Apple Crumble
This easy Apple Crumble recipe is everything you want from a proper British Apple Crumble – soft, cinnamon-spiced apples beneath a crisp, buttery crumble topping. It’s made with simple everyday ingredients, works with whatever apples you have to hand, and is especially good served warm with plenty of custard.
Apple Crumble Recipe Snapshot
- Style: Traditional British Apple Crumble.
- Difficulty: Very easy.
- Texture: Soft, cinnamon-spiced apples with a crisp, buttery crumble topping.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes.
- Bake Time: 35-40 minutes.
- Total Time: 55 minutes.
- Serves: 6 portions.
- Best Apples: Whatever kind you have – cooking apples, eating apples or homegrown apples all work well.
- Crumble Topping: Classic flour, fat and sugar topping with no oats.
- Dietary Info: Nut-free & egg-free, with substitutions for gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan included below.
- Best Served: Warm with custard, ice cream or cream.
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Apple Crumble vs. Apple Crisp
A very fair question!
In the UK, we generally call this dessert Apple Crumble, while in the US you’re more likely to see similar desserts described as Apple Crisp. The names can overlap, but many Apple Crisp recipes also include oats in the topping, whereas this British Apple Crumble is usually made without oats.
What is a Traditional British Apple Crumble?
Apple Crumble is a classic British pudding made with chopped apples under a simple crumble topping of flour, butter (or margarine), and sugar. It’s baked until the apples are soft and juicy and the topping is crisp and golden, then traditionally served warm with custard, cream or ice cream.
Unlike many American-style Apple Crisp recipes, a traditional British-style crumble doesn’t need oats. This recipe keeps things simple with a classic flour, fat and sugar topping, giving it that buttery, crumbly texture I grew up with. If you love this kind of old-fashioned fruit pudding, my old-fashioned Rhubarb Crumble is another classic worth trying.
A Proper Old-Fashioned Apple Crumble Recipe
Apple Crumble is one of those British puddings that instantly takes me back to my childhood – whether it was served after Sunday dinner, made with apples from the garden, or covered in lashings of hot custard on a dreich cold evening.
Crumble-style desserts actually pre-date the Second World War, but they became especially popular in Britain during and after wartime rationing, when a simple topping of flour, fat and sugar was a far more available and economical alternative to pastry. It’s no surprise that the humble crumble has since become such a familiar British favourite – simple ingredients, no complicated technique, and exactly the sort of old-fashioned pudding that we love. And it even often features in UK school dinners, alongside old School Cake, classic Manchester Tart and easy Cornflakes Tart
Making the Most of Homegrown Apples
My parents have an apple tree in their garden that has been there since the 1990s, when my Dad bought it from Woolworths in Livingston. It’s a little wonky these days and is currently being held upright with the help of an old fence post, but every year it still produces more apples than we quite know what to do with.
There is even a bit of a morbid family joke that the reason it grows so well is thanks to the decades of hamsters and guinea pigs that were buried beneath it… Much-loved family pets, I should add – nothing weird or creepy 🤣
When the apples are ready, Apple Crumble is always one of the first things I make. It’s perfect for using up a glut because you don’t need perfectly shaped fruit or any particular variety of apple – even the slightly bruised or less-than-pretty ones are ideal once peeled and chopped. I’ll usually work my way through the rest with my simple Apple Pie recipe and easy Eve’s Pudding recipe, too.
Key Ingredients
This is an easy Apple Crumble, made with simple ingredients and a classic crumble topping of flour, fat and sugar – no oats needed.
See the recipe card for a full ingredients list, required quantities and cup conversions.
Substitutions & Additions
Sugar: Demerara sugar gives the crumble topping a lovely crunch, but you can swap it for light brown sugar, caster sugar or granulated sugar if that’s what you have. The finished topping will vary slightly in flavour and texture, but all work well.
Cinnamon & Spices: If you’re not a fan of cinnamon, you can simply leave it out. You could also add a little ginger, mixed spice or nutmeg alongside it for a warmer, spiced Apple Crumble.
Oats: You don’t need oats to make a traditional Apple Crumble, and I prefer the classic flour, fat and sugar topping without them. But if you do like oats in your crumble, you can stir a handful of rolled oats through the topping before baking.
