5-Ingredient Apple Crumble Recipe

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: This Apple Crumble Recipe is the quintessential fall treat you’ll crave all season long. It’s quick to make and deeply satisfying, ideal for cozying up on cool evenings.

• Simple & Fast: With under 30 minutes of prep and only 5 ingredients, it’s a breeze to whip up.
• Classic Comfort: Enjoy the warm, comforting flavors of tart apples and a buttery, crumbly topping.
• Versatile Delight: Ideal for both weeknight desserts and special occasions, making it a family favorite.
• Irresistible Aroma: The delicious scent of baking apples and spices fills your kitchen with fall’s warmth.

I have a super soft spot in my heart for this best Apple Crumble recipe. This traditional Irish apple crumble is actually the very first dessert I baked with the Original Bold Baker, my mum, way back when in our family kitchen. With my four siblings and me, you can imagine how much baking my mum has done—food has always been my family’s hobby!

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 9/8/2024, to include explanations and substitute of key ingredients, make-ahead and storage instructions, the difference between crumble, crip and cobbler, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips. 

Table of Contents

• What is Apple Crumble?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients of Easy Apple Crumble Recipe
• How to Make Traditional Apple Crumble
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
• What’s the Difference Between Crumble, Crisp, and Cobbler?
• FAQs
• More Recipes with Apples

What is Apple Crumble?

This is the very same recipe that my mom made us when we were kids!

Apple Crumble is a classic dessert featuring tart apples sprinkled with sugar and topped with a crumbly mixture of butter, sugar, and flour. Here’s what makes it special:

• Tart Apples: The apples used are typically very tart and bitter, balanced with sugar.
• Crumble Topping: The topping is a mixture that bakes to a crispy, crumbly texture.
• Warm & Sweet: The apples bake down into a warm, sweet mixture, complementing the crunchy topping.
• Humble Yet Delicious: Though simple, the combination of flavors and textures makes it an unbeatable treat.

Tools You Need

• Knife
• 8 x 8-inch ovenproof baking dish
• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Spatula or wooden spoon

Key Ingredients

• Cooking apples (Bramley or Granny Smith Apples)

  • Provide the base of the dessert with a tart flavor to balance the sweetness of the sugar.
  • They soften and release natural juices as they bake, creating a flavorful filling.
  • Apples are a good source of carbohydrates, mainly in the form of natural sugars and dietary fiber.
  • Substitutes: Any tart or firm apples, such as Honeycrisp, Jonathan, or Cortland. If you only have a sweet option like Fuji, Honeycrisp apples, or Gala apples, reduce the amount of sugar.

• Lemon juice

  • Prevents the apples from browning and enhances their flavor by adding a touch of acidity.
  • It also helps balance the sweetness of the sugar.

• Granulated sugar

  • Sweetens the apples and the crumble topping.
  • It also helps to caramelize the apples and adds texture to the crumble.
  • Substitutes: Use brown sugar or coconut sugar for a deeper, caramel-like flavor.

• All-purpose flour (aka “plain flour”)

  • Forms the structure of the crumble topping when combined with butter and sugar.
  • It helps create a crumbly texture and binds the ingredients together.
  • Substitutes: for a gluten-free option, you can use a gluten-free blend or Easy Almond Flour Mix.

• Butter

  • Adds richness and flavor to the crumble topping.
  • It helps to create a crumbly, crisp texture when mixed with flour and sugar.
  • You can use salted butter or unsalted butter. Melted butter will not work well.

How to Make Traditional Apple Crumble

Prep apples

1. Peel, core, and chop the apples into 2cm chunks.
2. Put the apples into an 8 x 8-inch ovenproof dish. Toss in some lemon juice to stop it from going brown. Stir in ¼ cup (2 oz/58 g) of sugar.

Make the crumble mixture

3. Place the flour and the remaining ¼ cup (2 oz/58 g) sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the cold butter and use your hands (or a pastry blender) to rub in the butter until the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs. Pour this evenly on top of the apples.

Bake the crumble

4. Bake the crumble at 350°F (180°C) for 35-45 minutes or until nicely golden brown on top and the apples are bubbling. Enjoy hot with whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Irish Apple Crumble

• Use crisp, fresh apples. Otherwise, the apples become too mushy when baked. The best apples to use are tart ones, like Granny Smith, to balance out the sweetness of the sugar.
• Taste your ingredients! Take a taste of the apples you plan on using and adjust how much sugar you think the recipe needs. Don’t be afraid to change the amount!
• Good, quality ingredients really let this dessert shine. I would highly recommend buying good quality butter. Kerrygold is a wonderfully delicious Irish butter that you can find in some US stores.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make Ahead

• Fruit Base: Prepare the apple filling and store it in an airtight container in the fridge just a few hours before serving for the freshest result. Add the lemon juice to prevent browning.
• Crumble Topping: Prepare the crumble topping in advance and store it in an airtight container or freezer bag. It can be kept in the refrigerator 2 days in advance or frozen for up to 3 months.

Storage

• Leftovers: Store any leftover apple crumble in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through and the topping is crisp. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave.

What’s the Difference Between Crumble, Crisp, and Cobbler?

Crumble, crisp, and cobbler are all fruit desserts, but they differ in their toppings:

• Crumble:

  • Definition: A dessert with a sweet fruit base topped with a crumbly mixture of butter, sugar, and flour.
  • Characteristics: The topping is typically more buttery and crumbly, often with a slightly coarse texture.
  • Summary: Crumbly

• Crisp:

  • Definition: Similar to a crumble, but often includes oats in the topping mix, adding a crunchy texture.
  • Characteristics: The topping usually combines butter, sugar, flour, and oats for extra crunch.
  • Summary: Crunchy

• Cobbler:

  • Definition: A dessert with a fruit filling covered by a biscuit-like or cake-like batter that bakes into a golden crust.
  • Characteristics: The topping resembles a cake or biscuit, creating a more substantial, sometimes fluffy, crust.
  • Summary: Cake-like

FAQs

• What’s the best way to serve Apple Crumble?

  Apple Crumble is deliciously served warm, ideally with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce for extra indulgence.

• Can I add other fruits or nuts to the Apple Crumble?

  Absolutely! Feel free to mix in other fruits like berries or pears and nuts like walnuts and pecans for a different twist on the classic recipe.

• What spices can I add?

  You can add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, allspice, or cardamom.

Make More Apple Dessert!

• Boozy Whiskey Apple Crisp Recipe
• The Perfect Apple Honey Cobbler
• The Perfect Classic Apple Pie Recipe
• Homemade Apple Pop-Tarts
• Authentic Irish Apple Amber Pie

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 9/8/2024, to include explanations and substitute of key ingredients, make-ahead and storage instructions, the difference between crumble, crip and cobbler, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips. 

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