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World's Best Apple Crumble Recipe 2024

4.9 from 1k votes
by: Recipes Awards
Updated: Oct 2024

Homemade apple crumble recipe with a golden brown crust, filled with warm cinnamon-spiced apples.

Classic apple crumble dessert, a sweet treat with a crunchy topping and tender baked apples.

Prep: 15min Cook: 15min Serves: 4

Our team of experts has tested countless apple crumble recipes, and we have selected the best one for you. Follow these six simple steps to create a classic dessert that is sure to impress. The traditional apple filling and crispy, buttery crumble combine to create the perfect balance of sweetness and texture. This foolproof recipe is suitable for both beginners and experienced bakers. With a combination of sweet and tart apples, warm spices, and a crunchy topping, this dessert is a must-try for any sweet tooth.

For the Filling:

( 575g Bramley apple 3 Medium Apples),peeled, cored and sliced to 1 cm thick;
2 Tbsp Golden Caster Sugar.

For the Crumble:

175g Plain Flour;
110g Golden Caster Sugar;
110g Cold Butter.

1 Tbsp Rolled Oats;
1 Tbsp Demerara Sugar;
Double Cream, Clotted Cream or Custard.

Are you ready to dive into the delicious world of apple crumble? Get your apron on and let's get baking! Follow these detailed steps to craft your delectable apple crumble and enjoy a warm and satisfying dessert that will leave you craving more.

Preparing the Apples

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Toss 575g peeled, cored and sliced Bramley apples with 2 tbsp golden caster sugar and put in a 23cm round baking dish at least 5cm deep, or a 20cm square dish. Don't cut the apples too small or they will just disintegrate, especially the Bramleys. Flatten down with your hand to prevent too much crumble falling through. Stir well being careful not to break up the fruit.
Mix The Ingredients

Put 175g plain flour and 110g golden caster sugar in a bowl with a good pinch of salt and mix well.
Make a Rustic Crumble Topping with Butter and Flour

Slice in 110g cold butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like moist breadcrumbs. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time rub into the flour mixture.

Shake the bowl and any big bits will come to the surface – rub them in. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Don't worry too much about getting it even, as this is quite a rustic dish and works well with an uneven texture.

You can also make the crumble mixture in a food processor. Place all the topping ingredients into the processor and process on pulse until you get a coarse mixture but be careful not to over-mix.
Creating the Perfect Crumble Pile

Spoon the fruit mixture into the bottom, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top. Pour the crumb mix over the apples to form a pile in the centre, then use a fork to even out.

Sprinkle a good layer of crumble topping over the apples, try to work on a depth half that of the apples. Too thick and the middle won't cook.
Achieving a Professional Crumble Look

Gently press the surface with the back of the fork so the crumble holds together and goes crisp, then lightly drag the fork over the top for a decorative finish.
Adding Rolled Oats and Demerara Sugar

Sprinkle 1 tbsp rolled oats and 1 tbsp demerara sugar over evenly, if you wish.

Set on a baking tray and put in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden and the apples feel very soft when you insert a small, sharp knife. Remove, cover loosely with foil to keep warm and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

When it comes to savoring your freshly baked apple crumble, the possibilities are delightfully varied. A popular choice is to pair the warm dessert with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream, allowing the cold contrast to complement the warmth and spice of the crumble beautifully. This combination creates a symphony of textures and temperatures that elevates the dish to a sublime level of indulgence.

Alternatively, a dollop of whipped cream can offer a lighter, yet equally satisfying, topping that melds seamlessly with the rich apple flavors. For those looking to add an extra touch of sweetness and sophistication, consider a drizzle of caramel sauce or a light dusting of powdered sugar.

These additions not only enhance the visual appeal of the dish but also introduce new layers of flavor that make each bite even more memorable. Serving your apple crumble in these ways can transform it from a simple homemade dessert to an elegant and decadent treat, perfect for any occasion.

