Homemade Apple Crumble

In this easy Apple Crumble recipe without oats, we combine tart, crisp apples with warm spices and sugar and top it all off with the most delicious buttery, crumbly topping. Bake it up and serve it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and mug of hot coffee for a comforting fall dessert. Large 13×9-inch size makes it perfect for a crowd.

If you are looking for more fall favorites, then you are definitely going to want to check out these recipes. These easy Puff Pastry Apple Turnovers, so simple with store bought frozen puff pastry. This Overnight Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal is a comforting breakfast idea. This Apple Cinnamon Bread is a family favorite and a must make recipe.

Apple season is here again and that means it’s time to whip up every apple recipe the world has to offer.

If you are craving all of the flavors of autumn, then this apple crumble is a definite must make fall recipe!

This delicious dessert happens to be a personal favorite to make every fall right after we go apple picking. That caramelized apple filling and crumble topping get me every time! It has all the flavor of a classic apple pie but without any finicky pie crust. It is a simple recipe to make

While this is typically more of a dessert recipe, there will be no judgement if you want to eat this apple dish for breakfast. I mean there is fruit in it, right?!

This is the perfect apple crumble recipe because it’s made in a 13×9″ pan which means it is great to bring to large gatherings or holiday get-togethers because there is enough to feed a crowd. I personally, make this all year long and like the larger size so that there are enough for leftovers.

For pure decadence, and to completely enjoy this recipe to it’s fullest, do yourself a favor and serve this apple dessert warmed up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of homemade whipped cream.

An added bonus, as it bakes it will fill your whole kitchen with the scent of fall. And it’s classic comfort food that will cure your sweet tooth.

What is Apple Crumble without Oats?

This classic dessert is one of my favorite apple recipes. Apple chunks get smothered in sweet sugar and apple pie spices, tossed into a baking pan and sprinkled with a crumb topping. While cooking, the tender apple filling gets gooey and caramelized and the topping gets golden brown.

This delicious apple crumble recipe is similar to our Gala Apple Crisp recipe, but this one doesn’t have oats in the crunchy topping. It’s great if you don’t like oats or just don’t like the texture oats create.

Why make Cinnamon Apple Crumble?

Oh all of the reasons to make this apple dessert…Here are a couple reasons why we love this recipe.

• Fall favorite dessert. Making this recipe is a fall tradition for us. You can make it a tradition, too.
• Great for holidays. Since this is a double recipe, it is the perfect dessert for big events like the holidays to serve a crowd. Make it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter.
• Substitute for apple pie. This recipe is similar to a dutch apple pie, but it’s way easier. If you are craving pie, this is a great sub.
• Crowd-pleasing dessert. Looking for a big dessert for game day, pot luck, or next gathering? This is a great one because it serves more people.

What is the Secret to the Best Apple Crumble?

Even though this is an easy recipe, there are a couple things you can do to ensure you make the best apple crumble.

• Cold butter. The number one tip for the recipe to turn out well is to keep the butter refrigerated until you are ready to make the crust layer. This will give you a crisp topping.
• Same size apple pieces. Cutting your apples into evenly sized slices will ensure they all cook uniformly.
• Fresh Apples. Make sure to use fresh, crisp apples. Using old apples with a lot of bruises could mean that they are mealy apples. Fresh apples will be able to hold up to that buttery topping.
• Serve it warm. Serving it warm is the best way to enjoy apple crumble. It can be eaten cold, but it’s better warm.

What are the Best Apples for Baked Desserts?

There are a wide variety of apples that work well in baked treats, basically any apple that you use in an apple pie will be great in this recipe.

The best kind of apples to use in crumble are sturdy apples that hold up well to high heat. Using tart baking apples, like Granny Smith apples will help balance out the sugar that is added. Some of our favorite apples are Pink Lady (Cripps Pink), Honeycrisp apples, Braeburn, or Jonagold.

You could also use a mixture of sweet apples along with the tart apples to give a great balance of flavor. The golden delicious apple or gala apple is a great apple to mix with firmer apples.

And, of course, you definitely want your apples to be fresh.

Homemade Apple Crumble Recipe Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients needed to make this apple crumble recipe without oats. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for full amounts.

Spiced Apple Filling

• Apples: Use apples that are firm like Granny Smith it is a good apple to use because they are tart. You can also mix apples.
• Brown sugar: Light brown sugar adds a caramelized flavor to this dish.
• Cornstarch: This will thicken the apple filling.
• Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon that you get from the grocery store is all you need. You could also replace the cinnamon with apple pie spice.
• Salt: Just a little bit of salt will help balance out the sweetness.

Buttery Crumble Topping

• Flour: All-purpose flour is the type of flour needed.
• Sugar: I like to use granulated sugar in the topping, but brown sugar could also be used.
• Baking Powder: This will help give a little bit of fullness to the crust. Check the date on the container to make sure it isn’t expired.
• Salt: A pinch of salt is all that is needed in the topping.
• Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon gives a fall spice flavor.
• Unsalted Butter: Make sure to keep the butter refrigerated until you are ready to make the topping.

How to Make Apple Crumble without Oats

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 375 deg F. Butter or use a little non stick cooking spray in a 13×9-inch baking pan.

STEP 2: In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, corn starch and cinnamon. Add in apples and mix well to coat. Dump apple mixture into the baking dish and spread them out in an even layer.

