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Apple Crumble

Apple crumble with a buttery, sandy topping and bubbling cinnamon apple filling baked until pale golden. Toss fruit with lemon and cinnamon, then bake for a crisp crumble edge and tender interior.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For apple filling
  • 1.5 kg cooking apples, peeled and sliced
  • 0.33 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
For crumble topping
  • 225 g plain all-purpose flour
  • 150 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 100 g granulated sugar
  • 50 g light brown sugar
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
For serving
  • 1 Custard, cream, or ice cream

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 190C (375F) and grease a large baking dish. This ensures the crumble bakes evenly from the start.
  2. Toss apple slices with granulated sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice, then spread them in the prepared dish. Arrange the apples in an even layer so they cook consistently.
Make the crumble topping
  1. Place flour and cold cubed butter together, then rub with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some larger pieces. Keep the butter cold so the topping stays sandy.
  2. Stir in granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until evenly mixed. The mixture should look dry and crumbly.
  3. Spread the crumble evenly over the apples without packing it down. Leave it airy for a crisp, sandy top.
Bake and serve
  1. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 190C (375F) until the topping is pale golden and the apple filling bubbles at the edges. Look for bubbling around the perimeter as the doneness cue.
  2. Serve warm with custard, double cream, or vanilla ice cream. Spoon over one portion while the crumble is hot.

Notes

Pro tip: use cold butter and keep the crumble airy—if you pack it down, it can turn cakier instead of sandy. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 180C for 10 minutes until hot. Freezing is yes: freeze portions cooled to room temperature for up to 2 months and reheat from thawed. For a lighter swap, use half the butter (or replace with a 1:1 baking spread) and reduce sugar by about 1-2 tbsp while keeping the crumble texture.