Apple Crumble Spiced Topping (Printable)

A comforting baked dessert of spiced apples topped with a golden buttery crumble.

# What You'll Need:

→ Apple Filling

01 - 6 medium apples (Granny Smith or Braeburn), peeled, cored, and sliced
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
04 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
05 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
06 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

→ Crumble Topping

07 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
09 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar
10 - 1/2 cup rolled oats (optional)
11 - Pinch of salt

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a medium 8 x 10 inch baking dish.
02 - In a large bowl, toss sliced apples with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and flour until evenly combined. Spread mixture in the prepared baking dish.
03 - Combine flour, brown sugar, oats (if using), and salt in a bowl. Add cold butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Evenly scatter crumble topping over the apple filling. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until topping is golden and apples are bubbling.
05 - Allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve warm, optionally with vanilla ice cream or custard.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in twenty minutes of actual work, then the oven does the rest while you sit with tea.
  • The contrast between soft spiced apples and golden, crunchy topping is genuinely addictive.
  • You can make it with whatever you have—it's forgiving enough to feel impossible to mess up.
02 -
  • Cold butter matters more than you'd think—if it's warm, it'll blend into the flour and you'll get a cake topping instead of a proper crumble.
  • Don't skip the lemon juice. It seems small, but it's the difference between a decent crumble and one people actually remember.
03 -
  • Make the crumble topping up to two days ahead and keep it in the fridge; just scatter it over the apples before baking.
  • If you want maximum crunch, bake the topping separately on a sheet pan for fifteen minutes, then scatter it over the hot apples right before serving.
Go Back