STEP 3: In a medium bowl, mix together all purpose flour, white sugar, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or two forks into the dry ingredients until the mixture creates pea-sized pieces.

STEP 4: Sprinkle crumb topping over the apples.

STEP 5: Bake for 35-45 minutes. The filling should be bubbling and thickened and the topping is golden brown.

STEP 6: Let the whole thing cool for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream and drizzle with caramel sauce if you like.

How to Reduce the Size of Apple Crumble

I don’t know why you would want to have less apple crumble since this makes delicious leftovers, but just in case you do, here is how to make less!

Can I make this apple crumble in an 8×8-inch pan? It is easiest to cut this crumble recipe down to cook in an 8×8-inch baking pan and that is because all you have to do is cut all of the ingredients directly in half. Make as directed and cook for 35-45 minutes.

A Note about Lemon Juice

A lot of apple desserts you come across will have lemon juice in them. This is mostly to keep the apples from browning. I skip the lemon here because we are adding cinnamon and brown sugar that is going to make the apple brown anyway.

And actually we want more brown apples here, it makes a more attractive dessert. Another use for lemon juice is to add a little tartness, but, because we are using tart apples, lemon juice is not required.

Tips for Success

• Don’t over-bake. You don’t want the topping to get too brown. In the last 15 minutes of baking, keep a close eye on the crumble. Bake it until it is lightly browned on top and the filling is thick and bubbling.
• Using cold butter. Cold butter is going to give you a nice crisp topping. Warm butter or even melted butter can cause the topping to spread more, which is not what you want. Cold butter will allow it to stay in clumps.
• Apple chunks. Cut apples into chunks instead of apple slices, it makes serving easier. Sliced apples are better for apple pie or baked cinnamon apples.
• Best way to serve apple crumble. Serve apple crumble warm with ice cream and homemade caramel sauce.

Recipe Variations

• Add cranberries. Make it an apple cranberry crumble by adding 1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries in with the apples. It will add even more tart flavor.
• Lemon juice. This recipe does not have any lemon juice added, but you can add it in if your apples are super sweet. You can use the juice from one lemon.
• Add nuts. You can add finely chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds to the topping. dried fruits, or spices like cardamom or ginger to either the filling or the topping for a unique twist.
• Different spices. You can add layers of flavor by using different spices. A common spice to use with apples is ground nutmeg. A little goes a long way so I would use 1/4-1/2 teaspoon. You can use fresh nutmeg or pre-packaged nutmeg. Or add apple pie spice, that mix can include ground ginger, allspice, ground cloves, or cardamom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you put oats in apple crumble? You can add them, but there are no oats added to this recipe, it is an oat-free apple crumble.

What’s the difference between apple crisp and apple crumble and apple cobbler? The way I understand it is that apple crumble is basically apple crisp without oats. And apple cobbler has a biscuit type crust instead of a crumb crust. The apple crumble has more of a streusel-style topping that is added on top of the apples before baking.

Why is my apple crumble topping not crunchy? If you use room temperature butter or bake covered for the entire cooking time, the topping may come out more soft than crisp. Also, letting the cooked crumble sit too long after baking can cause a softer topping because it softens as it cools.

Why use cornstarch in crumble? The cornstarch in this recipe is used as a thickener. All purpose flour could be used as a substitute, but it will make the mixture cloudy. The cornstarch will keep the fruit mixture shiny and clear.

Why is my apple crumble soggy after baking? You may have used some really juicy apples. This is another reason we use cornstarch in this recipe, it helps soak up the moisture of the apples. Using tart apples will also help with this, so pick a good one like Granny Smith apples. Also, use apples that firm texture and not overripe as these won’t be quite as juicy.

Does apple crumble need to be covered while baking? This recipe bakes without being covered so that the crust gets nice and crunchy. But, it is a matter of preference, you can bake it covered for most of the time and then uncover it for the last 10 minutes to get some crispness on the topping.

How to fix soggy apple crumble? Baked apple crisp that has been refrigerated can get soggy because the crisp topping starts to absorb the juices from the apples. One trick you can try is to pull the topping off the crisp and place onto a baking sheet in a thin layer. Cook at 350°F for 5 minutes or so, until it has crisped back up.

How to Store & Reheat

Let the crumble cool and put in an airtight container or cover your baking dish with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. It should last about 3-5 days in the fridge.

How to keep crumble at room temperature? If you are going to be eating all of the apple crumble the same day, it can be kept on the counter at room temperature. However, if it’s any longer, apple crumble needs to be stored in the fridge.

How do you reheat cold crumble? Reheat apple crumble in a preheated 350°F oven for 30-40 minutes until heated through. For smaller amounts reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until heated through.

Can I Freeze Homemade Apple Crumble?

How to freeze apple crumble? Let the crumble cool off completely before putting into an airtight glass, BPA-free freezer-safe bag or freezer-safe plastic container. Make sure to label with the recipe name and date. The crisp should last about 3 months in the freezer.

How to thaw apple crumble? Thaw frozen cooked crumble in the refrigerator overnight until defrosted.

Try these other sweet recipes!

• Pineapple Pound Cake
• Pineapple Dump Cake
• No Bake Butterfinger Pie
• Snickerdoodle Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Apple Cider Slushie
• Apple Cinnamon Bread

If you’ve tried the best apple crumble recipe, don’t forget to give me a star rating and leave me a comment below in the comment section. I love to hear from people who have made my recipes!

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