This easy Apple Crumble recipe is true comfort food with sweet caramelized apple filling and crunchy cinnamon topping. Total crowd pleaser and ready in under an hour!
Don’t forget to top this crumble with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream! Change up the flavor and try my zucchini crumble too!
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
Everyone loves a warm apple pie, but sometimes you just want something a little less time consuming. Something like this rustic apple crumble.
I recently shared my love of crumbles with this Blueberry Lime Crumble and Apple Cranberry Crumble.
But before we talk about variations, let’s get to the real deal.
Today’s Apple Crumble is ready in under an hour making it the perfect dessert to pop in the oven while enjoying dinner.
When choosing the perfect apple crumble recipe, this recipe is best because:
- Apple stays soft, but not watery.
- Not too sweet, but not dry either.
- Ready in under in hour (less time than eating dinner and doing dishes).
Ingredient Notes
Best apples to use for apple crumble: I like to use a tart apple, like Granny Smith or Golden Delicious. However, you really can’t go wrong with any fresh apple.
Oats. I use quick cook oats in today’s recipe, but rolled oats (or old fashioned oats) will also work if you like your oats more chewy (like in my favorite oatmeal scotchie cookies).
Sugar. A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar is used in the apple mixture, and you’ll just need the brown sugar for the crumble topping.
Step by Step Instructions
Apple layer. Peel and dice 4 apples. Combine apples in a large bowl with lemon juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Pour into a 2 qt baking dish.
Combine crumble ingredients: brown sugar, cinnamon, oats, flour, butter. I find it easiest to use my hands to make the crumble, but a pastry cutter works too. Sprinkle over the top of apple mixture, pressing lightly.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 50 minutes, until bubbly and caramelized. Enjoy warm with whipped cream or ice cream!
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! To make ahead, just assemble, cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake (up to 24 hours).
I don’t recommend freezing a crumble, as I haven’t seen good success. The filling tends to get too watery, and the topping doesn’t have a good crunch.
A crisp is a fruit dessert topped with a crunchy layer of ingredients. A crumble is more of a streusel combination of flour, oats, sugars, and butter.
More Easy Apple Desserts
Did you try this Apple Crumble recipe? Be sure to leave a rating or a comment below!
Apple Crumble
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 4 apples peeled and diced
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
For the Crumble:
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup quick cook oats
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine diced apples with lemon juice, sugars, cinnamon and flour. Pour into a 2qt baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, combine crumble ingredients. Use hands to combine butter until crumbly (this takes a few minutes). Sprinkle over top of apple mixtures. Press lightly.
- Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45-50 minutes, until bubbly and caramelized. Enjoy warm with a scoop of ice cream!
Notes
- APPLES: I like to use a tart apple, like Granny Smith or Golden Delicious. However, you really can’t go wrong with any fresh apple. Just peel and dice and enjoy the fresh comfort food of an apple pie without a crust!
- ADDITIONS: Add nuts or granola for a crispier crumble topping.
- MAKE AHEAD: Can be made 24 hours in advance. Refrigerate and cover with foil.
Video
Nutrition
This Easy Apple Crumble Recipe is the perfect weeknight dessert. Whether serving a crowd or just yourself, you’ll love this easy dessert recipe!
Just made this for the first time and it was a HUGE hit! It is definitely going to be my new go-to quick dessert. Also made the house smell like the holidays.
Just made this for the first time and it was a HUGE hit! It is definitely going to be my new go-to quick dessert. Also made the house smell like the holidays.
Apple crisp topping contains oats apple crumble does not, apple crumble the topping is more streusel type without the oats.
We loved this apple crumble, by far the best I’ve ever eaten or made. Thank you so much and have a good day!
I am making these in mini cups. Should I reduce baking time?
Can I make apple pie crumble with out the Oats
Sure can. Just leave them out! You can swap them out for nuts if you prefer.
This person called this recipe apple crumble when technically it’s not really because a topping that contains oats would be apple crisp.
I saw that also and was wondering why this was called Apple Crumble 😁
This recipe was so easy and delicious. Paired with vanilla ice cream. It’s a crowd pleaser!
Can I prepare everything a day in advance and then bake it the next day?
THIS WAS DELICIOUS! I doubled the crumble recipe because I love crumble !
This is absolutely DELICIOUS!! So much easier than making a whole pie and even better! Thanks so much!
This recipe is a keeper. I brought it to a dinner Sat. nite, it was finished in a vey short time. It was loved by all. I used almond flour and walnuts in the crumble. Also with the apples I put golden raisin, so yummy. Do you have other recipes that DOES NOT contain butter, eggs, B. P. and B. S.? This gets 10 stars.
can I use almond flour instead of all purpose flour.??? My friends can’t have gluten.
Looking forward to your response. Thank You Joan
Yep! Almond flour works great!
This was such a huge hit with the family! That crumb topping is everything!
I love it when it is apple season for recipes just like this one! Decadent and delicious; easily, my new favorite treat!
This is a family favorite. We love it with vanilla ice cream!
WOW! Best apple crumble I’ve made by far. Thank you for the amazing recipe.
I made this Apple Crumble recipe for Easter lunch with the family. My grand-kids gobbled it up like there was no tomorrow. Great recipe!
How many cups of apples for that recipe Apples come in all different sizes
About 4-5 cups. Fortunaly with this recipe, exact measurements on the apples isn’t necessary 🙂
This is a very nice light dessert. I made this using 3 apples in an 11×7 dish, adding pecans and cinnamon chips on top. I baked it 50 minutes which may have been about 5-7 minutes too long. But it was very tasty, especially with ice cream.
Happy to hear it 🙂
This. Was. Delicious! My family could not stop raving about this dessert. So so so good.