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This delicious Apple Crumble is the ultimate comfort food that’s a classic British dessert. With a warming, apple filling and a crunchy golden topping, this is such a simple, foolproof recipe – it works every time!
Autumn is here and that has to mean, it’s Apple Crumble season.
Every Sunday, after a roast dinner, my children expect this comfort food classic (ice cream or custard which are you? Ice cream for me every time!) I don’t know when or how the tradition started, but I can’t say I mind.
Here is my very well loved and tested recipe. All you need to know is a few tips and tricks to get it perfect every time.
Why you’ll love this Simple Apple Crumble recipe
⭐️ Quick assembly and just half an hour in the oven
⭐️ Freezable and can make ahead of time
⭐️ Reliable, classic, easy recipe
Apple Crumble Ingredients
Bramley apples – I use this kind (also known as cooking apples) because they’re lovely and juicy and soft when cooked, so are perfect for dessert.
They come in all shapes and sizes so go by weight (we’re using 800g pre-chopped weight). Use ones that are ripe straight from a tree or from the supermarket!
Feel free to use different kinds of apples if you prefer.
For the filling
- Brown sugar – To offset the tartness of the Bramleys
- To add – Flour, juice from a lemon and a little water
For the topping
- Plain flour – Also known as all-purpose flour outside the UK
- Jumbo oats and brown sugar – For a nice crunchy texture
- Mixed spice and cinnamon – For a warming, spicy, autumnal flavour
- Butter – I used salted. It needs to be cold out of the fridge, and cubed
Handy apple corer
How to make Apple Crumble
1. Peel, core and cube the apples and put them into an ovenproof dish. Stir the lemon juice in as per the recipe below.
2. Stir in the flour and brown sugar to coat the apple well. Pour the water over.
3. Make the topping as per the recipe below, rubbing the flour, butter, oats and spices together using clean hands or a mixer.
4. Scatter the topping over the filling and bake according to the recipe instructions below.
STORING
In the fridge This is a great dessert for making earlier in the day, freeing up your kitchen and oven space for main course.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge once cooled, and reheated thoroughly in the microwave on another day.
In the freezer This is great for freezing, so you could even batch cook a couple to save time on another day! Wait until cool, then wrap very well and freeze before baking. When you’re ready to enjoy it, defrost thoroughly before baking as usual according to the recipe below.
Leftovers can also be frozen. Do this in a microwave-safe container so you can reheat it straight away. Alternatively, defrost thoroughly and reheat it in the oven.
TOP Tips
⭐️ For an even crunchier, nutty topping, you could add 75g/3oz of nuts. Pecans or almonds work especially well here.
⭐ The consistency of the topping should be like clumpy breadcrumbs – but be careful it’s not too fine, it needs to clump together a little. If it doesn’t, add a TINY bit of water at a time (half a teaspoon) until it does. Beware not to overdo it or it will become paste-like and not at all crumbly.
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FAQs
This dessert goes perfectly with vanilla ice cream, pouring cream (double or single), custard or crème fraîche. Choose your favourite!
Yes, you can use whatever kind you like. If you’re choosing a sweet apple, you may want to reduce the amount of sugar slightly so it’s not over sweetened. Other types of apples may keep their shape more OR become more mushy. It will all still taste good though!
You can! Here is my Slow Cooker Apple Crumble recipe. Follow this one for the correct ingredients and method if you’d rather do a slow cooker version.
P.S. I also have an Apple and Blackberry Crumble if you’d like a different variation of this pudding!
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Apple Crumble {Classic Easy Recipe}
Ingredients
- 800 g (1.75 lb) Bramley apples, Unpeeled, uncored weight
- 5 tbsp Brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Plain flour, AKA all-purpose flour
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 150 ml (3/4 cups) Water
For the topping:
- 140 g (1 cups) Plain flour, AKA all-purpose flour
- 75 g (1/2 cups) Jumbo oats, (heaped 1/2 cup)
- 50 g (1/3 cups) Brown sugar
- 1 tsp Mixed spice
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 100 g (3.5 oz) Salted butter, Cold and cubed
Instructions
- Peel and core the apples, and cut them into about 1cm cubes.
- Place the apple cubes into a medium-sized ovenproof pie dish and stir through the lemon juice.
- Stir in the plain flour and brown sugar, and coat the apple well. Pour the water over.
- Now make the topping by rubbing the cubed butter into the plain flour, brown sugar, oats, mixed spice and cinnamon until a little clumpy and thoroughly mixed (see notes).
- Scatter the topping mixture over the filling and bake for 30-35 minutes at 180℃/350F fan, 200℃/400F or Gas Mark 6 until golden and crunchy.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutritional values are per portion unless otherwise stated.
This post was originally published on April 22nd, 2025. It was updated on September 4th, 2025 to include new step-by-step videos.
This post was originally published on September 4, 2025 and updated later to make improvements.
A perfect dessert for this time of year! Such an easy recipe – my new go-to. Thank you Sarah.