Additions: Apple and blackberry is a delicious combo, and one I’ve made with this recipe myself. Simply add some blackberries in with the apples before topping with the crumble. Their sharper flavour works especially well if you’re using sweeter eating apples. Apples and rhubarb also work beautifully together. I know from making my traditional Rhubarb Crumble recipe that rhubarb works perfectly beneath this style of crumble topping, so you can replace some of the apples with chopped rhubarb for an Apple & Rhubarb Crumble. However, keep in mind that rhubarb is much sharper than most apples, so you may want to adjust the sugar in the fruit filling to your taste.
Looking for dairy-free, gluten-free or vegan adaptations? See the Free-from & Vegan section below.
Free-from & Vegan
Gluten-free Options:
To make this gluten-free Apple Crumble, you can substitute the plain flour (all-purpose flour) for your favourite gluten-free plain flour. Be sure to check that your cornflour (cornstarch), cinnamon, and any other packaged ingredients are gluten-free too.
Nut-free Adjustments:
This recipe doesn’t contain nuts, so it’s a great starting point if you’re looking for a nut-free Apple Crumble. However, if you’re baking for someone with a nut allergy, always check the ingredients for allergen information.
Dairy-free Swaps:
To make this a dairy-free Apple Crumble, simply swap the butter for a dairy-free block margarine.
Egg-Free Adaptations:
This recipe is naturally egg-free, making it a great option if you’re looking for an egg-free Apple Crumble. Although no eggs are used in the recipe itself, always check the ingredients for allergen information.
Vegan Substitutions:
Making a vegan Apple Crumble couldn’t be easier! Simply swap the butter for a vegan block margarine.
Allergy Disclaimer & Resources:
Any advice or suggestions to make recipes “free-from” or vegan are purely suggestions. Please double-check all packaged ingredients individually, taking extra caution when baking for those with allergies or intolerances.
For official guidance on food allergies, please see Food Standards Agency (food.gov.uk) | For more info on coeliac disease, please see Coeliac UK (coeliac.org.uk) | For more info on a vegan diet, please see The Vegan Society (vegansociety.com)
How to Make Apple Crumble
Apple Crumble is very simple to make, and there’s no need to pre-cook the apples. The main things to get right are keeping the crumble topping crumbly rather than doughy, and cutting the apples into fairly even pieces so they cook at the same rate.
- Make the crumble topping. Add the plain flour and cold cubed margarine/butter to a large bowl. Using your fingertips, gently rub them together until the mixture has a rough, sandy texture with a few larger crumbly pieces. Stir through the Demerara sugar
- Prepare the apples. Peel and core the apples, then chop them into fairly even bite-sized pieces.
- Coat the apples. Add the caster sugar, cinnamon and cornflour to the chopped apples, then toss everything together until the apple pieces are evenly coated.
- Fill the baking dish and add the crumble topping. Add the coated apples into your baking dish, spreading them evenly and gently pressing them together so there aren’t any large gaps. Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the apples, making sure the fruit is completely covered. Gently press the topping with your fingertips, but leave plenty of lumps and bumps on the surface – these will become lovely and crisp as it bakes.
- Bake until golden. Bake in your preheated oven at 180°C (160°C fan-assisted ovens, Gas Mark 4 or 350°F) for 35-40 minutes, until the crumble topping is crisp and golden. Leave it to stand for around 10-15 minutes before serving so the apple filling can thicken slightly.
Top Tips for the Best Apple Crumble
- Use Whatever Ovenproof Dish You Have: I usually use a 20cm (8-inch) dish with around a 1-litre capacity, but don’t feel you need one that’s exactly the same. A glass dish, ceramic baking dish or even a cake tin will all work. Just remember that different sizes, depths and materials can affect the baking time, so keep an eye on your crumble towards the end of baking.
- Use Cold Butter or Margarine: Cold butter or block margarine helps give you a crisp, crumbly topping. If it starts to soften too much while you’re rubbing it into the flour, pop the crumble mixture in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes to firm up again while you prepare the apples.
- Don’t Overwork the Crumble: Rub the margarine/butter into the flour only until you have a rough, sandy texture with a few larger lumps. Those slightly bigger crumbly pieces are a good thing and give the finished topping more texture.
- Cut the Apples into Similar-Sized Pieces: Keeping the apple pieces fairly even means they’ll cook at roughly the same rate. Bite-sized chunks give you a lovely soft filling without the apples disappearing completely. Like with my British Apple Pie recipe, I recommend using an apple slicer & corer to portion them first, then chopping them into smaller pieces.
- Keep the Topping Rustic: Don’t smooth the crumble into a perfectly flat layer. Gently press it over the apples but leave plenty of lumps and bumps on the surface, even using your fingertips to rough it up a little – these lumps catch the heat and become lovely and crisp and golden as the crumble bakes.
