Warm cinnamon apples, a buttery brown sugar topping, and a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream, this is the best apple crumble recipe for fall baking and holiday gatherings! It's made with a mix of tart and sweet apples and a classic streusel-style crumble that bakes up golden and crisp. If you love my healthy apple crisp or my healthy apple cobbler, this cozy classic belongs in your apple season lineup!
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The Best Easy Apple Crumble Recipe
This easy apple crumble is made in two simple parts. First, chunks of peeled apples are tossed with sugar, a little flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and fresh lemon juice. Then a quick crumble topping of flour, brown sugar, warm spices, baking powder, melted butter, and vanilla gets sprinkled over the top before baking until bubbly.
Using half Granny Smith and half Honeycrisp apples gives you the perfect balance of tart and sweet, and the apples hold their shape while turning soft and jammy. Unlike a crisp, this crumble topping has no oats or nuts, so it bakes into a buttery, streusel-like layer. If you love apple desserts with a crumbly topping, my apple crumble cake is another fall favorite.
It serves 8, so it's perfect for Thanksgiving, holiday dinners, or a cozy weekend treat. And if you need more apple desserts like this one, you're going to LOVE my apple crumble cheesecake or my easy apple galette!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Buttery, golden topping. A classic streusel-style crumble with brown sugar and warm spices.
- Perfectly balanced apples. Tart Granny Smith and sweet Honeycrisp make the best filling.
- Easy to make. Just two bowls and one baking dish.
- Feeds a crowd. It serves 8, so it's perfect for holidays.
- Great for apple season. A delicious way to use up your apple-picking haul.
- Even better with ice cream. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream and caramel.
Ingredients Needed To Make This Best Apple Crumble
Here's a little bit about everything that goes into this best apple crumble:
- Apples: Tart apples work best. A mix of half Granny Smith and half Honeycrisp gives the perfect sweet-tart balance.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the apple filling.
- Flour: A little in the filling helps thicken the juices, and more forms the base of the crumble.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: Warm, cozy spices in both the filling and the topping.
- Lemon juice: Brightens the apples and keeps them from browning.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark both work and give the crumble a rich, caramel-like flavor.
- Butter: Melted butter brings the crumble topping together.
How to Make the Best Apple Crumble
This apple crumble comes together in two easy steps: the apple filling and the crumble topping. Toss the apple chunks with sugar, flour, spices, and lemon juice, spread them in a greased baking dish, then mix up the crumble in a separate bowl.
Spread the crumble evenly over the apples, covering as much as you can, and bake until the topping is golden and the apples are bubbling. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before serving so the filling has time to thicken.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x9 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Step 2: Peel, core, and cut the apples into 1.5-inch chunks and add them to a large bowl.
- Step 3: Toss the apples with the granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and lemon juice until coated. Pour them into the baking dish.
- Step 4: In a separate bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder.
- Step 5: Stir in the melted butter and vanilla until a crumble forms. Spread the crumble over the apples, covering as much of the surface as possible.
- Step 6: Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apples are bubbling. Let cool for at least 30 minutes, then serve with vanilla ice cream.
Erin's Expert Tips
From my kitchen to yours
- Use tart apples. Granny Smith holds its shape and balances the sweet topping.
- Cut the apples evenly. Same-size chunks bake at the same rate.
- Cover the apples well. Spread the crumble over as much of the surface as you can.
- Let it cool. Thirty minutes gives the juices time to thicken.
- Reheat in the oven. It keeps the topping crisp, unlike the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common questions about this best apple crumble recipe.
Tart apples work best. I love using half Granny Smith and half Honeycrisp for the perfect sweet-tart balance.
A crumble has a streusel-like topping made without oats or nuts, while a crisp usually includes oats and sometimes nuts.
Yes! Any baking dish works, but you may need to adjust the baking time.
Either one works in the crumble topping.
Reheat leftovers in the oven rather than the microwave to bring back the crisp topping.
Vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce are perfect! Glazed pecans or walnuts make a great topping too.
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it keeps for 4-5 days.
Storing leftovers
Store leftover apple crumble in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To bring back that crispy topping, reheat it in the oven instead of the microwave.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
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Ingredients
- 8-9 heaping cups peeled + cored apples diced into big chunks (about 1.5 inch all around) I used half granny smith, half honeycrisp
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1.5 cups flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F and grease a 9x9 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Prepare apples by peeling and dicing into chunks, then add to a large bowl.
- Sprinkle apples with sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and lemon juice. Stir until all of the apples are completely coated. Pour into greased dish.
- In a separate medium sized bowl, for the crumble, add flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking powder. Mix together.
- Add in melted butter and vanilla and stir until crumble forms.
- Add the crumble topping to the apples, covering as much of it as you can.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes or until crumble is golden brown and apples are bubbling.
- Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving! Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Nutrition
Per serving. Nutrition is an estimate.
Leave a star rating below and tag me on Instagram so I can see your creation!
Rate This RecipeRecipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Carly says
Without a doubt my most made ELW dessert! So easy and delicious. Top with vanilla ice cream if you want to love yourself!
Erin says
Hi Carly, so happy you enjoyed it and YES to the ice cream!!
Rachel Fagullar says
I love this recipe it was easy and delicious. I used dark brown sugar, I recommend.
Erin says
Hi Rachel, so happy you loved it!!
Rosemarie Guerrieri says
Approximately how many apples to make the 8-9 cups?
Erin says
Hi Rosemarie, about 5-6 large apples. Let me know how your crumble comes out!!
Rosemarie Guerrieri says
Thanks! I'll let you know.
Mar says
Crumble was very good. I did less sugar than it calls for and it was still wayyy too sweet.
Erin says
Hi, so glad you liked it and made it your own!!
Jan says
This is so good! Thanks for sharing
Only problem I had was the crumble was wet so I put in the freezer for a few minutes. And I made sure my butter had cooled off before mixing into flour and sugar mixture so don't know what when wrong