Apple Crumble Recipe (2024)

By Samantha Seneviratne

Apple Crumble Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 1 hour 10 minutes
Rating
5(4,614)
Notes
Read community notes

Apple crumble is one of those desserts all cooks should have in their back pockets. It’s a no-fuss favorite that works as well for dessert with a big scoop of ice cream as it does for breakfast with some plain, whole-milk yogurt. This recipe starts with a hefty crumb mixture, studded with pecans and old-fashioned rolled oats. Plenty of butter and sugar ensure the crumb stays crisp after baking, creating a delightful textural contrast between topping and tender fruit. Using a mix of sweet and tart apples that soften at slightly different rates also keeps this recipe interesting.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

  • 12tablespoons/170 grams unsalted butter, melted, plus more for buttering the pan
  • cups/180 grams all-purpose flour
  • cup/300 grams packed dark brown sugar, divided
  • 1cup/80 grams old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1cup/113 grams pecans, chopped
  • 1teaspoon kosher salt
  • pounds mixed apples, such as Granny Smith, Macintosh, and Pink Lady, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch wedges (about 8 medium apples)
  • 1tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

504 calories; 23 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 73 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 45 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 201 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Apple Crumble Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup/200 grams of the brown sugar, oats, pecans and salt. Add the butter, and stir with a fork until the crumbs are evenly moistened.

  2. Add the apples to the buttered baking dish and toss with the remaining ½ cup/100 grams brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Spread the apples into an even layer. Press the crumb mixture together to create clumps of different sizes, and sprinkle on top of the apples. Transfer to the oven, and bake until the apples are tender and the crumb topping is crisp and deep golden brown, about 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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4,614

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Cooking Notes

Kristen

You should divide all the ingredients in half and use a smaller pan:6 tablespoons of butter3/4 cup of flour3/4 cup of brown sugar1/2 cup oats1/2 cup chopped pecans1/2 tsp kosher salt4 apples1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon1 tablespoon lemon juiceFollow the preparation instructions and cook in 9 inch round or square cake pan, probably for a slightly shorter time, like 45 minutes. Good luck!

Patty K

For a consistently chunky-not-clumpy topping, use the same proportion of butter to flour and sugar (1/2:1:1), but use cold butter cut in pieces and cut it into the brown sugar-flour mix (best with old fashioned manual pie crust dough blender, finish by rubbing with fingers) then add pecans if desired (have never used rolled oats but why not?). Put crumble topping into frig while you prepare apples and it will be easier to scatter evenly over apples and will brown more evenly.

gardyngnome

Thanks for all the helpful commentary! Here's mine - I proudly admit that I never peel the apples. Looks just as good as this perfectly staged portion, tastes fantastic, and keeps all the fiber and nutrition (not to mention saving time).

Tootin Moose

This is the best crumble I've encountered. Right ratio of topping to apples, nice crunch to topping, and nice balance of flavors. I did add a splash of vanilla to the apples, but otherwise recipe was spot on.

j. Clarke

In the 50 years I have been making apple crisps I have never peeled the apples.

PJD

This is the best apple crumble recipe I've tried - the melted butter and nuts makes the difference. I used walnuts instead of pecans. Reduced sugar on apples to 2 Tbs instead of half cup and increased cinnamon to 2 Tbs

Toby

I have multiplied the topping recipe by 6 or 8 and keep it in the freezer. When I need a dessert, I remove the appropriate amount of topping, chop it coarsely, and use as directed. Also, I keep tons of frozen berries in the freezer, so I can make berry crumble or berry apple crumble all year long. Also, I pat extra topping into a pan or muffin cups and bake ‘till crisp for the selfish teenagers and millennials who pick the topping off the serving dish.

silvia rennie

Yay! Ever trying to avoid unhealthy animal fats, I tried this entirely with OLIVE OIL, and it worked!

wilcoworld

This is a rich one! The thick butter rich crumble sets it apart. Less of oats and pecans, to ensure a good crumble. Less sugar to apples, used light brown here. Bit of fresh grated nutmeg, lemon zest, vanilla, too. Next time, will bake covered 1st till apples are nicely cooking. Uncover for topping to complete browning.We agree -- give Bourbon a try !

Anne

Thanks for puabout blishing a tribute to my favorite dessert, one I’ve made by heart for 50 years. My mental recipe isn’t similar to this, but at 80 I sometimes need a boost to memory. Now I have it in my favorite place..my NYT recipe file! Thanks also for the many things you introducedme to during the most isolated days of the pandemic in NJ: delicious sheet pan baked, fried tofu, crazy salads, miso somewhere other than soup. (I’d like to see more shisou in your Asian recipes though.)

n.w.

