Caramel Apple Crumble is a classic fall dessert that is both delicious and easy to make. The tart apple mixture is topped with a buttery crunchy pecan topping and drizzled with caramel sauce. It mixes up in minutes and is great to serve a crowd.
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Although I love pumpkin everything during the fall, I never forget to incorporate my other great fall love into my cooking – apples! Apples and pumpkins both come into season at just about the same time, and they both make amazing fall desserts.
So you’ll find me baking up an apple something or other just as often as you’ll find me baking up pumpkin treats. This isn’t your classic apple crumble we all know and love — it’s even better! We’ve added a few things to kick it up a notch, as Emeril would say, with the addition of a sweet and crunchy brown sugar pecan topping and salted caramel sauce.
This apple dessert starts with a classic caramel apple filling full of tender Granny Smith apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel. We add a crumble topping that gets golden brown and crispy in the oven, while the apples caramelize and become gooey and tender.
If you love apple recipes too try my apple pie bites or apple bundt cakes next!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Apple Crumble Recipe
- Irresistible Flavors. From the tart apples, to the sweet caramel and crunchy brown sugar pecan topping, each bite truly delivers.
- Simple Recipe. This apple dessert recipe is easy to make and all you need are easy to find ingredients. If you’re new to baking, this recipe is one perfect for beginners.
- Versatile Serving. This apple caramel crumble can be served warm or cold and it’s delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream.
Ingredients
Here’s a look at the simple baking ingredients you need. If you don’t already have them in your kitchen already, just take a quick visit to the produce section and baking aisle of your local grocery store to get what you need.
- Granny smith apples. Perfectly balanced for baking. These apples aren’t overly sweet and the texture holds up well to baking.
- All-purpose flour: Gives structure to the simple brown sugar crumble topping and also thickens the apple mixture.
- Sugar: We use a combination of light brown sugar and granulated sugar. I love the molasses flavor of brown sugar and it works especially well in a crumble.
- Spices: This dish uses classic fall spices, ground cinnamon and nutmeg. You can also use apple pie spice if you want a slightly more complex flavor. You’re also going to need some salt to balance all the flavors.
- Salted caramel sauce: Drizzled over the top.
- Chopped pecans: We love pecans with apples and brown sugar. Walnuts also work very well.
- Melted butter: Added to moisten the flour and sugar mixture to make the crumble. It also adds buttery richness and flavor.
Variations
- Pump Up the Spices. Try adding a pinch of allspice or mace to the mixture.
- Different Fruit. You can use all types of fruits like peaches, pears, or berries to make various kinds of crumbles.
- Add Dried Cranberries. Add some dried cranberries or raisins to the apple mixture for added pops of flavor to your caramel apple pie crumble.
- Fruit Combinations. Experiment with adding blackberries or blueberries to cook with the sliced apples.
How to Make Caramel Apple Crumble
This apple and caramel crumble might have a sweet twist to the topping, but it’s just as easy to make as the classic version. It only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps. If you can mix and pour, you can make this!
- Step 1: Prep. Gather all your ingredients together, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Step 2: Make the Apple Filling. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the apples and stir. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Step 3: Make the Topping. Stir the brown sugar, chopped pecans, flour, and melted butter together in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture over the apple filling in an even layer.
- Step 4: Bake. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the top and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the apples are tender and the topping is golden. Serve with ice cream and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Thin Even Apples Slices. Slice your apples relatively thinly so they get nice and soft while they bake. Make sure they are all about the same thickness.
- Mix Properly. Be sure to thoroughly mix your dry filling ingredients before adding the apples to ensure everything is well incorporated.
- Cool After Baking. Be sure to let your crumble cool for about 15 minutes so the filling can thicken and be eaten safely.
- Serving. This caramel apple dessert is perfect with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee or tea. Outside of that, a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream makes the perfect accompaniment for this recipe.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate this crumble in an airtight container for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze it in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 4 months.
To reheat the crumble, cover it with foil in a baking dish and bake at 350 until heated through. You can also microwave it at 1-minute intervals until heated through.
Recipe FAQ
Strictly speaking, almost any apple will work for baking. However, the best of the best are those that hold their structure while still getting soft while baking. Some of the best include Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Jonathan, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Haralson, and Newtown Pippin.
The only difference between a crumble and a crisp is the topping. Crisps feature a topping of flour, sugar, butter, and oats, while crumbles are oat-free.
Apple crumble is meant to be somewhat crunchy. The streusel topping develops a crispness as it bakes.
Apples should be sliced fairly thin for crumble to ensure they get nice and soft.
Try This Caramel Apple Dessert Today
This apple dessert combines a sweet and crunchy brown sugar pecan topping with classic apple crumble filling to create a dish that everyone loves. This new twist on an old favorite makes a great dessert for any occasion or even a sweet breakfast, and it’s so easy to make you’ll find yourself making it a permanent part of your recipe rotation.
More Delicious Apple Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Caramel Apple Crumble with Brown Sugar Pecan Topping
Ingredients
Apple Crumble
- 6 medium granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup caramel sauce
Brown Sugar Pecan Crust
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Apple Crumble
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together until combined.
- Add apples and stir.
- Pour the apple mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Brown Sugar Pecan Crust
- In a small bowl, stir brown sugar, chopped pecans, flour, and melted butter together until combined.
- Sprinkle brown sugar pecan topping over the apple mixture and spread in an even layer.
- Drizzle caramel sauce over the top and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the topping is golden.
- Remove from the oven and let cool 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Video
Notes
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- Thin Even Apples Slices. Slice your apples relatively thinly so they get nice and soft while they bake. Make sure they are all about the same thickness.
-
- Mix Properly. Be sure to thoroughly mix your dry filling ingredients before adding the apples to ensure everything is well incorporated.
-
- Cool After Baking. Be sure to let your crumble cool for about 15 minutes so the filling can thicken and be eaten safely.
-
- Serving. This caramel apple dessert is perfect with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee or tea. Outside of that, a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream makes the perfect accompaniment for this recipe.
