Cinnamon Apple Tart Cherry Crumble

This easy apple crumble takes half the effort of pie, but it's just as good, full of warming cinnamon & cardamom as well as brown sugar, oats & nuts.

Pie is something I enjoy most when other people make it. I usually don’t have the patience to make crust, but that’s probably because I’m more of a filling person anyway. (When I was a kid, I’d always eat the pumpkin pie filling and leave the shell of the crust behind.)

So, naturally, crisps and crumbles are my fall desserts of choice. This apple crumble recipe is much easier than pie, but it still has all of apple pie’s fruity-crunchy-fall-spiced goodness.

How to Make Apple Crumble

I made this nutty, oat-y crumble topping with a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom. Cardamom has a sweet floral flavor that’s just a little bit unexpected here. I love this combination, but you can spice yours up however you like – nutmeg or allspice would work too. Once you choose your spices, the topping is easy to make: simply whisk together the dry ingredients, and then massage in butter or coconut oil until it’s incorporated but the mixture still has a crumbly texture.

Toss the crumble with chopped apples and bake until golden. (By the way, your kitchen will smell amazing). Let the crumble cool a little bit before serving and always enjoy with ice cream. (I especially love this with Nada Moo’s mmm…Maple Pecan vegan ice cream).

If you love this apple crumble recipe…

Be sure to try this apple pie, this apple crisp, and these apple muffins before apple season slips away!

4.7 from 3 reviews

Cinnamon Apple Crumble

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

This delicious spiced apple crumble is easier than pie and can be made vegan and gluten-free! A great fall dessert.

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 12 ounces chopped apples (about 3 small)
• Juice of ½ a small lemon
• ⅓ cup whole rolled oats
• ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup flour (whole wheat, spelt or oat flour)
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, vegan butter, or hardened coconut oil
• ¼ cup dried tart cherries or cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F and grease an 8x8 round pie pan, or similar sized dish.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the chopped apples with a big squeeze of lemon.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the oats, walnuts, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt.
4. Cut your butter (or hardened coconut oil) into a few small pieces and add to the crumble. Use your hands to smush it with the dry crumble topping - stop when it’s incorporated but still crumbly. (If you overmix it and it becomes mushy, add a bit more flour, if it's too dry, add a little more butter/oil.)
5. Mix the apples and dried tart cherries with ½ the crumble and place into the baking dish. Sprinkle the rest of the crumble on top.
6. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 15-20 more minutes until the apples are soft and the crumble is golden brown.
7. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Serve with scoops of ice cream.

Notes

*if you're sensitive to gluten, make sure your oats and oat flour are certified gluten-free. (You can also make oat flour by blitzing oats in a high-speed blender).

Note that spelt flour is not gluten-free.

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