Our young daughter made this. She used 2 peaches, 6 apples, giving the cobbler a little zing of acidity from the peaches and taking advantage of the best late summer fruit. It is divine! She also pulverized the pecans in a coffee grinder, because she and her sibling don't like nuts. But she agreed the flavor had to be in there. We're serving it with prosciutto, crusty bread, and cheese for a brunch treat.

Follow the directions

The magic of this recipe is a good ratio of crumb to fruit, as well as the mixture of different kinds of apples - so if u do riff I wouldn’t stray from those 2 points. My only experimentation was reducing sugar by 1/3 but adding a simple, salted caramel sauce that drizzled on top (1/3 cup sugar, 3 tb butter, 1 tsp salt and 3 tb milk — melt the first 3 ingredients then add the milk to deglaze and even out the sauce. Let it thicken a few mins with heat off then drizzle over crumble with a spoon).

Culinista

A teaspoon or two of finely minced candied ginger adds a little extra interest to the crumble topping.

PJD

Used walnuts instead of pecans. Reduced sugar on apples to 2 Tbs instead of half cup and increased cinnamon to 2 Tbs. Didnt peel apples. Bake for 1 hour 5 min

lucia

Would love to know how to adjust this recipe by half since we're a two-person household. Can anyone help?

modification

Make a half portion and reduce sugar by 1/3-1/2. Add nutmeg

Michael

This is simple and awesome! Not too sweet and the texture of the apples and toppings is perfect.I used a combo of 1/2 Cortland and 1/2 Honeycrisp apples.

Isabelle

I used Pink Lady apples. Never again! We needed knives, even after baking it an extra hour.

Bingo!

I did not have oats...I DID have Alpen Muesli cereal. Yumtastic!

parisaa

Reduce the sugar! I used 2 tbsp in the apple, and 2 tbsp in the crumble. It was plenty!

teri jones

One of the best if not THE best apple crumble I’ve ever eaten. I almost didn’t make it because of the instruction to melt the butter the butter for the crumble. Sometimes you just have to trust the experts. Thank you Samantha!

jla

I love melting the butter instead of having to cut it in. Saves time, works if your butter is straight out of the freezer, and comes out great! I don't peel the apples. I subbed cashews due to an allergy. Had fewer apples and added cranberries. Used a bit less sugar. Delicious crumble.

Christa

I have made this recipe many times, and today swapped red pears for red apples and did so with success.

jbwpgh

Made some substitutions to make this gluten-free and dairy-free, borrowing from other people's suggestions, and it was DELICIOUS.3/4 EVOO instead of butterUsed 1/3 C almond flour and used Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten free baking flour for the rest.Added 1-1/2 t vanillaTopped with a sprinkle of Maldon saltUsed gold rush and pink lady apples (both sweet/tart)YUM. Seriously.

Mary D.

I just made this for Thanksgiving and it was delicious. The only change I made to the recipe was to swap out the pecans for walnuts (personal preference). I used a mix of Granny Smith, pink lady and honey crisp apples. It was a huge hit with the family and we all had it for breakfast the next day. Served with French vanilla ice cream or greek yogurt for toppings. This is now my favorite apple dessert recipe, better than pie, or crisp! Highly recommend.

tigerlilly

Cooked this for a family gathering. I used locally grown heirloom apples (Arkansas Black), local pecans, and ceylon cinnamon. Added 1tbs cinnamon to the crumble mixture as well as the apples and maybe a bit more than 2tbs lemon. Otherwise as written. ABSOLUTELY delicious. Everyone loved it, even folks who normally don’t like apple pies. Excellent hot or cold. Ridiculously indulgent warm from the oven with a scoop of melting ice cream!

sandy

Made this yesterday for Thanksgiving dessert and it was a hit! Subbed lime juice since I didn’t have lemons, and didn’t pack the brown sugar, used all Granny Smiths and didn’t peel them. Done in 50 minutes. Had enough topping and it was nice and crunchy. Great recipe!

angela h

Delicious. The prep time alone is significantly longer than what’s indicated here — I don’t know how they come up with these cooking times…

tigerlilly

agreed. i spent around 30 minutes peeling and slicing the apples. of course there are some time-saving techniques i could’ve used but overall the preparation time is OFF.

kafilah

Nutmeg lemon zest and vanilla must be added

Ash

Amazing with butter pecan ice cream.

