Name: Apple Crisp
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 6–8 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour; ⅔ cup (packed; 143 g) dark brown sugar; ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon; ⅛ tsp. kosher salt; 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces and chilled; 2 lb. firm, sweet apples (4–5 medium-large apples), peeled and halved; Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or heavy cream to serve (optional)

Baked flour butter and brown sugar over sliced apples in an 8x8 baking tray next to a bowl of whipped cream.

Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart

The best apple crumble recipe starts with choosing the right apples, so consider your fruit wisely. Baking apples “can range from sweet to tart to everything in between,” says cookbook author (and expert baker) Abby Dodge, who developed this recipe for Epicurious. Dodge recommends a combination of McIntosh and Golden Delicious. McIntosh apples are sweet, juicy, and break down beautifully in the oven; this helps thicken the filling as the crumble bakes without relying on cornstarch or other agents. On the other end of the spectrum, Golden Delicious apples retain shape at high temperatures, giving the filling balanced flavors and a satisfying texture. Customize the apple mixture by substituting Macouns for the McIntosh, or swap the Golden Delicious for Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith apples. If your fruit starts to brown after you peel it, put the halves in a large bowl and toss with a squeeze of lemon juice while you work on the remaining apples.

Diced cold butter is key to a crisp-tender crumb topping. Melted butter will cause the crumbs to spread and flatten, whereas chilled fat produces big, satisfying chunks that bake up crispy and golden brown. For the best texture, squeeze big clumps of the buttery dough and let it break and fall from your hands into a craggy, irregular surface.

Adapt this apple crumble recipe to suit whatever is in your kitchen (and in your heart): Toss chopped pecans or walnuts into the crumble mixture; stir a handful of golden raisins or dried cranberries into the apples; or add in a sprinkling of allspice, ginger, cardamom, or other baking spices with the cinnamon. Need a gluten-free dessert? Swap the AP flour for a 1:1 GF blend, and you’ll be just fine. And remember, if the finished dessert is less sweet than you’d like (perhaps your apples were a bit too tart?), that’s nothing this 3-ingredient microwave caramel sauce can’t fix.

Recipe information

Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Yield
6–8 servings

Ingredients

1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour

⅔ cup (packed; 143 g) dark brown sugar

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon

⅛ tsp. kosher salt

8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces and chilled

2 lb. firm, sweet apples (4–5 medium-large apples), peeled and halved

Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or heavy cream to serve (optional)

Preparation

Step 1
Whisk 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup (packed; 143 g) dark brown sugar, ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon, and ⅛ tsp. kosher salt in a medium bowl to combine. Add 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces and chilled; use your fingers to rub butter into the flour mixture until topping resembles coarse crumbs. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the apple filling.
Step 2
Position a rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 375°F.
Step 3
Scoop cores out of 2 lb. firm, sweet apples (4 or 5 medium-large apples), peeled and halved, and discard cores. Cut apple halves lengthwise into ½"–¾"-thick slices (you should have about 6 cups). Transfer apple slices to an ungreased 8"-square baking dish (preferably ceramic, glass, or enameled cast-iron; avoid aluminum or uncoated cast iron) and spread them out evenly. Drizzle 2–4 Tbsp. water over the apples (less if they’re particularly juicy; more if they’re on the drier side).
Step 4
Squeeze fistfuls of topping in your hand and scatter across the apples so that you have some bigger lumps and some smaller ones (don’t press down on the topping!). Bake until crumble is browned, the apples are tender when pierced with a knife, and the juices are bubbling, 45–50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of heavy cream (if using).
Do Ahead: Apple crumble can be baked, cooled completely, covered, and kept at room temperature for 1 day. Reheat, uncovered, in a 300°–350° oven until heated through (10–15 minutes).
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart
Editor’s note: This apple crumble recipe was first printed in November 2013 as “Apple Crisp.” Head this way for more of our best apple desserts →