Two weeks ago, I mentioned that one thing I like to do every year is buy a bunch of fresh produce from our local orchards. Strawberries are bit in the spring, but the fall is where it really kicks off. Blueberries by the bucket. Vegetables fresh from the ground. And, of course, apples!
We’re spoiled. We live within easy driving distance of half a dozen or more gorgeous apple orchards. When September rolls around, we make sure to visit as many as we can. Picking up some fresh fruit and veg has become something of a tradition. In fact, I wrote an adventure post about apple picking just last week! Check it out for a little backstory on this recipe.
Autumn is well upon us now, and what could be more autumnal than apples, cinnamon, allspice, and the warmth of an oven making a delicious dessert? Apple crumble, or apple crisp, is one of my fall favorites. Nice soft apple bits, a rich, thick syrupy mixture of spices, and a gooey and delicious crumble make it a perfect fall dessert.
There are a lot of different ways to make an apple crumble. Mine makes use of a handful of warm fall spices like cinnamon (of course) and nutmeg. Your choice of apple will determine a lot about the end results. Picking a nice tart apple will cut through some of the sweetness of the sugar. Picking a sweeter apple makes the whole thing that much sweeter. A dry, crisp apple keeps it thick and sticky, while juicier apples make it runnier. Really, though, just pick the apple you like the most.
For this recipe, we used apples we had just picked at the orchard. Shizukas are our new favorites, but we also used a couple of Ambrosia apples and some Golden Supremes. A mixture of varieties makes for a more robust apple crumble, but it turns out delicious either way.
To make the apple crumble, start by peeling and coring your apples. My partner likes to cut the apples into wedges and cut the cores out with a paring knife. I just use an apple corer; it’s a lot less work! When you’re done, chop the apples into pieces large enough to not turn to mush, but small enough to comfortably eat.
Toss your apples in the flour-sugar-spice mixture, drizzle with the lemon juice, and spread out in your baking dish. Then, make the crumble topping. It’s easy to do; mix some melted butter with oats, flour, brown sugar, and spices. A tiny pinch of salt helps bring out the spice flavors without making anything taste salty. You want a course, granular texture for the crumble. The butter will melt away, the sugar will melt and caramelize, and the whole thing becomes a medley of seasonal flavors by the time it’s done baking.
While the spiced apple crumble is delicious as it is, you can always serve it with a scoop of your favorite ice cream on top. Let the crumble cool (or heat it up for the next day), and scoop some vanilla or chocolate ice cream right on top. It just might be your favorite autumn dessert after you try it.
Spiced Apple Crumble
Equipment
- 13"x9" (3qt) Baking Dish
- Apple Peeler
- Apple Corer
- Rubber Spatula
- 2 Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 2 lbs. Apples Any apple you like. We used Shizuka, Golden Supreme, and Ambrosia varieties.
- 1 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- ½ cup White Sugar
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice Replace with water for a sweeter filling.
- ½ tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp Allspice
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup Rolled Oats
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Nutmeg
- ¼ tsp Allspice
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter
- 1 pinch Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Peel and core apples.
- Cut apples into bite-size cubes.
- In mixing bowl, toss apples with flour, sugar, and spices.
- Sprinkle apple mixture with lemon juice, then pour into baking dish.
- Add all topping ingredients to mixing bowl.
- Using your hands, squeeze and mix the topping until it mixes together to a consistency of wet sand.
- Spread topping over apples in baking dish, breaking apart large clumps as necessary.
- Bake 30-45 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove and cover loosely with foil to cool 10 minutes.
- Serve warm, with ice cream (optional).