Easy Apple Crumble

What’s better than a big pan of apple crumble? This easy recipe fills a 9 x 13 inch pan with crunchy topping and a gingery apple filling.

Growing up with an apple tree in my backyard, my family would hours making and freezing homemade applesauce and canning apple butter. To keep us going, my mom would make her signature apple crisp. We’d shovel in forkfuls with vanilla ice cream running down our chins. And now, Alex and me finally have our own take on the old standard! This is the best classic apple crumble (or apple crisp, because they’re pretty darn similar). It’s a big 9 x 13 pan to feed a crowd, and fresh ginger accentuates the gooey filling perfectly. Ready to get started?

Best apples for baking apple crumble

What are the best apples for baking apple crumble or crisp? We’re glad you asked. There are certain apples that hold their texture better than baked. Some apple varieties are better for eating than cooking! Alex and my personal preference is for tart or sweet tart apples when baking. Here are what we’ve found are the best apple varieties for baking:

Jonathon or Jonagold
Ida Red
Honeycrisp
Golden Delicious
Granny Smith

We used Ida Red that we picked at a local apple orchard in this apple crumble, and they had the perfect texture and flavor.

Tips for this easy apple crumble

This apple crumble is truly easy to make, and uses simple ingredients and time-honored crumble traditions. Here are a few tips for baking and serving this apple crumble:

Use fresh ginger. Many apple crumble recipes use ground ginger, but fresh ginger adds the best flavor. Our best trick for fresh ginger? Peel it with a spoon.
It makes a big pan: 12 servings! One way to keep desserts healthy is to eat a small serving. This makes a 9 x 13 pan, which is 12 servings. If you stick to that size, this dessert is not so bad!
Top with Greek yogurt, creme fraiche, whipped cream, or ice cream. To make a healthy spin, try a small dollop of Greek yogurt that’s lightly sweetened with maple syrup. Creme fraiche with a little maple is heavenly.

Variations on this recipe

There are a few variations listed in the recipe below to customize this apple crumble for various diets and tastes! Here’s what you can do:

Make it vegan: Use coconut oil in place of the butter. The crumble will be slightly softer than it is with butter, but it’s still fantastic.
Make it gluten free or paleo: Use almond flour in place of all purpose flour. The filling will still be delightfully crumbly.
Add flair: Add spices to give it a spin. Try 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cardamom in the crumble, or add a pinch of nutmeg or cloves.

Apple recipes

Got more apples? We went apple picking this year (see below) and had a ton of leftover apples. We made this apple crumble, and have been picking our way through our favorite apple recipes. Here are a few of our top picks for cooking with apples:

This apple crumble recipe is…

Vegetarian. For gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, follow the variations in the recipe below.