- Check the Apples Are Cooked: Don’t judge the crumble by the topping alone. Towards the end of baking, poke a small sharp knife through the centre – it should slide easily into the apple pieces. If they still feel firm, give the crumble another few minutes in the oven. You can also pop a piece of tin foil over the top if you feel your crumble is already looking done, but the filling needs a little longer.
- Let It Cool Slightly: As tempting as it may be to dive straight in, leave the crumble for around 10-15 minutes after baking. This gives the apple juices a chance to thicken slightly, making it much easier to serve. And it also means you’re less likely to take a mouthful of molten lava!
Storage, Freezing & Reheating
- Storage: Cover and store any crumble leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or warm through in the oven before serving.
- Freezing: Apple Crumble is best frozen before baking. Wrap your dish in cling film and tin foil and freeze for up to 3 months. You can bake from frozen, but I would recommend increasing the baking time by 15-20 minutes overall, and covering the crumble with foil for the first 15-20 minutes of baking.
- Reheating: Individual portions of crumble can be reheated in the microwave until piping hot, although the crumble topping will soften a little. For a crisper topping, cover the crumble with tin foil and warm it in the oven until heated through, removing the foil for the last few minutes if you want to crisp the top back up.
With thanks to Naomi Seiler for creating these photos.
Apple Crumble FAQs
Yes. I’ve made Apple Crumble with cooking apples, eating apples, homegrown apples and whatever has been sitting in the fruit bowl, and they all work well. Cooking apples tend to give a softer, sharper filling, while eating apples are usually sweeter and may hold their shape a little more.
I recommend peeling the apples for the best texture, as the skins can stay a little chewy after baking. If you don’t mind the texture, or you’re short on time, you can leave them on.
No. There’s no need to pre-cook the apples for this recipe. Peel, core and chop them into fairly even bite-sized pieces, coat them with the sugar, cinnamon and cornflour, then bake them beneath the crumble topping. They’ll soften as the crumble cooks.
The crumble topping should be crisp and golden, but it’s worth checking the apples underneath too. Push a small sharp knife through the centre of the crumble – it should slide easily into the apple pieces. If they still feel too firm, give the crumble another few minutes in the oven.
A soft crumble topping can be caused by margarine/butter that has become too warm, overworking the crumble mixture, or not baking it for quite long enough. Use cold fat, leave some larger crumbly pieces in the topping and bake until it is properly crisp and golden. Demerara sugar also helps give the topping a little extra crunch.
Apples naturally release juice as they bake, and some varieties are juicier than others. The cornflour in this recipe helps thicken those juices as the crumble cooks. Giving the finished crumble 10-15 minutes to rest before serving also allows the filling to thicken slightly.
More Autumnal Bakes
If you loved this traditional Apple Crumble, here are some more of my favourite comfort bakes for Autumn for you to try next:
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Apple Crumble
INGREDIENTS
For the Crumble:
- 150 g Plain Flour
- 75 g Block Margarine or Butter (cold; cubed)
- 75 g Demerara Sugar
For the Filling:
- 500 g Apples (approx. 4 medium apples; peeled and cored)
- 50 g Caster Sugar
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp Cornflour
EQUIPMENT
- Baking Dish (approx. 1-litre capacity; see note below)
- Peeler
- Apple Corer & Slicer (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C for fan-assisted ovens, Gas Mark 4 or 350°F).
- In a large bowl, add the flour and butter/margarine, and using your fingertips, gently rub them together until you have a rough, sandy texture. Stir through the demerara sugar. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
- Roughly chop your apples into bite-sized pieces and place them into another large bowl. Add the sugar, cinnamon & cornflour and toss through until the apples are covered.
- Place your coated apples into your dish, making sure it covers the bottom and that there are no big gaps – you want it fairly well compacted.
- Spoon the crumble mixture over your apples, being sure to cover all the lumps and bumps. Using the tips of your fingers, gently press the top of the crumble mixture to help compact it, while leaving a bumpy texture on top.
- Bake your crumble in your preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until golden on top.
- Allow your crumble to cool a little before serving. Enjoy with custard or ice cream, or just on its own.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won’t always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amy Reid
Amy Reid is an award-winning food blogger, mother, wife and cookbook author. Inspired by her childhood in the kitchen with her Mum – a professional baker and her children’s Granny – Amy now shares her tried-and-tested traditional home baking recipes with bakers of all abilities around the world. She lives in Scotland with her husband, two sons and her small pack of Siberian huskies.