Apple crumble, while a delightful treat, varies in its nutritional value based on the ingredients used and portion sizes. Generally, a serving of apple crumble can provide a decent source of dietary fiber, primarily from the apples and oats in the topping. This fiber aids in digestion and can contribute to a feeling of fullness.

Apples also supply a modest amount of vitamin C and potassium. However, it's important to consider the sugar and fat content, primarily from the added sugars and butter.

A typical serving might contain a significant amount of calories, with sugars contributing a large portion. For those mindful of their intake, modifications can be made, such as reducing the sugar or substituting butter with a lower-fat alternative.

Nutrition Facts
Calories	608 per serving
Fat	24g
Saturated Fat	14g
Cholesterol	97mg
Sodium	180mg
Carbohydrate	90g
Sugars	55g
Fiber	5g
Protein	6g

This is the best dessert recipe of all time! No one ever grumbles about a apple crumble recipe. A filling of tender, cinnamon laced apples topped with a nubbly crunchy, golden topping. You'll love how this dessert isn't overly sweet, and how the filling is syrupy and jammy, rather than watery or dry. Very easy to make, this recipe is a keeper that you’ll make again and again.

Puddings and desserts are the backbones of British food and they are renowned throughout the world and there is no more a quintessential pudding than a traditional British dessert. Crumbles come in many guises and can be both sweet and savory but apple is the most popular and no wonder, it is delicious.

A light apple dessert is the perfect topping for delicious British apples which in the autumn, and winter are at their best.

Robin Foster

Chef

This simple and delicious apple crumble! The smell when this is in the oven is just heavenly. The cinnamon, the apple, the buttery sweet goodness. And that moment when you crack through the nubby golden topping and are greeted with the sight of golden syrupy, tender apples!

The apple filling is not dry or watery. It is made ever so slightly jammy/syrupy with the addition of flour mixed with the usual sugar (plus cinnamon for fragrance). Just a bit of flour really makes a difference. The crumbly topping bakes up beautifully crisp but is not dry or doughy or overly sweet.

I like to use Granny Smith apples because the sweet-tart palette appeals to me. If you prefer not to have tartness, then feel free to use sweet red apples. Whatever you use, don't omit the sugar completely because it's part of how the filling becomes a bit jammy rather than watery.

If you like less sweet things, reduce the sugar in the topping down to as low as 1/2 cup. It's best to keep sugar in Filling as is so the syrup consistency isn't affected. Also, use green apples - they are less sweet than others.

Have fun experimenting with different ingredients in your Apple Crumble. Add frozen blueberries or raspberries to the apple; replace the apple with fresh in-season fruits or drained canned fruits; or try using different nuts, such as pecans or hazelnuts, in the crumble.

Caster sugar is also known as fine sugar. Golden caster sugar is unrefined and tends to be more golden in color, Don't worry if you can't find it, use ordinary white caster sugar instead. To make an Apple crumble you can use Bramley apples, considered the best apples for cooking because of their balance between the sugar and acid.

Bramleys contain more acid and less sugar than other apples, so they keep their tangy flavor when cooked. The apple crumble can, however, be made using other apples but avoid the really hard varieties such as the Granny Smith, they don't break down the same way and can stay a little crisp.

Apple Crumbles originated in Britain during the 2nd World War. The dessert also became popular in Ireland during World War II, when the topping was an economical alternative to pies due to shortages of pastry ingredients as the result of rationing. Pie’s would require too much flour, sugar and fat to make the pastry. So people in the 2nd World War got creative and made a simple mixture of flour, margarine and sugar and used this to make the top of the crumble.

The dish is also popular due to its simplicity. Popular fruits used in crumbles include apple, blackberry, peach, rhubarb, gooseberry, and plum. A combination of two or more of these fruits may be used.

The apple crumble is baked in an oven until the topping is crisp. The dessert variety is often served with ice cream, cream, or custard.