A quick and easy cinnamon apple crumble recipe made with tart Bramley apples and a buttery sweet flapjack style oat topping.
Serve with whipped cream, ice cream, or vanilla custard for the ultimate baked apple dessert. You might also like my blackberry & apple crumble recipe too!
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This simple apple and cinnamon crumble is the recipe I go back to every single year when apple season arrives.
The tart Bramley apples are sliced thinly and topped with an easy flapjack-style crumble topping, made by pouring melted butter onto flour, oats, and sugar. There's no tedious rubbing in required, nor pre-cooking of the apples, which means it takes minutes to assemble.
👩🍳 Glut of Bramley apples? Why not give my apple and blackberry turnovers or sticky toffee apple crumble a try too?
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- In this simple apple crumble recipe, there's no need to pre-cook the apples or go through the process of rubbing in the butter and flour for the topping.
- The recipe uses pantry staples and is delicious with cream, custard, or ice cream.
🛒 Ingredients
Apples - I like to use tart Bramley apples, which contrasts nicely with the sweet buttery crumble topping. If you can't get hold of Bramley apples, use a tart eating apple like Granny Smith. There is no pre-cooking of the apples, so the apples should be peeled and sliced thinly.
Cinnamon - 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon gives the crumble a lovely warmth.
Caster Sugar - Cooking apples, like Bramleys, need a little bit of sweetening. I use a small amount of caster sugar to offset their tartness.
Water - the water helps soften the sliced apple when baking.
For the crumble topping:
Flour - plain white flour is needed for the crumble topping.
Oats - use rolled oats or porridge oats (but not jumbo oats, as they don't absorb melted butter well).
Light Brown Sugar - gives the crumble topping a wonderful caramel sweetness. You can also substitute with caster sugar or demerara sugar.
Butter - unsalted butter is best. The butter should be melted before being mixed with the dry ingredients to make the crumble topping.
🔪 How to make apple cinnamon crumble
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Place the flour, oats, and light brown sugar in a large bowl and pour over the melted butter.
Two: Mix with a spoon until golden crumbles form.
Three: Peel and thinly slice the apples, and mix with the cinnamon, caster sugar, and water in a 2 litre pie dish.
Four: Spoon over the crumble topping and bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes until golden and the fruit underneath bubbling. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Top Tips
- Don't skip the water for the apple filling. It helps to soften the apples so they become tender and fluffy.
- Don't forget the cinnamon either! Cinnamon pairs wonderfully with apples and adds a warm, comforting flavor to the crumble. Sprinkle a generous amount over the apple layer to enhance the taste.
- As there is no pre-cooking of the apples in this recipe, slice the apples as thinly as you can, so they cook evenly and become soft and tender. No big chunks allowed!
🍴 Serving suggestions
The cinnamon apple crumble is delicious with whipped cream, honeycomb ice cream, or vanilla custard.
You can even eat leftovers for breakfast with Greek Yogurt and fresh berries!
📖 Variations
- Add 1 peeled and sliced pear to the recipe for an apple and pear crumble.
- Add a handful of chopped walnuts to the crumble topping for added crunch and texture.
- Add a handful of dried cranberries or raisins to the apple filling for an extra fruity hit. You could also add a tablespoon of mincemeat for an extra fruity flavour.
- Add half a teaspoon of ground ginger to the apple filling for warmth and spice.
- Make slow cooker apple crumble in your crock pot or air fryer apple crumble in your air fryer!
🥡 Storage
Store - Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat - Reheat in the microwave until hot. Fruit crumbles can be eaten at room temperature too.
Freeze - The cinnamon apple crumble can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow the crumble to cool then wrap in foil and place in your freezer. Defrost the crumble in the fridge overnight, before reheating it in the oven for 20 minutes.
❓ FAQs
There’s not a big difference between the two. The terms crisp and crumble are mostly interchangeable.
Opt for firm and slightly tart apples like Bramley or Granny Smith.
I would advise peeling the apples, especially if you are using cooking apples like Bramleys. They tend to have thicker tougher skin than ordinary eating apples.
Absolutely you can! Apple crumble is easy to prepare ahead of time. Assemble it in your pie dish, cover in foil, and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking.
Cinnamon is the classic spice for apple crumble, but you can also experiment with nutmeg, allspice, or a combination of these spices.
Apple crumble pairs wonderfully with custard, vanilla ice cream, clotted cream, or whipped cream. You can also try it with a drizzle of caramel sauce for added sweetness.
😋Related recipes
More fruit desserts to try!
- Blackberry Crumble
- Air Fryer Apple Crumble
- Mixed Berry Crumble
- Strawberry Crumble
- Eve's Pudding
- Rhubarb and Ginger Crumble
- Apple and Blueberry Crumble
- Caramel Apple Pie Bars
- Sticky Toffee Apple Pudding
- Easy Sherry Trifles
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Recipe
Easy Cinnamon Apple Crumble
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Equipment
- Vegetable Peeler
Ingredients
- 6 Bramley Apples
- 50 g Caster Sugar
- 2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon Water
For the crumble topping
- 125 g Plain Flour
- 125 g Rolled Oats do not use jumbo oats
- 125 g Light Brown Sugar
- 125 g Unsalted Butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°c (160 fan/ Gas 4/ 350F).
- Make the crumble topping by pouring melted butter onto the flour, oats and light brown sugar. Mix with a spoon until crumbles form.125 g Plain Flour, 125 g Rolled Oats, 125 g Unsalted Butter, 125 g Light Brown Sugar
- Peel and thinly slice the apples, and mix with the cinnamon, caster sugar, and water in a 2 litre pie dish.6 Bramley Apples, 50 g Caster Sugar, 2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, 2 tablespoon Water
- Spoon over the crumble topping and bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes until golden and the fruit underneath bubbling. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Don't skip the water for the apple filling. It helps to soften the apples so they become tender and fluffy.
- Don't forget the cinnamon either! Cinnamon pairs wonderfully with apples and adds a warm, comforting flavour to the crumble. Sprinkle a generous amount over the apple layer to enhance the taste.
- As there is no pre-cooking of the apples in this recipe, slice the apples as thinly as you can, so they cook evenly and become soft and tender. No big chunks allowed!
- Add 1 peeled and sliced pear to the recipe for an apple and pear crumble.
- Add a handful of chopped walnuts to the crumble topping for added crunch and texture.
- Add a handful of dried cranberries or raisins to the apple filling for an extra fruity hit.
- Add half a teaspoon of ground ginger to the apple filling for extra warmth and spice.
Keri Bevan
This was so delicious! Love the crunchy topping!
Tavo
One of our favorite recipes by far! This version was extra yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Denay DeGuzman
This is just like the apple crumble my Grandma would make. Thanks so much for bringing back this memory. The recipe is delicious!
Suzy
We loved it! So flavorful and that topping was perfect! Great way to use up apples from apple picking!
Andrea
I love how quick and easy this is to make. A delicious dessert any time I want.