Apple Crumble

With a warm, cinnamon laced apple filling and a perfectly crunchy, crumbly topping, Apple Crumble is an absolute crowd pleaser! Very easy to make, this Apple Crumble recipe is a keeper that you’ll make again and again.

This is a reader favourite included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!

THE Apple Crumble recipe

This is The Apple Crumble recipe I’ve been making for years and years. Ever since my sister made an Apple Crumble by a well known celebrity chef for my birthday dinner (yes I’m weird, I seriously requested Apple Crumble instead of a birthday cake) and it was terribly disappointing.

Crumbly topping to be sure, but it was awfully dry and the filling was watery.

Not her fault, it was the recipe. She was not happy. Actually, she was rather grumpy.

That was the moment when I decided I needed to create my own recipe. 🙂

Why use this Apple Crumble recipe?

There are tons and tons of Apple Crumble recipes out there. This recipe doesn’t have any ground breaking techniques or secret ingredients. But it works, tastes great and it makes an Apple Crumble that is everything it should be. Specifically:

1. The apple filling is not dry or watery. It is made ever so slightly jammy / syrupy with the addition of flour mixed with the usual sugar (plus cinnamon for fragrance). Just a bit of flour really makes a difference; and

2. The crumbly topping bakes up beautifully crisp but is not dry or doughy or overly sweet. It crumbles when you serve it – hence the name 😉 – but it doesn’t disintegrate, there are chunks that hold together. Think chunky muesli/granola – like that. But softer. 🙂

Best apples for Apple Crumble

I like to use Granny Smith apples because the sweet-tart palette appeals to me. If you prefer not to have tartness, then feel free to use sweet red apples.

This recipe will also work for pears and even stone fruits like peaches.

The smell when this is in the oven is just heavenly. The cinnamon, the apple, the buttery sweet goodness.

And that moment when you crack through the nubbly golden topping and are greeted with the sight of golden syrupy, tender apples…

It’s just a little bit of heaven, right there.

Just one rule. Don’t forget the ice cream!!! 😇  – Nagi x

Apple Crumble
Watch how to make it

This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. Mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!

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Apple Crumble

Author:

Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Prep:

15

mins

Cook:

40

mins

Total:

55

mins

Dessert

Western

4.98

from

391

votes

Servings

6

-8

Tap or hover to scale

Print

• 1028

Recipe video above. A filling of tender, cinnamon laced apples topped with a nubbly crunchy, golden topping. You’ll love how this Apple Crumble isn’t overly sweet, and how the filling is syrupy and jammy, rather than watery or dry. The smell when this is cooking is everything! SWEETNESS – see Note 4.

Ingredients

Apple Filling

• ▢

  2 lb / 1kg

  Granny Smith Apples( green apples)

  , weight before peeling

• ▢

  1

  tbsp

  flour

  , plain / all-purpose

• ▢

  1/2

  cup

  white sugar

  (sub brown sugar)

• ▢

  2

  tbsp

  lemon juice

  (or water)

• ▢

  1/2

  tsp

  ground cinnamon

Topping

• ▢

  1

  cup

  rolled oats / oatmeal

  (quick cooking is ok)

• ▢

  1

  cup

  flour

  , plain / all-purpose

• ▢

  1

  cup (loosely packed)

  brown sugar

  (sub white sugar)

• ▢

  1/2

  tsp

  baking powder

• ▢

  1

  tsp

  cinnamon powder

• ▢

  125g / 1/2 cup

  unsalted butter

  , melted

• ▢

  Pinch of salt

To Serve

• ▢

  Vanilla ice cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (both fan and standard).

• Apple – Peel apples, then cut into 1.5cm/ 1/2” cubes.

• Apple filling – Place apples in a bowl. Sprinkle with flour, sugar and cinnamon, then pour over lemon juice. Toss, then spread out evenly in a 1.5 litre/1.5 quart baking dish. 

• Crumble topping – Place Topping ingredients in a bowl. Mix until clumps form, like wet sand (see video). Spread over the apples, crumbling with fingers if required to get that crumbly topping.

• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove, cover loosely with foil to keep warm and let stand for 10 minutes before serving (let’s the apple syrup thicken slightly).

• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Recipe Notes:

1. Weight is BEFORE peeling and coring. I like making this with Granny Smith apples because they are slightly tart. You can use any apples you want, or even pears.

Peaches work too but you can cut back on the sugar a bit. This recipe is also great for any type of berries.

Whatever you use, don’t omit the sugar completely because it’s part of how the filling becomes a bit jammy rather than watery.

2. Weights – This recipe is quite forgiving / difference in cup measures are relative so it works whether using US cups or Imperial cups (i.e. what 99% of the rest of the world uses). It won’t work with Japanese cups (which are smaller) so please use the weight measures provided.

3. To make ahead, prepare recipe up to just before crumbling topping on top. Cover topping with cling wrap (refrigerate if it’s hot where you are) then crumble over just before baking.

4. SWEETNESS: A few readers have said they find this too sweet for their taste. I don’t have an overly sweet tooth, and love this as is. If you like less sweet things, reduce the sugar in the topping down to as low as 1/2 cup. It’s best to keep sugar in Filling as is so the syrup consistency isn’t affected. Also, use green apples – they are less sweet than others.

5. Nutrition per serving, assuming this serves 8, excludes ice cream.

Originally posted April 2016, updated with new commentary, recipe video and fresh new photos. No change to recipe!

Nutrition Information:

Serving:

378

g

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