Individual Green Apple Crumbles

These individual green apple crumbles are baked until the apples are soft and bubbling, with a golden oat crumble topping that settles into all the little gaps. They are simple to prepare, beautiful to serve, and lovely with warm custard, cream or ice cream.

The best part of a crumble is the edge, where the fruit catches and the topping turns deep golden against the side of the dish. Baking them individually means every serving gets those caramelised edges instead of just the corners of one big tray. I let the apples fall loosely into each dish rather than layering them neatly, so the crumble settles into the gaps and bakes into soft, syrupy fruit beneath crisp clusters.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 35 min · Yield: 5-6 Makes 5–6 individual crumbles, depending on dish size · Cuisine: Australian · Category: Desserts

Ingredients

Apple Filling

• 6 large green apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Crumble Topping

• 1 cup plain flour
• ¾ cup rolled oats
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 125 g cold butter, cubed
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced. Lightly grease 5–6 individual oven-safe dishes and place them on a large baking tray.
2. Place the sliced apples into a large bowl. Add the brown sugar, plain flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Toss until the apples are evenly coated.
3. Divide the apples between the dishes. Do not press them down or layer them too neatly. Let them fall naturally into the dishes, leaving little gaps, rises and uneven pockets for the crumble to settle into as it bakes.
4. Place the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. Add the cold butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture forms chunky crumbs. A few larger buttery pieces are good here.
5. Scatter the crumble topping generously over the apples, allowing some of it to fall between the apple slices. Do not press the topping down.
6. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the crumble is golden and crisp, and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges.
7. Let the crumbles rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with custard, cream or ice cream.

Serving Suggestion

Serve these warm, straight from their dishes, with a jug of warm custard, a pour of fresh cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of thick Greek yoghurt. Each one is generous enough to feel like a proper pudding on its own. If the apple and cinnamon is your kind of comfort, the Brown Sugar Apple Cinnamon Muffins are built from the same warm flavours for an easier afternoon bake.

Storage Notes

Store leftover crumbles covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 160°C fan-forced until warmed through and the topping has crisped again. They do not reheat well in the microwave, which softens the topping, so the oven is worth the few extra minutes.

Notes

Green apples are ideal here because they hold their shape and balance the sweetness of the crumble topping.

If your dishes are smaller or shallower, check them at around 30 minutes. They are ready when the topping is golden and the apple filling is bubbling at the sides.

Keep the crumble topping loose and uneven. Pressing it down can make it bake into a heavier layer rather than crisp clusters.

These are best served warm after resting for 10 minutes, when the apple juices have thickened slightly but the topping is still crisp.

The Grace Table Tip

These bake beautifully from prepared and chilled. Assemble the dishes a few hours ahead, keep them covered in the fridge, and slide them into the oven when you sit down to dinner, so each pot comes out hot and golden just as you are ready for dessert.