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Apple Crumble Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good crumble? ›

❓FAQ
  • Use cold butter. This will help to create a crumbly texture that will not stick together when baking.
  • Use a mix of flour and oats. The oats will add a bit of crunch and texture to the topping.
  • Don't overmix the ingredients. The crumble topping should be made with a "coarse" crumb.
Jun 5, 2023

How do you keep crumble topping crunchy? ›

By freezing your topping, it makes it harden just slightly and that means the texture will be nice and crispy when it's cooked.”

Why is my crumble always soggy? ›

Not enough butter, and your topping will be a dry, floury mess. Too much butter and your topping will become a greasy blob or disappointingly soggy. Some recipes will ask you to cut in cold butter along with your dry ingredients, resulting in pea-size pieces that are sprinkled across the hot fruit filling.

How do you know when a crumble is cooked? ›

Bake the crumble.

Cover the pan with foil, and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 25 to 30 minutes, until the crumble is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Leave to stand for 5-10 minutes, then serve warm with custard or ice cream.

Is it better to crumble with cold or melted butter? ›

A well-made crumb should be firm yet tender, and chewy, with big chunks—like granola. The best way to achieve this is to use cold cubed butter. Using room-temperature or melted butter will cause the topping to spread out and flatten when it bakes, rather than standing pert and perky.

Why is my apple crumble topping not crunchy? ›

You need to stop rubbing the fat into the flour so efficiently! Leaving lumps in it is what makes those lovely crunchy bits. I also recently read that crumbled ginger nuts make a lovely addition.

What happens if you put too much butter in a crumble? ›

If you use more butter than the recipe calls for, the crumb topping will be melted and greasy. If you don't use enough butter it will be dry and floury.

What does cornstarch do in a crumble? ›

Then, make sure to bake the crumble long enough so that the fruit filling comes to a profuse simmer at the edges of the pan. This shows that the cornstarch has been activated enough to thicken the juices, turning them supple and silky.

What is the top of crumble made from? ›

Classic crumble

Sometimes simplicity is best and a basic crumble topping of sugar, flour and butter is all you need for the perfect pudding. In Raymond Blanc's popular apple & blackberry crumble, the topping is pre-baked so it retains a light, crumbly texture and doesn't stick together.

Why is my crumble topping like dough? ›

This is usually down to the butter being too warm when mixed together. Also, if the ambient temperature is warm, then the butter will soften after the crumble mix is made and cause it to turn into a dough-like consistency. Be sure to use cubed butter straight from the fridge when making the crumble mix.

What are the best apples for apple crisp? ›

When it comes to finding the best apple for your crisp, go with a crisp, tart variety that stands up well to baking, like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. Or, go for it – try mixing the two together if you've got both on hand. Golden Delicious is another great choice for crisp hausarbeit schreiben lassen kosten.

Is crumble the same as streusel? ›

Ingredients: Streusel is typically made with a 1:1:2 ratio of flour, sugar, and butter. Crumble topping, on the other hand, has a higher ratio of sugar to flour, typically 1:1 or 1:1.5. This gives crumble topping a sweeter and more crumbly texture. Texture: Streusel is denser and more chewy than crumble topping.

How do you know apple crumble is done? ›

Set on a baking tray and put in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden and the apples feel very soft when you insert a small, sharp knife. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Why did my apple crumble burn? ›

Go too hot and the crumble topping with get too dark before the fruit is ready. You'll be left with too-hard fruit and a burnt topping, which will make both you and us sad. If the top could use a little extra browning, jack the temperature or broil it after it's fully baked.

What's the difference between apple crumble and apple crisp? ›

Like an apple crisp, an apple crumble is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping. But unlike the crisp, the crumble topping rarely includes oats or nuts. Instead, a crumble's topping is more like streusel, made with flour, sugar and butter.

What does baking soda do in crumble? ›

Making Crumble Topping

First, adding a teaspoon of baking powder to the flour mixture makes the crumble topping more tender. Second, using cold butter and working it into the flour mixture makes for a pastry-like topping reminiscent of pie crust.

Why is my crumble not browning? ›

You can get the top to brown faster either by adding some extra sugar to the top (sprinkle it on) or toasting it under the broiler for a minute or two once the rest has baked. It is also possible your oven is miscalibrated. Maybe it is cooler than you think.

Can you overwork crumble? ›

"Do not overwork the crumble; lift it with the tips of your fingers and rub it lightly between your hands. Do not try to compress the mixture as you will end up making a dough!" "Traditionally, the crumble is added on to the top of the cooked filling and then baked.

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