Easy Air Fryer Apple Crumble Recipe

Name: Easy Air Fryer Apple Crumble
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 700 g Bramley Apples (or Granny Smiths) (unpeeled weight); 25 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar); ½ tsp Cinnamon; 1½ tbsp Water; 100 g Plain Flour (All-purpose Flour); 100 g Rolled Oats; 100 g Light Brown Sugar; 100 g Butter (melted)

This easy air fryer apple crumble has soft, tart cinnamon apples topped with a buttery, chewy oat crumble. It's cooked entirely in the air fryer, including softening the apples, so there's no need for a saucepan or conventional oven.

Air fryer apple crumble in a baking dish with a jug of custard.

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Quick Summary - Air Fryer Apple Crumble

I really like the texture of this air fryer apple crumble. The topping is chewier and more flapjack-like than a traditional crumble, which works brilliantly with the soft, tart Bramley apples underneath. Cooking the apples in the air fryer first makes a real difference too - they have time to soften properly before the topping goes on. Beth (Effortless Foodie)

🕒 Ready In: Prep Time - 7 minutes, Air Fry Time - 28 minutes
👪 Serves: 4
🍽 Calories: 541
🥣 Main Ingredients: Bramley apples, caster sugar, ground cinnamon, water, plain flour, rolled oats, light brown sugar, and butter.
👩‍🍳 Difficulty: Easy
👌 Why this recipe? This easy air fryer apple crumble is ready in around 35 minutes and cooks entirely in the air fryer, so there's no need to switch on the oven or use a saucepan. Tart Bramley apples are topped with a buttery, chewy oat crumble made with melted butter, so there's no rubbing in required. It's ideal when you want a smaller family pudding, and US readers can easily swap Bramleys for Granny Smith apples.

Summarise & Save This Content On

I've tested this recipe in my Ninja Foodi Health Grill & Air Fryer 5.7L and my Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer 10.4L, and the key is cooking the apples first before adding the crumble topping. This gives the Bramleys enough time to soften while preventing the topping from becoming too brown.

The crumble topping is a little different from a traditional British crumble. It's made with equal quantities of flour, oats, light brown sugar and melted butter, giving it a delicious chewy, flapjack-like texture.

Love air fryer desserts? Try my easy air fryer baked apples, air fryer flapjacks, or air fryer brownies next!

Glut of Bramley apples? You might like to try my Eve's pudding, slow cooker stewed apples and apple and blackberry crumble recipes.

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Quick Summary - Air Fryer Apple Crumble
Why you'll love this air fryer apple crumble!
Ingredient notes
Need to substitute an ingredient?
Variations
Make it even better
Why I use oats in air fryer apple crumble
How to make apple crumble in air fryer
Beth's top tips
Serving suggestions
Storage
Troubleshooting guide
Air fryer apple crumble FAQs
More air fryer dessert recipes
More crumble recipes
Recipe
💬 Comments

Why you'll love this air fryer apple crumble!

Cooked entirely in the air fryer - even the apples are softened in the air fryer first, so there's no saucepan to wash up.
Chewy flapjack-style topping - oats, brown sugar and melted butter make the topping more substantial and chewy than a traditional crumbly topping.
No rubbing in - melted butter is simply stirred into the dry topping ingredients.
Tart Bramley apples - their sharp flavour works particularly well against the sweet buttery topping.
Great for smaller households - there's no need to heat a full-size oven to make a family pudding.
Easy autumn dessert - serve warm with custard, cream or ice cream.

Ingredient notes

A full ingredients list along with Metric and US Customary measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Ingredients for air fryer apple crumble.

Bramley apples - you'll need 700g (about 1½ lb), weighed before peeling and coring. Bramleys are tart cooking apples that soften beautifully when cooked and contrast nicely with the sweet topping.

Caster sugar - sweetens the tart Bramley apples. Granulated sugar can be used instead.

Ground cinnamon - a classic pairing with apple and gives the filling a warm, autumnal flavour.

Water - just a small amount helps the apples soften and prevents them from drying out during their initial air frying.

Plain flour - forms the base of the crumble topping. Use all-purpose flour in the US.

Oats - use regular rolled or porridge oats rather than jumbo oats. I find jumbo oats don't absorb the melted butter as effectively.

Light brown sugar - gives the topping a richer caramel flavour and contributes to its chewy texture.

Butter - melted rather than rubbed into the flour. This makes the topping extremely quick to prepare and helps create those chewy flapjack-like clusters.

Need to substitute an ingredient?

Have an allergy or dietary preference? Let AI customise the recipe for you.

Variations

Incorporate a variety of fruits like pears, berries, or rhubarb alongside apples for a mixed fruit crumble.
Add a touch of warmth and aroma by experimenting with different spices in the crumble, such as nutmeg, mixed spice, allspice, or ginger.
Substitute the butter in the crumble topping with a vegan-friendly alternative like coconut oil or margarine.
Use my slow cooker stewed apples recipe as the fruit filling and simply spoon the crumble topping on top.

