Warm cinnamon apples, a golden crunchy oat topping and a big scoop of ice cream. This easy apple crumble is pure comfort in a bowl, with Thermomix and conventional methods included. Just like my Lemon Delicious or Sticky Date Pudding, it's a classic you'll come back to again and again.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Apple Crumble
🕒 Ready In: 45 minutes
👪 Serves: 8
🍚 Calories: 450kcal per serve
🥣 Main Ingredients: apples, rolled oats, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon
📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian, freezer-friendly, Thermomix method included
⭐ Why You'll Love It: Soft cinnamon apples under a crunchy oat topping, ready in 45 minutes with Thermomix or conventional methods.
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4th time making this in 2 weeks! The family are obsessed.
Thank you, it's delicious
- Danielle
This is hands-down my go-to when I want a no-fuss dessert that still feels a little bit special. The apples are lightly stewed until soft and sweet, then topped with a simple crumble of butter, oats, brown sugar and flour. It's a classic for a reason.
It's also super flexible. Use whatever apples you have, add nuts or a little extra spice, and prep it ahead when guests are coming. Just like my Butterscotch Pudding, Apricot Pie, Apple Sponge Pudding or Apple Pie, this one is all about simple steps and maximum flavour.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Thermomix or conventional: both methods are in the recipe card, so you can cook it your way.
- Ready in 45 minutes: just 10 minutes of prep, which makes it perfect for last-minute guests.
- Soft apples, crunchy topping: lightly stewed cinnamon apples with a golden oat and brown sugar crumble on top.
- Make-ahead and freezer-friendly: assemble it in advance, or freeze it for a busy night.
Jump to:
Apple Crumble Ingredients
This simple apple crumble recipe uses a handful of pantry staples, plus whatever apples are in the fruit bowl. Here are a few ingredient tips:
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Apples: you need 5 large ones. Granny Smith are my pick because they're tart and hold their shape. Pink Lady or Jazz are sweeter and work well too, so use any firm apple you have.
- Rolled oats: they give the topping its crunch. Stick to traditional rolled oats, because quick oats go mushy and you'll lose those chunky clusters.
- Lemon juice: brightens the apple flavour and keeps the slices from browning while you prep.
Variations
- Apple & berry crumble: add a handful of frozen raspberries or blueberries to the apple mix. Want a fruitier filling? Try my Apple and Blueberry Crumble or Apple Blackberry Crumble.
- Apple & rhubarb: swap a few of the apples for chopped rhubarb and stew it with the rest.
- Tinned apples: drain them really well, skip the stewing and spoon them straight into the dish.
- Nutty crumble topping: stir chopped walnuts or pecans into the oat topping.
- Gluten-free: use gluten-free plain flour and make sure your oats are certified GF.
- Less refined sugar: replace the brown sugar with coconut sugar for a less processed option.
How To Make Apple Crumble
This easy apple crumble with oats comes together in four simple steps.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Step 1: Stew the apples. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced (200°C if yours isn't fan-forced) and grease a 30cm round baking dish with butter. In a saucepan, combine the sliced apples, water, caster sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until just softened, then drain off the excess liquid.
- Step 2: Fill the dish. Spoon the drained stewed apples into the baking dish and spread them out evenly.
- Step 3: Make the crumble. In a bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, plain flour and cubed butter. Squeeze and rub it together with your fingertips until you have chunky crumbs and everything is coated in butter.
- Step 4: Top and bake. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the apples, without pressing it down. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden and crunchy. Serve straight away with ice cream, cream or custard.
Making Apple Crumble In The Thermomix
Team Thermomix? The full method is in the recipe card below, and it's a quick way to get stewed apples and a crumble topping done with minimal washing up. Here's how it works:
- Stew the apples in the bowl. Add the sliced apples, water, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice, then cook for 5 minutes at 90°C on reverse, speed 1. Drain the excess liquid before spooning the apples into the baking dish.
- Rinse and dry the bowl. The crumble topping goes into a clean, dry bowl, not one holding leftover apple liquid.
- Mix the topping in two goes. Mix the flour, softened butter and brown sugar for 10 seconds on speed 7, then add the oats and mix for 5 seconds on reverse, speed 7. The oats go in last so they stay chunky.
- Bake in the oven as usual. The Thermomix does the stewing and the mixing, but the crumble still bakes in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden and crunchy.
Top Tip
If your apples are extra juicy, drain well after stewing to stop the topping going soggy.
Recipe Tips
- Don't overcook the apples. They should be just tender before baking, because they keep cooking in the oven.
- Go easy on the butter rub. Cold or room temperature butter both work for a crispier crumble. Just don't use melted butter or you'll lose the clumps.
- Leave a few clumps. Don't press the topping down. Those chunky bits are what give you the crunch.
- Make ahead: assemble it and keep it unbaked in the fridge for up to 24 hours. For the crunchiest top, add the crumble just before baking.
- Storage: keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months, either unbaked or as cooked leftovers.
- Reheating: use the oven for a crispy top, or the microwave when you're in a hurry.
