert.