It doesn't get more old-fashioned than an apple crumble, and this is the first recipe I ever learned. It's such an easy dessert that you can have it on the table in under 1 hour. It has self-saucing cinnamon apples and a crumb topping that's crisp, clumpy (so you know it'll be good!), and you can make it ahead.

Apple crumble serving on a white plate with scoop of ice cream.

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A must-bake classic

When apple season arrives and you're looking for ways to showcase those gorgeous Granny Smith apples, this classic apple recipe delivers every time. It's rustic, comes together in minutes, and never fails to impress.

Desserts with crisp toppings are such favorites that we have a whole crisps and crumbles recipes category devoted to them.

This apple dessert has been a classic at my childhood house forever, as it's my father's absolute favorite and the first recipe I learned to make from my grandmother (his mother, so I'd be the one making it for every.single.family.gathering from then on, lol!). We called it apple crisp, but since it has no oats, I'm going with the more accurate crumble.

The smell of sweet cinnamon apples is always a bit of kitchen magic, isn't it?. Whether you're baking an apple pie or apple bars, it's a nostalgic, cozy aroma that can bring life to the dullest day. And, though it's especially good on chilly days, this is a perennial favorite year-round, for potlucks, barbecues, holiday tables and as an everyday dessert.

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Key Takeaways:

Success with apple crumble is about balancing tartness with sweetness. Choose your apple variety based on how tart they are and adjust sugar accordingly. Uniform cutting ensures even cooking, while warm (not hot) melted butter creates the perfect topping. Ratios matter, so use the suggested dish sizes.

Testing Notes

The key is to balance tart apples and sweetness, without one overpowering the other. Green apples are tarter than red baking ones, and you can adjust the sugar in the filling to accommodate your choice.
Apple preparation: Cut your apples into uniform pieces; this ensures even cooking. You can cube or dice them or slice them about ½ inch thick so they hold their shape and don't turn mushy. The size of the apple chunks determines how soft they bake.
The perfect crumble texture: After mixing in the melted butter, the mixture should hold together when squeezed but still break apart into irregular chunks. If it's too wet, add a tablespoon more flour; if too dry, drizzle in a bit more melted butter.
Butter temperature matters: You want it lukewarm but still pourable, not hot. Let it cool slightly before mixing to prevent the sugars from dissolving completely.
Ratios matter. An 8x11-inch rectangular baking dish or a 9-inch square one works perfectly. The crumble should be about 2 inches deep for the ideal apple-to-topping ratio. If using a 9x13-inch baking dish, you'll have a shallower dessert but still as delicious!

Types of apples to use

Depending on the kind of apples you use, you can vary the sweetness of this simple apple cobbler. I'm partial to tart apples, but some people like sweeter cobblers.

Granny Smith apples: The green ones, my absolute favorites for baking due to their tartness. I use them almost exclusively. They bring some acid to the mix that complements the overall sweetness of the cake. And they hold their shape and don't turn mushy in the oven.
Other popular apple varieties: If you have another favorite that you usually bake with (Pink Lady, Gala apples, Fuji, Honeycrisp apples), by all means, use it.
A mix of apples: you can also mix them to create different textures and sweetness levels.

Process steps

White dish with cinnamon apple crumble filling.

Apple layer

Stir all the ingredients together and spread them on the prepared dish. You can use a separate bowl or carefully mix them in the baking dish.

Here is where you can add another spice with the cinnamon. Maybe ginger or nutmeg?

Chopping the fruit into roughly bite-sized pieces (half-inch at the most) ensures they cook evenly. And smaller bites are easier to eat.

Easy apple crumble in a white dish before baking.

Crumble topping

I like to use melted butter as I find it to be quicker, and the resulting mixture clumpy.

It can be made ahead and refrigerated for a week or frozen for a month. Make sure to break up large clumps before using.

Rectangular white ceramic dish with baked apple crumble.

Baking

When the fruit filling starts to bubble up and the topping turns a golden brown, it means the juices are thickening and the crumble is baking as it should.

If it starts browning too quickly, you can loosely tent the dish with foil.

Serving

Serve your apple crumble warm, ideally within an hour of coming out of the oven, when the topping is at its crispiest. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of heavy cream makes it absolutely perfect.

Leftovers keep well covered in the refrigerator for up to three days and can be gently rewarmed in a low oven to restore some of the topping's crunch.

Close up serving of apple crumble on a white plate with a spoon.

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A must-bake classic