Classic apple crumble
Soft, tangy Bramley apples under a buttery, golden crumble topping. The ultimate Sunday pudding with custard.
- Prep
- 20 mins
- Cook
- 40 mins
- Total
- 1 hr
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Budget
Recipe: Classic apple crumble
Classic apple crumble
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1kg Bramley apples, about 4 large, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
- 75g caster sugar, adjust to taste
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp water
For the crumble
- 200g plain flour
- 125g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 100g demerara sugar, or light brown soft sugar
- 25g porridge oats, optional, for crunch
Kitchen kit
- Ovenproof dish, about 20 x 30cm or 1.5 litre Search Amazon for ceramic baking dish 1.5 litre
- Apple corer Search Amazon for apple corer
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Method
-
Step 1: Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / gas 5.
-
Step 2: Start the apples
Put the apples, sugar, cinnamon and water in a pan, cover and cook gently for 5 minutes, just until they start to soften at the edges. Tip into the dish.
-
Step 3: Make the crumble
Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs with a few larger lumps. Stir in the sugar and oats.
-
Step 4: Assemble
Scatter the crumble evenly over the apples – don't press it down.
-
Step 5: Bake
Bake for 30–35 minutes until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling at the edges. Rest for 5 minutes and serve with custard, cream or ice cream.
Tips
- Bramleys collapse into a fluffy purée; for chunkier fruit mix in a couple of eating apples such as Cox or Braeburn.
- The crumble mix freezes brilliantly – make double and keep a bag for next time.
Storing & reheating
Cool, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours; eat within 2 days. Reheat once, until piping hot.
Freezing
Freeze the assembled, unbaked crumble for up to 3 months; bake from frozen at the same temperature for 50–60 minutes, until piping hot in the centre.
Variations
- Apple and blackberry: swap 200g of the apple for blackberries.
- Rhubarb: use 800g rhubarb in 3cm pieces with 100g sugar, no pre-cooking.
Allergies: Always check the labels of the ingredients you buy for allergens — our dietary tags are a guide, not a guarantee.
From feeed.co.uk/recipes/apple-crumble/ · Checked 17 October 2026
Questions people ask
Why is my crumble topping soggy?
The fruit was too wet or the topping was pressed down. Pre-cook the apples briefly and scatter the crumble loosely.
Can I make it gluten-free?
Use a gluten-free plain flour blend and gluten-free oats (or leave the oats out).
Sources & inspiration
Checked 17 October 2026. Written in our own words; we checked proportions, technique and food safety against:
- BBC Good Food: Easy apple crumble (quantities, oven temperature and timings compared) (bbcgoodfood.com)
- FSA: chilling and storing food safely (food.gov.uk)
See other recipes that use the same kit on our kitchen kit pages.
