Old-Fashioned Apple Crumble

This apple crumble is everything fall should taste like — warm cinnamon-spiced apples bubbling under a golden, buttery, oat-studded crumble topping that shatters when you dig your spoon in. It’s the kind of dessert your grandmother made, and it fills the entire house with the most incredible aroma while it bakes.

I love apple crumble because it’s so much easier than pie — no crust to roll, no crimping, no blind baking. Just toss the apples with sugar and spice, pile the crumble on top, and bake until everything is golden and bubbling. Serve it warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and watch it disappear. This is comfort food at its absolute finest.

Sarah Mitchell

Old-Fashioned Apple Crumble

This apple crumble is everything fall should taste like — warm cinnamon-spiced apples bubbling under a golden, buttery, oat-studded crumble topping that shatters when you dig your spoon in. It's the kind of dessert your grandmother made, and it fills the entire house with the most incredible aroma while it bakes.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 320

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 6 large apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled and sliced
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Peel, core, and slice the apples into 1/4-inch thick slices.
3. Toss the apple slices with sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour in a large bowl.
4. Spread the apples evenly in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the crumble.
6. Add the cold cubed butter and work it in with your fingers until you have rough, clumpy crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter.
7. Scatter the crumble evenly over the apples.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges.
9. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving warm with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

Use a mix of tart and sweet apples for the best flavor — Granny Smith for tartness, Honeycrisp for sweetness. Don't skimp on the butter in the crumble topping — that's what makes it crispy and golden. The lemon juice prevents the apples from browning and adds a subtle brightness. This is even better the next day reheated in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes.