Apple Crumble
Caramel filling under a crunchy shortbread crumb! Try apple crumble - it’s easy and quick to make at home. It’s like a pie without a bottom crust, with lots of filling. Traditionally it’s served warm with a scoop of ice cream.
Updated : 16 March, 2026
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
300 grams
Apple
60 grams
Brown sugar
90 grams
Wheat flour
50 grams
Butter
40 grams
Sugar
1 teaspoon
Cinnamon
20 grams
Walnut
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How do you make crumble? Prepare the ingredients. Choose firm, not-too-sweet apples - they hold their shape better and taste best in this kind of baking. If your apples are sweet, reduce the sugar so it won’t be cloying. Brown sugar is for the filling, white sugar is for the crumb. You can use any nuts instead of walnuts, or omit them.
Step 2
First, cut the butter into cubes and put it in the freezer. It should be very well chilled.
Step 3
Chop the nuts into medium pieces.
Step 4
Toast them in a dry skillet for 5 minutes over medium heat. This intensifies the flavor and makes them crunchier and more aromatic. This step isn’t mandatory, but once you try it, you’ll see how much better toasted nuts taste.
Step 5
Wash the apples and peel them. Cut in half, remove the cores, and chop into small pieces.
Step 6
Add brown sugar and cinnamon to a dry skillet. Add the prepared apples.
Step 7
Set the skillet over low heat and, stirring, wait until the sugar melts. Gently toss the apple pieces in the caramel. As soon as the apples release juice and it mixes with the caramel to coat each piece, turn off the heat - the filling is ready.
Step 8
Now make the crumb topping. Put flour and sugar into a bowl. Take the butter from the freezer and add it to the flour.
Step 9
Using a fork, rub the butter into the flour until you get fine crumbs. The goal is to work quickly so every butter piece is coated with flour and sugar - then, during baking, the butter makes the crumb crisp. If the butter melts, you won’t get the same effect. Work fast and avoid using your hands, because the warmth will melt the butter. This amount of crumb is enough for three desserts in small ramekins.
Step 10
You can bake the crumble in one large dish or in individual portions. Put the caramelized apples on the bottom, then sprinkle with nuts. I prefer lots of apples, so I fill about two-thirds of the dish with them.
Step 11
Sprinkle the crumb topping over the apples. Place the dishes on a baking sheet. I recommend lining it with parchment - if a lot of apple juice runs out during baking, it won’t dirty the pan.
Step 12
Bake at 180°C / 356°F for 25 minutes. Remove, let cool slightly, and serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.
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