Make it even better

Protein - serve the crumble with thick Greek yogurt rather than cream or custard.

Fibre - add berries to the filling for additional fibre.

Healthy fats - add a small handful of chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds to the oat topping.

Less sugar - reduce the sugar added to the apples, particularly if using a naturally sweeter variety instead of Bramleys.

Why I use oats in air fryer apple crumble

This isn't a traditional fine, sandy crumble topping. Oats make up a substantial part of the topping, alongside equal quantities of flour, brown sugar and butter.

Combined with melted butter, they create a thicker, chewier topping that's more like a cross between a traditional crumble and a flapjack.

I particularly like this texture when making apple crumble in the air fryer, where the direct heat helps the exposed topping become golden while the mixture underneath remains buttery and chewy.

How to make apple crumble in air fryer

One: Preheat the air fryer to 170°C (320°F) and grease a 1.5 litre baking dish. The shape of the dish can vary depending on the size and shape of your particular air fryer. Any dish that is safe to use in an oven can also be used in an air fryer.

Crumble topping in a mixing bowl. — **Two:** Place the flour, oats, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and stir in the melted butter until crumbles form. Set aside.

Sliced apples in air fryer. — **Three:** Peel and thinly slice the apples and place them into the baking dish with the caster sugar, cinnamon, and water. Give it a mix and then air fry for 12-15 minutes until the apples have softened.

Apple crumble in air fryer. — **Four:** Sprinkle over the crumble topping and air fry for a further 15-20 minutes until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbling underneath.

Baked apple crumblewith a jug of custard. — **Five:** Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving with custard, cream of ice cream.

Pro Tip - Every air fryer is different, so adjust the cooking time as needed. Check the crumble regularly to ensure that it's cooking evenly and adjust the time or temperature accordingly.

Beth's top tips

Cook the apples first. Don't add the raw apples and crumble topping at the same time. The topping is likely to brown before the apples have softened.
Use ordinary rolled or porridge oats. Jumbo oats don't absorb the melted butter as well and don't give the same flapjack-like texture.
Weigh the apples before preparing them. The 700g measurement is for whole, unpeeled and uncored Bramley apples.
Slice the apples fairly thinly and evenly so they soften at roughly the same rate.
Use a dish that fits comfortably inside your air fryer. I use a 1.5-litre ovenproof dish in my Ninja Foodi Health Grill & Air Fryer 5.7L.
If the topping is becoming too brown before the filling is ready, loosely cover the top with foil, ensuring the foil is securely weighted by the dish/food and cannot blow towards the heating element.

Serving suggestions

Here are some serving suggestions for your air fryer apple crumble:

Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream (honeycomb ice cream is good too).
Drizzle with a warm caramel, maple syrup, or butterscotch sauce for an extra touch of sweetness.
Serve with a side of custard on cold winter days.
Top with a sprinkle of chopped nuts or a dusting of icing sugar.
For a breakfast twist, serve the apple crumble with a dollop of thick Greek yogurt.

Storage

Store - allow leftover apple crumble to cool before covering it and storing it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat - reheat individual portions until piping hot. Using the air fryer will help revive the texture of the topping better than a microwave.

Freeze - the cooked crumble can be frozen, although the texture of the topping may soften slightly after defrosting. Freeze in a suitable container for up to 3 months and defrost in the fridge before reheating thoroughly.

Apple crumble in a rectangular baking dish with a jug of custard.

Troubleshooting guide

Why are the apples still hard?

Make sure you give the Bramley apples their 12-15 minute initial cooking time before adding the topping. Slice them fairly thinly and evenly, too. Particularly thick pieces will take longer to soften.

Why is my crumble topping getting too dark?

Air fryer heating elements are very close to the surface of the food, so crumble toppings can brown quickly. Cover the top with foil for the remaining cooking time if necessary, making sure it is secure and can't move towards the heating element.

Why isn't my topping like a traditional crumble?

It's not supposed to be! This recipe deliberately uses plenty of oats and melted butter to create a chewier, flapjack-style topping rather than a fine traditional crumble.

Air fryer apple crumble FAQs

Can I cook this recipe in a conventional oven?

This recipe has been specifically developed for cooking in an air fryer. Follow my recipe for cinnamon apple crumble if you would like to bake your crumble in the oven.

What temperature do you cook apple crumble in an air fryer?

I cook this apple crumble at 170°C (320°F) in my Ninja Foodi Health Grill & Air Fryer 5.7L and my Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer 10.4L. The apples cook for 12-15 minutes first, followed by another 15-20 minutes once the topping has been added.

What are the best apples for air fryer apple crumble?

I use Bramley cooking apples. They're naturally tart and soften well during cooking, making them particularly good for a classic British apple crumble. In the US, where Bramleys can be difficult to find, a tart baking apple such as Granny Smith is a useful alternative, although the final texture and sweetness will be slightly different.

More air fryer dessert recipes

More crumble recipes

Apple crumble in a baking dish with a jug of custard.

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