Easy Apple Crumble Recipe

This apple crumble recipe is a fabulously easy dessert to make. The prep requires no special skills, other than the ability to core and slice and apple. I like the apple peeled, but you can leave the skins on if you prefer. The finished dish has such a beautiful blend of flavors and textures — soft, sweet apple paired with textured oats and brown sugar.

You can enjoy this apple dish hot, warm, or cold, and with or without ice cream. Guests, family members, and kids will love it, however you choose to serve it.

Fun fact: Apple crumble originated in Britain during World War II. It emerged as an easier replacement to apple pie.

How to make this apple crumble recipe

Step 1 is to set out 1/3-cup butter to soften. Then preheat your oven to 375F or 190C and lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch baking dish.

Make the crumble

The crumble topping is easy to make. You simply mix up your softened butter, brown sugar, flour, rolled oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix it up with a fork until it’s, well, crumbly.

Prep your apples

Now prep your apples. If you’re peeling the apples, you don’t need to wash them. Just peel, core, and slice. Your slices should be about 1/2-inch thick.

You can also leave the apples unpeeled if you like the added texture of cooked apple skin. Wash them first, then core and slice.

Drop your apples into a baking dish.

Add topping and bake

Sprinkle your crumble topping over the apples. Then bake for 30-35 minutes. (I told it you it was easy). It’s done when the apples are soft. You should see a bit of the juices bubbling up around the edges of the crumble. If it looks dry, drop a few bits of butter over the top while the crumble is still hot.

Substitutions

You can make the following substitutions on this apple crumble recipe:

• Swap out the white flour for whole wheat flour or almond flour
• Use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar. Add an extra tablespoon of butter.
• For an extra boost of fall flavor, substitute pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon and nutmeg.

When to serve apple crumble

I like to serve this dish after a rich holiday meal. It satisfies the requirements of dessert, without being so rich that your guests will leave with a stomachache.

Also, make more than you need for the occasion. This recipe holds well and is delicious straight out of the refrigerator. Try it for breakfast with your coffee.