- Serving: ice cream, cream or custard all work. If you want to go all out, try my Homemade Custard Recipe.
Apple Crumble FAQs
Granny Smith are my go-to. They hold their shape and add a tart contrast to the sweet topping. Pink Lady, Jazz, Braeburn or Fuji work well too, so use whatever firm apples you have.
Absolutely! The recipe card has a full Thermomix apple crumble method. The Thermomix stews the apples and mixes the topping, then the crumble bakes in the oven like normal.
In this recipe, yes. The apples are simmered for 5 to 10 minutes until just soft, then drained. Drain them well, because too much liquid stops the topping going crunchy. Don't pour the syrup back over the apples, but don't chuck it either. It's lovely spooned over ice cream or stirred through porridge.
Use real butter and squeeze it through the oats and flour until you have chunky crumbs, then stop. Drain the apples well, don't press the topping down, and bake until it's properly golden, not just pale. Serve it straight from the oven too, because crumble softens the longer it sits.
Yes! Stew the apples and make the topping earlier in the day, then assemble just before baking for the crunchiest top. Assembled and unbaked, it keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours, but a few hours is best because the topping can soften. You can also bake it in advance and reheat in the oven when you're ready to serve.
Definitely. Freeze it unbaked and defrost before baking, or freeze cooked leftovers. Use airtight containers and it keeps for up to 3 months. Reheat in a warm oven for a crispy top, or in the microwave if you're in a hurry.
Yes. Drain them really well, skip the stewing step and spoon them straight into the baking dish. Fresh apples have a bit more bite, but tinned ones are a handy shortcut.
Not much, and it mostly depends where you live. Crisp is the American name and the topping usually has oats. Crumble is the British and Aussie name, and the topping is traditionally just flour, butter and sugar. This one has oats, so it's a bit of both.
More Apple Recipes
If you're like me and love cooking with apples, here are a few more recipes you might like to try...
Not done with crumble yet? My Apple Crumble Slice and Apple Crumble Muffins have the same flavours in an easy grab-and-go version, and you'll find plenty more in my collection of apple recipes.
WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Facebook or Instagram. And if you love baking, then please come and join my Facebook cooking club group or subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Apple Crumble
Ingredients
- 5 apples large, peeled, cored and sliced
- 250 g (1 cup) water
- 115 g (½ cup) caster sugar
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 120 g (1 ⅓ cup) rolled oats
- 100 g (½ cup) brown sugar packed
- 50 g plain flour
- 115 g butter room temperature, cut into small cubes
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
- Grease a large round baking 30cm baking dish with butter and set aside.
- Place the peeled and sliced apples into a medium saucepan with the water, caster sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Bring to a low simmer for 5-10 minutes or until just softened. Drain off the excess liquid. Place the stewed apples into the baking dish.
- To make the crumble, place the oats, brown sugar, plain flour and butter into a bowl. Use your fingers to squeeze and break up the lumps of butter until crumbs have formed and all of the oats and flour are completely combined with the butter.
- Sprinkle the crumble over the apple and place into the preheated oven. Cook for 35-40 minutes or until the crumble is golden and crunchy.Serve immediately with ice-cream, cream or custard.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (180 if using fan-forced). Grease a large round baking 30cm baking dish with butter and set aside.
- Place peeled, cored and sliced apples into the Thermomix bowl. Add the water, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice. Cook for 5 minutes, 90 degrees REVERSE, Speed 1. Drain the excess liquid from the apples and place into the prepared baking dish. Rinse and dry the Thermomix bowl.
- Place the plain flour, softened butter and brown sugar into the Thermomix bowl. Mix for 10 seconds, Speed 7.
- Add the rolled oats and mix for 5 seconds, REVERSE, Speed 7.
- Sprinkle the crumble over the apple and place into the preheated oven. Cook for 35-40 minutes or until the crumble is golden and crunchy.Serve immediately with ice-cream or cream.
Notes
- Choose tart apples like Granny Smith for the best flavour contrast.
- Don't overcook the apples - they should be just tender before baking.
- Use cold or room temp butter for a crispier crumble texture.
- Leave a few clumps in the topping - this gives a lovely crunch.
- Make ahead and keep unbaked in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
- Reheat in the oven for a crispy top, or in the microwave for convenience.
Mylene says
Had some apple find your recipe and made it today i hope my apple crumble work out thanks for sharing your ideas and recipes have a great day
Saad says
Hi Lucy. Amazing recipe. I tried it tonight with lots of modification using what I had. I used oil to line my tray, tin apples without juice, no cinnamon or nutmeg (don't like much) used white sugar, oats was a mix with some other grains, instead of flour bit more oats, used oil same weight as your recipe with oat mix. Layed apples in tray pushed down with my hand. Sprinkled white sugar over apples, put crumble mix on top. 180 deg preheat oven. Took about 1 hour. Good helping in bowel with vanilla, choc, strawberry ice cream, tasted so good. Hopefully I can add pics, couldn't load pics
Lucy says
YUM!