Brown Butter Apple Crumble
There's regular apple crumble, and then there's brown butter apple crumble — and once you've tried this version, there's no going back. The filling starts with tart Granny Smith apples tossed in cinnamon, a touch of cardamom, and a squeeze of lemon, then baked until they collapse into a bubbling, jammy layer that's sweet without being cloying.
The crumble topping is where the real magic happens. Browning the butter before mixing it into the oat-flour-sugar mixture creates these nutty, toffee-scented clusters that bake into a shattering golden crust. It's the kind of topping you'll catch yourself eating straight off the baking sheet.
Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a generous pour of cold heavy cream. This is a dessert that fills the whole house with the kind of smell that makes everyone wander into the kitchen asking when it'll be ready.
Ingredients
- ● 6 medium Granny Smith apples
- ● 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- ● 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- ● 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- ● 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- ● 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- ● 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- ● 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- ● 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ● 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ● 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ● 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- 1Preheat your oven to 375°F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish or a 10-inch cast iron skillet.
- 2Brown the butter: melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally. Cook until the milk solids turn deep golden and smell nutty, about 5-6 minutes. Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
- 3Toss the apple slices with the granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, cardamom, lemon juice, cornstarch, and vanilla in a large bowl. Spread evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- 4Make the crumble by combining the flour, oats, brown sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Pour the cooled brown butter over the mixture and toss with a fork until clumpy and well combined.
- 5Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the apples, squeezing some of the mixture into larger clumps for texture.
- 6Bake for 35-40 minutes until the topping is deep golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges.
- 7Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving — the filling needs time to thicken. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or cold cream.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 310 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 3g |
| Carbohydrates | 48g |
| Fat | 13g |
