Best Apple Crumble Recipe

Use up September and October's apple picking bounty with the Best Apple Crumble Recipe. This delicious dessert has a crispy top layer and a perfectly gooey filling. Made with cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and plenty of apples!

The apple crumble dessert recipe of the century

Do you want to be the hero of this year's holiday gatherings? If so, there's only one thing you need to do: make this dessert! Seriously, as soon as friends and family get a taste of this delicious apple crumble, they'll be begging for the recipe!

This wonderful dish is made in two parts, the filling and the crumble. It comes together beautifully, is easy to make, and feeds a crowd of 8!

Ingredients in the best apple crumble recipe

This recipe includes two sets of ingredients: those for the filling, and those for the crumble. Together, the two parts come together to create a delicious, sweet, satisfying dessert! Each bite is overflowing with flavor thanks to the various ingredients and spices that we'll be using.

Filling

• Apples: First up, you will need 8-9 heaping cups of peeled and cored apples, diced into big chunks. They should be about 1.5 inches all around. The apple variety is up to you, but I used a combination of half Granny Smith and half Honeycrisp.
• Sugar: Next up, add sweet flavor to the recipe with ½ cup of granulated sugar.
• Flour: From there, throw in 3 tablespoon of all-purpose flour.
• Spices: Bring in the delicious autumnal flavor with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
• Lemon juice: Complete this part of the recipe with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

Crumble

• Flour: First up for the crumble is 1 cup of all-purpose flour.
• Brown sugar: Next, add sweetness with ¾ cup of brown sugar. You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar — either is fine!
• Spices: From there, use the same spices for the crumble that you used for the filling. You will need 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
• Baking powder: Help the crumble bake properly by throwing in ½ teaspoon of baking powder.
• Butter: ½ cup of melted butter will help create the perfect crumbly texture.
• Vanilla: Last but not least, finish off the crumble ingredients with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. This makes the flavor really pop!

Tip: You can always throw some chopped glazed pecans or walnuts on top for some extra delicious flavor.

Tip part two: Want hostess bonus points? Pair this crumble with a scoop of ice cream and a caramel sauce drizzle!

Tools needed to make this easy apple crumble recipe

To create this dessert, you will need a few kitchen tools. Grab the following before you begin:

• 9x9 casserole dish
• Nonstick spray
• Apple peeler
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Large mixing bowl
• Stirring utensil
• Medium mixing bowl
• Measuring cups: ¼ tsp, ½ tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, ½ cup, ¾ cup, 1 cup

How to make this apple crisp dessert recipe

Ready to dive in? This recipe comes together with about 20 minutes of prep time and just under an hour of baking time, bringing the total time to around 80 minutes. The dish yields 8 heaping servings. Let's dive in!

Begin this recipe by preheating the oven to 375°F and greasing a 9x9 casserole dish with nonstick spray.

From there, prepare the apples by peeling and dicing them into chunks. Add to a large bowl.

Sprinkle the apples with the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and lemon juice. Toss until all of the apples are completely coated, and then pour them into the greased dish.

Next, grab a medium mixing bowl and begin creating the crumble by combining the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Mix together.

Add the melted butter and vanilla to the mixture, and stir until the crumble forms.

Add the crumble on top of the apples, and cover as much of it as you can.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the crumble is golden brown and the apples are bubbling.

Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

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

Though apple crumble and apple crisp contain similar ingredients, they're two totally different desserts! The crumble in apple crumble is made with flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, butter, and vanilla, which gives it a crumbly texture (almost like a streusel topping). Crisps, on the other hand, are often made with the same sugar, flour, and butter base, but also contain nuts and/or oats of some sort. This makes the layer crunchier.

What to drink with apple crumble

Traditionally, apple dishes are often paired with white wine — the sweeter the better. You can opt to abide by that classic pairing, or you can go crazy on the apple by enjoying your crumble alongside an Apple Cider Margarita or Apple Cider Spritz!

Do I have to use a 9x9 baking dish?

You do not! Any sized baking dish will work. Be sure to adjust making time according to the size of the dish. A larger dish won't need to cook as long.

What is the secret to good crumble?

A successful crumble comes down to the flour, butter, and sugar ratio! For this recipe, that means 1 cup of flour, ¾ cup of sugar, and ½ cup of butter. Be sure to measure accurately!

What are the best apples for apple crumble?

Tart apples tend to be best in apple crumble. For this recipe, I used Granny Smith apples and Honeycrisp apples!

How do you keep crumble topping crunchy?

Crumble tends to lose its crispiness in the refrigerator as it soaks up juices from the apple filling. To restore some of that crispiness, reheat in the oven (not the microwave) before enjoying.

Apple crumble can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 4-5 days.

If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these!

Need some more apple dishes in your life? If so, try one of these apple desserts next!

• Apple Cinnamon Rolls
• Healthy Apple Crisp
• Apple Crumble Cheesecake
• Easy Apple Galette

All recipes by Erin Morrissey and Photos by Sierra Inn