Caramel Apple Crumble

Caramel apple crumble is the ultimate fall dessert. It’s so quick and easy to make—no mixer necessary—and can be served warm or cold. Tart apples, creamy caramel sauce, and a buttery crumb topping combine to make it completely irresistible, especially topped with ice cream!

Imagine: sweet-tart apples tossed with a little cinnamon, covered in caramel sauce, topped with a soft and buttery streusel. Are you swooning yet?

Because this caramel apple crumble has it all. If you’re deep in fall dessert mode at this point you NEED to make this one next.

Serve it with some ice cream and a whole lot of extra caramel sauce and you can’t go wrong!

Why you’ll love this caramel apple crumble:

• This is a really easy recipe—you don’t need a mixer or anything, just a bowl and a spatula
• The filling and topping are both made with brown sugar, which complements the caramel sauce beautifully; brown sugar provides a deeper flavor than granulated sugar would
• Because there’s a little baking powder added to the crumble topping, you’re ensured a soft and delicate crumb
• This crumble can be served warm or cold; it’s equally delicious either way!

How to make your crumble

• Stir brown sugar, cornstarch, and a couple other ingredients together
• Add sliced apples
• Stir until the apples are evenly coated

• Stir flour, brown sugar, and a couple other ingredients together
• Add room temperature butter and use your fingers to mix them until the topping forms large crumbles
• Sprinkle the topping evenly over the caramel sauce

Then you’ll bake for about half an hour, until the juices and caramel are bubbling and the top is light golden in color.

Cool for a bit to let the juices set up and you’re ready to serve!

Recipe notes and tips

• You’ll need between 3 and 5 apples for this recipe, depending on size (if they’re really small you may need more).
• Use a good baking apple such as Granny Smith, Jonagold, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp (or a combination).
• I prefer to use Granny Smith apples for this crumble because their tart flavor provides a nice contrast to the caramel sauce.
• Be sure to slice your apples fairly thinly, no more than 1/4-inch-thick. If they’re too thick they won’t soften enough while they bake.
• I used Smuckers caramel sauce for my crumble but whatever brand you have is fine. You can use either salted caramel sauce or regular; both are delicious here.
• If your brown sugar is really hard and clumps together, you can pop it in the microwave for a few seconds (or more than a few depending on how hard it is). The microwave will loosen the sugar up and make it easier to measure.
• If you like a lot of cinnamon in your apple desserts you can add a little more (I wouldn’t add more than an additional teaspoon). This recipe only calls for a 1/2-teaspoon because I wanted the apple and caramel flavors to shine through more than the cinnamon.

How to store your crumble

You can store uneaten crumble, covered, in the fridge for 3 or 4 days. Be sure to let your crumble cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating.

If you don’t cool it first it could sweat once it’s covered.

You can reheat the crumble in the microwave but I actually think it’s delicious cold.

Serving ideas

I love to serve this with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and lots of caramel sauce (I always buy two jars to be sure I have enough). But here are a few other ideas:

• Whipped cream
• Cinnamon ice cream
• Pumpkin ice cream
• Marshmallow sauce and a sprinkle of cinnamon (this is delicious!)
• Or some combination of the above!

What’s the difference between a crumble and a crisp?

While both crumbles and crisps are made with fruit (fresh, frozen, or even canned fruit!), they are a little different.

Traditionally, crumbles are topped with a streusel topping while crisps are topped with a buttery crumble topping, made with oats, sugar, and (sometimes) nuts.

The oats “crisp” while baking, hence the name. A crumble topping stays softer, especially if you add a little baking powder like in this recipe.

A few more recipes you might enjoy:
Caramel Apple Dump Cake
Apple Rhubarb Crisp
Sweet Potato Cheesecake
Blueberry Apple Crisp

Did you make this caramel apple crumble? AWESOME! Let me know what you think with a comment and a rating below. And post a pic on Instagram too!  Tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see!

5 from 5 votes

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Caramel Apple Crumble

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

Caramel apple crumble is a delicious and easy dessert for fall or any time of year. Tart apples, creamy caramel sauce, and a buttery streusel make it impossible to resist!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 9

Author: Kelsie

Ingredients

Filling

• 1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 5 cups apples peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch slices*
• 1/3 cup caramel sauce + more for serving

Topping

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

Instructions

Filling

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square (or 11- by 7-inch) baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Stir the brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and cinnamon together in a mixing bowl. Add the sliced apples and stir until the apples are evenly coated.
3. Spread into an even layer in the prepared baking dish. Pour the caramel sauce evenly over everything, then make the topping.

Topping

1. Stir the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.

2. Add the butter and use your fingers to cut it into the mixture until it comes together and forms large crumbles.
3. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the caramel sauce.
4. Set the baking dish on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any juices that might spill over and bake 25 to 35 minutes, until the caramel and apple juices are bubbling around the edges and the top is light golden.
5. Cool for 20 to 30 minutes to let the juices set up a little bit, then serve with ice cream and additional caramel sauce.
6. Uneaten crumble can be stored, covered, in the fridge for 3 or 4 days. Be sure to let your crumble cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

• *You’ll need between 3 and 5 apples, depending on size (if they’re really small you may need more).
• Be sure to slice your apples fairly thinly, no more than 1/4-inch-thick. If they’re too thick they won’t soften enough while they bake.
• Use a good baking apple such as Granny Smith, Jonagold, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp (or a combination).
• I used Smuckers caramel sauce for my crumble but whatever brand you have is fine. You can use either salted caramel sauce or regular; both are delicious here.
• If your brown sugar is really hard and clumps together, you can pop it in the microwave for a few seconds (or more than a few depending on how hard it is). The microwave will loosen the sugar up and make it easier to measure.