Apple Crumble Recipe (2024)

By Samantha Seneviratne

Apple Crumble Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 1 hour 10 minutes
Rating
5(4,608)
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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4,608

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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 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

What is the difference between apple crisp and apple crumble? ›

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 is crumble topping made of? ›

As its name suggests, crumb topping is a dessert topping. It's a simple mixture of butter, sugar, and flour, and is typically used to top pies or muffins prior to baking for a crunchy, sweet contrast.

How do you make Martha Stewart apple crumble? ›

In a large bowl, toss together apples, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; transfer to prepared dish. In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter with brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in 1 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt until large pieces form. Scatter over filling.

How do you keep crumble topping crisp? ›

Butter, which encourages both browning and crispness, is the magic ingredient in getting your topping just right, so follow the recipe instructions. But if you feel your topping is still too dry and crumbly, (even for a crumble) add a bit more melted butter, a tablespoon at a time.

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.

Why is it called Brown Betty? ›

This has led some historians to believe that Betty was the name of the cook and creator of the recipe and that brown was in reference to her skin color.

What is the top of apple crumble made of? ›

Place the flour, demerara sugar and butter into a mixing bowl and rub with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the oats. Scatter onto the apples and then sprinkle the extra sugar on top.

Can I use eating apples instead of cooking apples in a crumble? ›

Cooking notes

I use eating rather than cooking apples for this recipe as they are sweeter and do not need cooking before they are put in the crumble.

Is light or dark brown sugar better for crumble? ›

The good news is that light and dark brown sugar are interchangeable: You're not going to ruin your cookies, your crumble, or your banana bread by swapping one for the other.

Is crumble supposed to be crunchy? ›

They're supposed to be chunky and craggy, with big pieces of crumble on top. By freezing your topping, it makes it harden just slightly and that means the texture will be nice and crispy when it's cooked.”

What is cobbler crumble? ›

Cobbler: A fruit dessert made with a top crust of pie dough or biscuit dough but no bottom crust. Crisp/crumble: In Alberta, the terms are mostly interchangeable. Both refer to fruit desserts similar to cobbler but made with a brown sugar streusel topping sometimes containing old-fashioned rolled oats.

Why add lemon juice to apple crumble? ›

This is known as oxidation and occurs when the cells within the fruit are exposed to air. Lemon juice helps with this, acting to coat the flesh and protecting it. It also adds extra flavour to your apple crumble recipe and offsets the sweetness of the sugar.

How do you make Aunt Bessie apple crumble mix? ›

Instructions
  1. Place fruit / filling into an ovenproof dish (if using fresh fruit, also add the water and sugar).
  2. Sprinkle the crumble mix over the fruit / filling and rake with a fork to even out any lumps and level the top.
  3. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30-40 mins until the crumble is golden brown.

What are the best apples for baking apple crumble? ›

Best Apple Crumble Recipe Tips

For this recipe, you'll need excellent baking apples. They should have a firm texture and hold their shape when cooked. Some of my favorite types of apples for baking include Honeycrisp, Gala, Pink Lady, and Granny Smith apples. Choose just one, or use a mix!

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.

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.

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