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!
Big Fan of Apple Crumble Dessert
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).
You’ll Need More Than Apples
- 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.
How to Make Apple Crumble from Scratch
- 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!
Easy Apple Dessert Recipes
Apple Crumble Recipe
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.
- DOUBLE IT: use a deep dish lasagna pan and you can easily double the recipe.
- Save Time: Skip peeling the apples. Grandma may not be happy with this choice, but the apples get so tender nobody else will notice.
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!
Super yummy. I made roughly 2/3 the apple filling and 1/2 the crumble topping (exact ingredient proportions not crucial), refrigerated these for ~5 hours, then assembled in a 9×9 and baked as instructed. Added a little nutmeg and clove to the apples, too. Sooooo good with some vanilla ice cream.
Is it possible to make the topping without the oats?
Hands down, this is the most delicious apple crumble I have ever eaten. My son has now requested it for his next birthday “cake”. I used Golden Delicious apples, snuck in a smidge of good vanilla extract, and splurged on good European butter, using an additional stick in the crumble because that’s how I roll. Holy schmoly. Can’t wait to make this again for Christmas!
So happy to hear it 🙂
Please know I have never cooked with Apple before minus making Apple Butter. I had 5 honey crisp apples left from a mix box I turned into Apple Butter. I searched dozens of recipes to figure out how to create something. I want you to know that you are the only crumble that didn’t say to put a stick of butter in with the apples as well. Knowing basic fruit science, I knew that the apples would make sauce just from the sugar and felt the added butter was overkill. Some reviews agreed and so that was my huge draw to your recipe. Plus others didn’t call for flour with the apples yet I wondered how they would thicken the natural sauce the apples would create, another serious plus for you. All crumble calls for oats and my mom hates them so I omitted them, added a tad more flour and a half cup chopped walnuts. I happened to have a partial stick of 6tbsp so I just used that since I lost all the oats and I did toss in a little ginger and nutmeg. I don’t eat sweets so I am cooking for my mom’s taste. Makes it hard to know if my baking is good especially on a first attempt, but my mom is a good critic. Well your recipe scored top knotches!! I will now be asked to make future crumble for my mom. Your recipe was dead on with not having all that extra butter. The sauce on the apples looked beautiful and my mom said the taste was fabulous. Thank you!
I made this Apple Crumble last Friday for my boyfriend and me. It was delish! A great dessert for the fall season. We put Graeter’s Vanilla ice cream on top – perfect pair! I don’t know where to put the star.
Next, I’m trying your buttermilk brownies. My Aunt Flo used to make buttermilk brownies and they were the BEST! We couldn’t find her recipe. I hope yours is just as good.
Thank you!
First, I LOVE Graeter’s ice cream 🙂 So happy you loved the crumble. And I hope the brownies bring you happy memories 🙂
One of my favorite go to cakes when apples are in season! Thank you, always turns out great!
One of my favorite go to cakes when apples are in season! Thank you, always turns out great!
Looks so good! Can’t wait to try this one.
I was craving a fall dessert and this crumble hit the spot! It’s so easy and absolutely delicious!
Happy Aloha Friday, Aimee!
Does your Apple Crumble recipe need to be refrigerated?
If not, is it suitable for mailing?
Mahalo for your time!
Mynda
I have almost always saw crisp recipes with oatmeal and crumbles with no oats. I love the oats in the topping.
What is the best way to store leftovers?
I keep them in a covered container in the refrigerator. Just microwave to reheat 🙂
This is delicious! I looked so good on the family dinner after I brought this deliciousness! I was wondering if I can add toasted walnuts? I don’t want to ruin the recipe, I always love a little nutty crunch but I don’t want to mess it up.
Walnuts would be delicious 🙂
Thank you!! This is amazing! I was wondering would it be bad if fot the next one I add some walnuts? I don’t want to ruin it but I love a little nutty crunch!
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ok so … i didn’t blend in butter with dry top ingredients, I saw that after. It’s in the oven and topping looks very strange and dry. Next time I will work the butter in better even with a fork.
I wanted a dessert recipe with ingredients I always have on hand at home. This did not disappoint. Served up with some vanilla bean ice cream?! I made this a couple of weeks ago. And, I’m making it again TONIGHT!
This was fantastic with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top!
This was really amazing! So easy to make!
This not only tastes delicious, but it’s smells amazing too! No leftovers in my house!