Classic Apple Crumble
Classic Apple Crumble is a traditional and very popular warm apple dessert. Soft sweet apples are topped with a crisp buttery crumble topping to make one of the simplest desserts and one that makes everyone smile.
Why make Classic Apple Crumble?
Crumble desserts are very much a part of my life. They are a ‘go-to’ recipe for a quick and filling pudding for my family. My Mum often made apple crumble and I make all kinds of fruit crumbles, they are just so delicious and easy to make.
Classic Apple Crumble is just that, a classic. So I have kept the recipe simple with no extras. You can, of course, take the basic recipe and add your own touches if you wish. But first, I urge you to make it as it is and I think you will find that it needs no enhancement.
What ingredients do I need to make Classic Apple Crumble?
The ingredients are simple items that you will probably already have in your larder and fridge. You will need:
- Apples
- Sugar
- Flour
- Butter
- Spices (optional)
A full list of the ingredients and the required quantities is found in the recipe card at the end of this article.
What kind of apples should I use?
Use a sharp-tasting apple. Cooking apples such as Bramley Seedlings are ideal but I also use Discovery apples from my apple tree. You can use dessert apples but the contrast between sharp apple and sweet crumble makes the best crumble.
What kind of spices can I add to apple crumble?
Apple Crumble is perfect served without any spices but cinnamon is the most common spice to add to apple recipes. My mother always put a few whole cloves in her apple crumble and apple tart and I love that flavour. Cardamom, mixed spice, allspice, and star anise are all spices that would work with apples.
Add only a 1/4 tsp of the ground spice of your choice to the apples before topping with the crumble mixture. Any more will overpower the taste of the apples.
What is demerara sugar?
Demerara sugar is a light coloured raw cane sugar with large crystals. It has a mild flavour and brings a delicious crunch and caramelisation to the crumble topping.
I don’t have demerara sugar, what else can I use?
If you don’t have demerara sugar then use granulated sugar.
How to make Classic Apple Crumble
Follow the steps and once you’ve made it once you’ll see just how easy it is and I hope it will become as much of a favourite in your home as it is in ours.
Prepare the apples
Peel, core and slice the apples into even size slices.
Put into an ovenproof dish
- Place the apples in an ovenproof dish.
- Cover with the sugar.
Make the Crumble
- Weigh the flour and butter or baking spread and put into medium to large bowl.
- Use a knife to cut the butter into smaller pieces
Rub in the butter
- Use your fingers to rub the pieces of butter until you have a mixture that looks like large breadcrumbs or small peas.
- Stir in the demerara sugar
Add the crumble topping
Cover the fruit with the crumble mixture and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes until the fruit is bubbling and the crumble is golden brown.
Bake the Classic Apple Crumble
Bake the apple crumble for about 40 minutes until the fruit is bubbling up the sides and the crumble is golden.
The apples are soft and the crumble topping is crisp and slightly caramelised from the demerara sugar.
Can I bake Apple Crumble in my air fryer?
Use an ovenproof dish that fits into your air fryer and follow the instructions for my Air Fryer Apple Crumble.
How should I serve Classic Apple Crumble?
Serve the apple crumble with Easy Vanilla Custard Sauce for the total comfort food experience. You can also serve the crumble with vanilla ice cream, pouring cream, clotted cream, or Greek yogurt. It’s entirely up to you and what you like. It’s also a good excuse to keep making this luscious dessert until you find the perfect combination.
More Apple Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen
More Dessert Recipes
You can find the recipe index in the menu at the top of every page along with other ways to sort recipes including a handy shortcut to find more dessert recipes.
More Apple Recipes
- Apple Crumble Cake – Something Sweet, Something Savoury
- My Mum’s Eve’s Pudding– Lost in Food
- Apple and Honey Cookies – Family Friends Food
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Classic Apple Crumble
Ingredients
- 350 grams (2 cups) apples
- 60 grams (¼ cups) granulated sugar
- 100 grams (½ cups) plain flour
- 50 grams (3½ tbsp) butter or spread
- 40 grams (3 tablespoon) Demerara sugar
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180 C
- Peel, core and slice the apples. Put into an oven proof baking dish with the granulated sugar.
- Put the flour and the butter or spread into a bowl, and rub the fat into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, stir in the demerara sugar.
- Cover the fruit with the crumble mixture and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes until the fruit is bubbling and the crumble is golden brown.
The perfect winter warmer 🙂
Thanks, it certainly is a winter warmer.
You can’t beat a good apple crumble and this definitely looks like a good one! This is one of the only puddings I remember my Mum making when we were young and she kept it classic like this. So delicious.
We ate a lot of apple crumble in my childhood too. No bad thing ?
Delicious – you cannot go wrong with an apple crumble in this house. So easy to make gluten free too.
Thanks, Rebecca. It’s the simple recipes that are often the best. Very easy to replace the flour with GF for a free from version.
Thank you. For years I have been trying to make crumble as good as my late mother-in-law’s. I have finally cracked it. Delicious.
Thank you, Judith that makes me very happy. Enjoy your crumble.
Hi, how many people does this recipe serve? I’m not sure if I’d need to adjust the ingredients.
Hi there, the Apple Crumble serves 4 people. It is written in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but you may have missed that. I hope you enjoy the crumble!
Hi, thanks so much. Your right, completely missed it.
Is there any way I can make this bit healthier? I have high cholestral but love apple crumble!!
Hi Heather, I’m not an expert in low cholesteral diets. The only thing I can think of is to cook the apples separately. Make the crumble with 40 g of butter and lay it on a baking tray then bake for about 15 minutes until it is crunchy. That way you can control how much crumble you add to your apples. I hope that helps.