This easy slow cooker apple crumble is made with tart Bramley apples and a sweet, buttery oat crumble topping. It is warm, comforting, and ideal for a simple family dessert.
This one-pot slow cooker dessert recipe can be prepared in minutes, then left to cook gently until the apples are soft and jammy. Serve it with custard, clotted cream, caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream, or honeycomb ice cream for a cosy pudding everyone will love.
This crockpot apple crumble is the kind of slow cooker comfort food that works beautifully on cold days, during apple season, or whenever you want a no-fuss homemade pudding.
The Bramley apples are peeled, cored, and sliced thinly before being tossed with a little sugar and cinnamon. They are then topped with a quick flapjack-style crumble made from flour, porridge oats, light brown sugar, and melted butter.
There is no need to rub butter into flour by hand, and the apples do not need to be cooked first. Everything is assembled directly in the slow cooker, making this a practical dessert for busy days, Sunday lunch, or relaxed family meals.
As the crumble cooks, the apples soften slowly and release their juices, creating a tender, lightly spiced fruit base. The oat topping cooks at the same time, and removing the lid near the end helps the crumble become firmer and more golden on top.
If you enjoy fruit crumbles, you can also try variations such as air fryer apple crumble, sticky toffee apple crumble, apple and pear crumble, or cinnamon apple crumble.
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✔️ Why you’ll love this slow cooker crumble
- It is an easy slow cooker dessert with minimal preparation.
- It is perfect for apple season and cosy autumn or winter meals.
- It tastes delicious with cream, custard, caramel sauce, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- You can prep it ahead and let the slow cooker do the work.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Apples – Tart Bramley apples are ideal because their sharp flavour balances the sweet, buttery crumble topping. If you cannot get Bramley apples, use a tart eating apple such as Granny Smith. Since the apples are not pre-cooked, peel, core, and slice them as thinly as possible so they soften evenly.
Cinnamon – Half a teaspoon of cinnamon adds gentle warmth to the apple filling. You can also add a small pinch of nutmeg or mixed spice if you like a deeper spiced flavour.
Caster sugar – Cooking apples can be quite sharp, so a small amount of caster sugar helps balance their tartness. Granulated sugar can also be used.
For the crumble topping:
Flour – Plain white flour works best for a classic crumble texture.
Oats – Use rolled porridge oats. Avoid jumbo oats because they do not absorb the melted butter as well and can make the topping too loose.
Light brown sugar – This gives the crumble topping a lovely caramel flavour. Caster sugar or demerara sugar can be used instead.
Butter – Unsalted butter is best. Melt it before stirring it into the dry ingredients to create a quick, chunky crumble mixture.
🔪 How to make apple crumble in a slow cooker
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found near the bottom of the post.
Top Tips
- Slice the apples thinly because they are not pre-cooked. Thin slices soften more evenly and create a better fruit layer.
- If you prefer, spray the slow cooker basin with a light cooking oil instead of greasing it with butter.
- Use a clean tea towel under the slow cooker lid to absorb excess moisture. This helps stop condensation from dripping back onto the crumble topping.
- If you already have stewed apples, you can use them as the base and reduce the overall cooking time.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve this slow cooker apple crumble warm with vanilla custard, whipped cream, clotted cream, caramel sauce, or a scoop of ice cream. The soft, tangy apples and buttery oat topping make it a classic baked apple dessert without needing to turn on the oven.
It is a lovely pudding after a roast dinner, a warming weekend treat, or an easy dessert for family gatherings.
📖 Variations
- Add one peeled and sliced pear to make slow cooker apple and pear crumble.
- Stir in fresh berries such as raspberries or blueberries for extra colour and fruitiness.
- Add a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans to the crumble topping for extra crunch.
- Mix dried cranberries or raisins into the apple filling for a sweeter, fruitier flavour.
- Add half a teaspoon of ground ginger to the apples for gentle spice.
- Swap the oat crumble for a streusel-style topping if you prefer a different texture.
🥡 Storage
Store – Leftover slow cooker apple crumble can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat – Reheat portions in the microwave until hot. The crumble can also be enjoyed at room temperature.
Freeze – The cooked apple crumble can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost before reheating.
❓ Frequently asked questions
There is not a major difference between the two. The terms crisp and crumble are often used interchangeably.
Yes, peeling is recommended, especially if using cooking apples such as Bramleys. Their skins can be thicker and tougher than eating apples.
Plain flour is usually best for crumble topping, but self-raising flour can be used if that is all you have.
A 3.5 litre slow cooker works well for this crumble because it gives a deep fruit layer. If using a larger 6.5 litre slow cooker, double the fruit filling.
Yes. Choose tart eating apples such as Granny Smith where possible. Since eating apples are sweeter than cooking apples, you may want to reduce the sugar slightly.
😋 More fruit crumble recipes
- Blackberry Crumble
- Gooseberry Crumble
- Mixed Berry Crumble
- Strawberry Crumble
- Cinnamon Apple Crumble
- Rhubarb and Ginger Crumble
- Apple and Blueberry Crumble
- Biscoff Apple Crumble Bars
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Tried this slow cooker apple crumble? Serve it warm, add your favourite topping, and enjoy a simple homemade dessert with very little effort.
Recipe
Easy Slow Cooker Apple Crumble
Equipment
- Kitchen scales
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Mixing bowl
- Slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter for greasing
- 6 Bramley apples (roughly 1kg), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 50 g caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
For the crumble
- 125 g plain flour
- 125 g porridge oats not jumbo or quick-cook oats
- 125 g light brown sugar
- 125 g unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Put the flour, porridge oats, and light brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture forms a crumbly topping.
- Grease the slow cooker basin with butter. Add the thinly sliced Bramley apples, caster sugar, and cinnamon, then stir until the apples are evenly coated.
- Scatter the crumble topping over the apple mixture and press it down lightly with the back of a spoon.
- Place a clean tea towel under the slow cooker lid, making sure the edges are folded safely over the top and do not hang near the heat source.
- Cook on high for 2 hours 30 minutes. Remove the lid and tea towel, then cook for another 45 minutes to help the topping firm up and become crisper.
Notes
Tips:
- Slice the apples very thinly so they cook evenly without pre-cooking.
- A light spray of cooking oil can be used instead of butter for greasing the slow cooker basin.
- The tea towel helps absorb condensation and improves the texture of the topping.
Variations:
- Add one peeled and sliced pear for apple and pear crumble.
- Add fresh berries, chopped nuts, raisins, cranberries, or half a teaspoon of ground ginger.
Storage:
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Warm in the microwave until hot, or serve at room temperature.
Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition: The nutritional information is approximate and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Nutritional Information (Approximate)
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