Introduction

Remember those crisp autumn days, the scent of cinnamon filling the air, and the sheer joy of digging into a warm, comforting dessert? This Apple Crumble recipe is like a warm hug in a baking dish. It’s the kind of dessert that makes your kitchen smell absolutely divine and brings smiles to everyone’s faces. And the best part? It’s surprisingly simple to whip up, making it perfect for a weeknight treat or a last-minute gathering.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: Get this delicious dessert into the oven in under 20 minutes!
Easy: No fancy techniques needed, just simple mixing and baking.
Giftable: Bake it in a cute ramekin and give it as a heartfelt homemade gift.
Crowd-pleasing: Everyone, from little ones to grown-ups, adores a classic apple crumble.

Ingredients

Let’s gather up what you’ll need to make this magic happen:

6 large apples: I love using a mix of sweet and tart apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith for the best flavor. Peel them, remove the cores, and slice them into about 1/2-inch thick pieces.
1 tablespoon lemon juice: This little bit of acidity brightens up the apple flavor and keeps them from browning too much.
1/2 cup granulated sugar: For that perfect sweet apple filling.
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon: The star spice of fall!
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg: Adds a warm, slightly sweet, and earthy depth.
1 cup all-purpose flour: The base of our delicious crumble topping.
1/2 cup rolled oats: These add a wonderful texture and chewiness to the crumble. Make sure they’re rolled oats, not instant!
1/2 cup packed brown sugar: This gives our topping that irresistible toffee-like flavor and golden hue.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes: Cold butter is key for that perfect crumbly texture.
Pinch of salt: Just a little bit to enhance all those lovely sweet flavors.

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get baking! This is where the fun begins:

Preheat your oven: Get it nice and warm to 375°F (190°C). This ensures everything bakes up beautifully.
Get your apples ready: In a big bowl, toss your sliced apples with the lemon juice, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Give them a good stir to make sure every apple slice is coated in that delicious spiced sweetness.
Into the dish they go: Pour your spiced apple mixture into your favorite baking dish. I like to use an 8×8 inch square dish, but a pie plate works wonderfully too.
Whip up the crumble: In a separate medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, and that pinch of salt. Whisk them together just to get everything mixed up.
Add the butter: Now, add those cold, cubed pieces of butter right into the dry ingredients.
Get your hands in there! This is my favorite part! Use your fingertips or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. You want to work it in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. This is what makes our topping wonderfully crisp!
Top it off: Evenly sprinkle that glorious crumble mixture all over the apple filling in your baking dish. Don’t worry about making it perfect, just get it covered.
Bake to golden perfection: Pop your crumble into the preheated oven and let it bake for 35-45 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the topping is a beautiful golden brown and you can see those apple filling starting to bubble around the edges. That’s the sign of pure deliciousness!

Substitutions & Additions

Want to make this recipe your own? I love experimenting! Here are a few ideas:

Apples: If you don’t have a specific apple variety, just grab whatever looks good at the grocery store! A mix is always a safe bet.
Spice it up: Feel free to add a pinch of ground ginger or cloves to the apple mixture for an extra warm spice kick.
Nuts: A handful of chopped pecans or walnuts sprinkled over the crumble topping before baking adds a lovely crunch.
Oats: If you’re not an oat fan, you can substitute them with more flour, though I think the oats add such a delightful texture.
Gluten-Free: Use a good quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and certified gluten-free oats.

Tips for Success

A few little tricks to ensure your Apple Crumble is absolutely perfect every time:

Cold Butter is Key: Seriously, don’t skip this. Cold butter creates steam when it bakes, leading to that light, crumbly texture.
Don’t Overmix the Topping: You want those little bits of butter to remain. Overmixing will create a paste instead of a crumble.
Prep Ahead: You can prepare the apple filling and the crumble topping separately up to a day in advance and store them in the refrigerator. Assemble just before baking for the freshest results.
Watch Your Oven: Ovens can be finicky! Keep an eye on your crumble towards the end of baking to make sure the topping doesn’t get too dark. If it is, you can loosely tent it with foil.

How to Store It

Leftovers are a rare but happy occurrence with this crumble! Once it’s cooled down a bit, you can store it:

At room temperature: It will stay fresh for about a day.
In the refrigerator: Tightly covered, it will keep for 3-4 days. To reheat, simply pop a slice in the microwave or oven until warmed through. It’s almost as good as fresh!

FAQs

Got questions? I’ve got answers!

Can I use frozen apples?

Yes, you can! If using frozen apples, be sure to thaw them completely and drain off any excess liquid before proceeding with the recipe. You might need to bake it a few minutes longer.

What’s the best way to serve Apple Crumble?

Oh, the possibilities! My favorite is a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into the warm crumble. A dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce is also divine!

Can I make this ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can prepare the apple mixture and the crumble topping separately and store them in the fridge. Assemble and bake when you’re ready to serve.

Is it best served warm or cold?

While it’s delicious at any temperature, Apple Crumble is truly at its best served warm, especially with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of cream. The warmth brings out all those lovely spiced apple flavors and makes the crumble topping extra delightful.

Cozy & Easy Apple Crumble Recipe

A warm, comforting, and surprisingly simple apple crumble recipe perfect for fall or any time you need a sweet treat. It features a spiced apple filling topped with a delicious crumbly mixture.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Servings 8 servings

Equipment

Baking dish 8x8 inch square dish or pie plate
Large bowl
Medium bowl
pastry blender optional

Ingredients

Apple Filling

6 large apples A mix of sweet and tart apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith. Peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces.
1 tablespoon lemon juice
0.5 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Crumble Topping

1 cup all-purpose flour
0.5 cup rolled oats Rolled oats, not instant.
0.5 cup packed brown sugar
0.5 cup unsalted butter Cold and cut into small cubes.
1 pinch salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a large bowl, toss sliced apples with lemon juice, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to ensure all apple slices are coated.
Pour the spiced apple mixture into your baking dish.
In a separate medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients.
Use your fingertips or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter visible.
Evenly sprinkle the crumble mixture over the apple filling in the baking dish.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges.

Notes

This crumble is best served warm, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce. It can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.