This apple crumble without oats starts with canned apple pie filling and a homemade brown sugar topping. A little cinnamon, vanilla, and melted butter turn a few pantry ingredients into golden crumbs to spoon over warm apples. No peeling, slicing, or mixer needed!
If you have more apple pie filling to use, my caramel apple dump cake adds caramel and a cake mix topping, while this apple snickerdoodle dump cake uses a cookie mix for its cinnamon-sugar crumble.
An Easy Apple Crumble with Pie Filling
I had plenty of canned apple pie filling on hand, and this was such a good way to use it. The filling goes right into the baking dish with a little lemon juice, while the crumble comes together in a separate bowl.
Mine baked for the full 45 minutes. I wanted the topping to look more golden and the edges to bubble a little more than they did at 40 minutes. Start checking then, but use those two cues to decide when yours is ready.
FAQs
No. A flour, sugar, and butter topping makes a crumble without any oats. Apple crisp often includes oats, although the names are sometimes used interchangeably. This recipe has a buttery brown sugar crumble topping.
Yes! This recipe uses two 21-ounce cans of apple pie filling, including all of the sauce. The filling is already sweetened and thickened, so you only add lemon juice before scattering the homemade crumble on top.
Fresh apples need their own sugar, thickener, and cooking adjustments, so they are not a straight swap for the canned filling in this recipe. Use prepared apple pie filling for the version shown here.
Measure the flour lightly by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off, or weigh 150 grams. Stir the melted butter through all of the dry ingredients, then squeeze small handfuls together and break them into crumbs. The mixture should be evenly moistened before it goes over the apples.
Cover and refrigerate leftovers, and use within 3-4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven until hot throughout, loosely covering the top if it starts to brown too much. A microwave works for individual portions, but the topping will be softer. Add ice cream after reheating.
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the printable ingredient list and full instructions.
Apple filling
- 2 cans apple pie filling, 21 ounces each - 42 ounces total; keep all of the sauce.
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - adds a little tartness to the sweet filling.
Crumble topping
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour (150 grams) - spoon into the measuring cup and level it off.
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar (100 grams) - break up any firm lumps.
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85 grams) - melt it, then let it cool until warm.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pie filling: Choose apple pie filling, rather than plain canned apples. Brands vary in sweetness and spice, so the filling you use will affect the finished flavor. There is no extra sugar or thickener in the apple layer. You can also spoon this type of filling over cinnamon-sugar tortilla crisps for my apple pie nachos.
Butter: Melted butter lets you stir this topping together with a fork. If you use salted butter, leave out the added salt.
Instructions
- Prepare the filling. Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish that is at least 2 inches deep. Stir the apple pie filling and lemon juice together in the dish, then spread evenly.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Break apart any brown sugar lumps.
- Make the crumbs. Stir the vanilla into the warm melted butter. Add it to the dry mixture and mix with a fork until evenly moistened. Squeeze small handfuls together, then break them into small crumbs and roughly dime-sized pieces.
- Top the apples. Scatter the crumble over the filling, leaving the crumbs loose. Don't press them into a solid layer.
- Bake. Set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes, checking at 40 minutes. Look for a golden-brown topping and filling bubbling around the edges and through gaps in the crumbs. If the top browns before the filling bubbles, loosely tent with foil and keep baking.
- Rest and serve. Let the crumble stand uncovered for 20 minutes before scooping. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream if you'd like.
Tips
- Keep a mix of crumb sizes. Small crumbs cover the apples, while the larger pieces give you those buttery bites of topping. Take a moment to squeeze and break up the mixture before adding it to the dish.
- Use the right dish. An 8×8-inch dish at least 2 inches deep gives the filling and topping room. A larger pan makes thinner layers and can change the baking time.
- Watch the color and the filling. A golden top and bubbling edges are more useful than the timer alone. The baking sheet underneath catches any drips.
- Give it the 20-minute rest. It lets the filling settle before serving, and the crumble will still be warm.
More Recipes
- Apple Snickerdoodle Dump Cake - Another way to use canned apple pie filling, with a snickerdoodle cookie mix topping.
- Caramel Apple Dump Cake - Apple pie filling, caramel, and cake mix in an easy baked dessert.
- Easy Fall Desserts - More ideas for your fall dessert table.
Recipe
Easy Apple Crumble Without Oats
Equipment
- 1 8×8-inch baking dish at least 2 inches deep
- 1 rimmed baking sheet
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 Fork
Ingredients
Apple filling
- 2 cans apple pie filling 21 ounces each, 42 ounces total
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Crumble topping
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 150 grams, spooned and leveled
- ½ cup light brown sugar 100 grams, packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 85 grams, melted and cooled until warm
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and dish. Heat the oven to 375°F, with a rack in the center. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish that is at least 2 inches deep.
- Add the filling. Stir the apple pie filling and lemon juice together in the dish, then spread into an even layer. Include all the sauce from the cans.
- Mix the dry topping ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Break apart any firm lumps of brown sugar.
- Form the crumble. Stir the vanilla into the melted butter. Pour it over the flour mixture and work it together with a fork until evenly moistened. Squeeze small handfuls together, then break them into a mixture of small crumbs and roughly dime-sized chunks.
- Cover the apples. Scatter the crumble evenly over the filling. Keep the pieces loose rather than pressing them into a solid layer.
- Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 375°F for about 45 minutes, checking at 40 minutes. The topping should be golden brown and the filling should bubble around the edges and through gaps in the topping. If the top browns before the filling bubbles, loosely cover with foil and continue baking.
- Let it settle. Rest uncovered for 20 minutes before scooping. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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