This apple crumble recipe is easy to make with a tender apple filling baked under a buttery brown sugar crumble topping. It’s our favorite apple dessert for fall!

Take it up a notch and serve it with ice cream and caramel sauce, it’s heavenly. If you love this apple recipe, try my apple tart, Dutch apple pie or apple dump cake, next!

Apple crumble recipe baked in a white baking dish with fresh apples on counter.

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Easy Apple Crumble Recipe

I know fall is in the air when I start thinking about all the things I can make with apples. When it comes to delicious apple desserts it’s hard for me to choose my favorite, but I think this easy apple crumble recipe is definitely in the running as is this apple cake!

This recipe for apple crumble tastes similar to brown bag apple pie but without all the fuss of making pie crust. Apples are tossed with sugar and spices covered with a crumble topping and baked.

Serve warm with a scoop of no churn vanilla ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream !

Why I Love This Recipe

  • An easy twist on pie. Instead of whipping up a homemade apple pie from scratch, this easy apple crumble will gives you the same delicious fall flavors in only an hour.
  • Cozy fall flavors. Combined with cinnamon and apple spice, this apple crumble dessert is the perfect way to use crispy fresh apples you picked at the orchard.

Apple Crumble Recipe Ingredients

Apples, brown sugar, flour, apple spice, butter, cinnamon, lemon, sugar and salt on counter.

Find the full printable recipe card below.

  • Apples: For this easy apple crumble recipe, you will need about 6 apples that have been peeled and cored. You can also use this homemade apple pie filling instead.
  • Apple pie spice: Most blends include cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and allspice.
  • Flour: To help the juices from the apples thicken up to make a delicious sauce, we add some flour along with sugar and spices before baking. 
  • Lemon juice: A splash of lemon juice helps to prevent the apples from browning before baking and it also enhances the natural sweetness of the apples. 
  • Crumble topping: You will need flour, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

How to Make Apple Crumble

Showing the process of making apple crumble in a 4 step collage.
  1. Slice apples. Cut the apples into bite-sized slices of about the same size and lay in the baking pan then squeeze the lemon juice all over.
  2. Make sugar and spice mix. Combine sugar, flour, apple pie spice, and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle over the apples. Toss the apples in the spice mixture so they are all coated.
  3. Make crumble topping. Combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon then pour in the melted butter. Stir everything together until clumps start to form. Sprinkle the topping over the apples. Don’t be afraid to use your fingertips to do this.
  4. Bake. The top should be golden brown, and the apple filling will be bubbling when your crumble is ready. Let it rest for 20 minutes before serving to allow the juices time to thicken up. Enjoy!

Tips for the Best Apple Crumble

  • Cut equal-sized pieces. Slice the apples into bite-sized pieces about 1/8-1/4″ thick. You want the pieces to be uniform in size so that they all cook evenly.
  • Don’t overmix the crumble. Mix the butter and other ingredients lightly until it starts to form clumps. If you overmix everything, you will have a paste that won’t crisp up while baking.
  • Keep crumble topping cold.  For extra crunch, make the crumble topping first and keep it in the fridge while you prepare the apples then sprinkle over the apples just before baking.
  • Serve warm. I think this easy apple crumble tastes the best served warm with homemade vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. For an extra treat, drizzle with homemade caramel sauce, too.
A spoon scooping out easy apple crumble from baking dish.

Storage Instructions

  • Store: If you have leftovers, store it covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator in a covered container for 2 – 3 days. 
  • Freeze: You can freeze baked apple crumble in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. The apples and crumble might be softer when you reheat it, but it will still taste delicious. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
  • Reheat leftovers: Place the easy apple crumble in a microwave-safe dish and heat until warmed through. You can also cover the dish with foil and heat it in a 350F oven until warm.
Apple crumble in a bowl with ice cream.

Craving more fall treats? Try my easy pumpkin crisp, spice cake mix cookies or include a little bit of everything on a decorative fall charcuterie board.

More Apple Dessert Recipes

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A spoon scooping out apple crumble from pan.

Apple Crumble Recipe

5 from 14 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Rest time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 9
This apple crumble recipe is easy to make with a tender apple filling baked under a buttery brown sugar crumble topping. It's our favorite apple dessert for fall!
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Ingredients 

Apple Filling

  • 6 apples , peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick chunks (about 550-600 grams cut)
  • 1 lemon , juiced (about 4 teaspoons)
  • ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar , or brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon (8 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon apple pie spice , can also use cinnamon
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , use full teaspoon for extra spice flavor

Crumble Topping

  • ¾ cup (97 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (160 grams) light brown sugar , packed
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 6 Tablespoons (84 grams) unsalted butter , slightly melted

For serving (optional): Vanilla ice cream, Whipped cream, Caramel sauce

Instructions

  • Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the oven rack in the center.

Apple Filling

  • Place apples in dish. Place apples in baking dish. Lay 6 sliced apples in a 9×9-inch baking dish. Drizzle 4 teaspoons lemon juice evenly over the top.
  • Combine apple filling. In a medium bowl, stir together 1/4 cup sugar, 1 Tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon apple pie spice and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle over the apples and toss to combine.

Crumble Topping

  • Make topping. In a large bowl, stir together 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Stir in 6 Tablespoon butter, being careful not to over-mix (you don't want a paste). Crumble mixture over the apples.
  • Bake. Bake 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and the apples are cooked through. If the top is browning before the apples are done, lightly place a piece of foil on top. Remove from oven and let sit 15 to 20 minutes to thicken before serving.
  • Serve warm. Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or caramel sauce, if desired. Enjoy!

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Apples: I prefer to use Honey Crisp, Granny Smith, Fuji, or Golden Delicious. You can also do a mix to add more flavors. Make sure to slice them all the same thickness (about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick). I like to cut them from the shorter edge so the pieces are bite-sized.
Nuts: If you’d like to add nuts, you can add chopped pecans or walnuts in with the crumble topping before baking.
Storing: This dessert tastes best served warm on the first day. Store any leftovers in a covered container for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warm. 

Nutrition

Calories: 317kcal, Carbohydrates: 60g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 9mg, Potassium: 200mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 39g, Vitamin A: 316IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Recipe FAQs

Why is my apple filling so runny?

Don’t leave out the flour as it acts as a thickening agent to turn the apple juices into a sauce. Also, remember to let your crumble sit for 20 minutes before serving to give the juices time to thicken up even further.

How do I prevent my easy apple crumble from browning too quickly?

If it looks like your crumble is turning too brown before your apples are done, lay a piece of foil on top of the crumble to help protect it from the heat until the apples are finished cooking.

How do you tell if a crumble is done?

The crumble topping will be golden brown, and the apple filling will be bubbling. You can check to see if the apples are cooked by piercing one with a paring knife. The knife should go through the apple easily.

What’s the difference between apple crumble, crisp and cobbler?

You may have heard people use all of these titles interchangeably because they are so similar. The difference is in the topping!

An apple crisp uses a streusel topping which is similar to a crumble except it contains oats. A crumb topping for a crumble is just flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter. An apple cobbler topping is more cake-like like a biscuit or scone.

What kind of apples should I use?

For this recipe, I prefer to use crisp varieties like Honeycrisp apples, Granny Smith apples, Fuji, Pink Lady, Braeburn or Golden Delicious as they hold their shape when baking and don’t turn to complete mush. You can also use a mixture of apples.