Fall is here, and that means apples in everything! This crumble is tart Granny Smith apples baked under a golden brown butter topping with toasted pecans, and that brown butter tastes almost like toffee. A little vanilla bean paste, a little cinnamon, and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Cozy dessert, achieved!
Brown Butter Apple Crumble with Toasted Pecans
Prep: 20 min · Bake: 40–45 min · Rest: 10–15 min · Total: about 1 hr 20 min · Serves: 8 · Oven: 350°F · Equipment: 9-inch square baking dish, mixing bowls, saucepan
Watch me make it
Video coming soon!
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling
- 3 pounds Granny Smith apples (about 6–7 medium-to-large apples), weighed before peeling and coring
- 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
For the Brown Butter Pecan Crumble
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats (not instant oatmeal)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup finely chopped toasted pecans
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Optional for Serving
- Vanilla bean ice cream
- Flaky sea salt
- Warm salted caramel sauce
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking dish.
Step 2: Brown the Butter
- Melt the 10 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Keep cooking, stirring or swirling often, as the butter foams. Watch closely as the milk solids turn golden brown and smell rich and nutty, about 4–7 minutes.
- Immediately pour the browned butter into a heatproof bowl, browned bits and all, so it stops cooking. Let it cool slightly while you prep everything else.
Step 3: Prepare the Apples
- Peel the apples if you like. Core and slice them with an apple slicer, then cut each wedge in half crosswise.
- In a large bowl, combine the apples, flour, brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla bean paste, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Toss until evenly coated.
- Spread the filling evenly in the prepared baking dish.
Step 4: Make the Brown Butter Pecan Crumble
- In a separate bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the toasted pecans.
- Gradually pour in the slightly cooled brown butter, stirring with a fork until the mixture forms coarse, buttery crumbs. It should hold together in small clumps when pressed, without turning into a smooth paste.
- Refrigerate the crumble for 10–15 minutes so the clusters hold their shape.
Step 5: Assemble
- Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the apples.
- Leave it loose and crumbly. Don’t press it down! That’s how you get a crisp, golden top.
Step 6: Bake
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for about 40–45 minutes, peeking at the 30-minute mark.
- It’s ready when the apples are fork-tender, the filling is bubbling at the edges, and the topping is golden brown and crisp.
- If the topping browns too fast, loosely tent the dish with foil. Ovens vary, so trust the apples and the color more than the clock.
Step 7: Rest and Serve
- Let it rest 10–15 minutes. The filling thickens as it cools.
- Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream. Feeling extra? Add a tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt or a drizzle of salted caramel.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Why brown butter? Browning the butter gives it a rich, toasted flavor that loves tart apples, warm spices, and pecans. Don’t skip the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. They’re packed with flavor!
Which oats? Quick-cooking oats give a finer, more tender topping. Old-fashioned rolled oats work too, but they stay chewier. Skip instant oatmeal packets.
Toasting pecans: Toast chopped pecans in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Let them cool before adding to the crumble.
Oat-free brown butter shortbread topping: Swap the crumble for 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, ¾ cup packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 10 tablespoons browned unsalted butter, ½ cup finely chopped toasted pecans, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Make it the same way. You get a buttery, shortbread-style topping with crunchy pecans. Keep an eye on it while baking, since it may brown differently.
Making it in the Ninja MultiPot XL: I first tested this in my Ninja MultiPot XL DualZone, with the filling split between the two zones and a different topping in each! Use the Bake function at 350°F for about 35 minutes, checking for tender apples, bubbling filling, and a golden top. The sugary filling can stick around the edges, so check toward the end and don’t let it go longer than it needs.
Apple varieties: Granny Smith keeps it nicely tart. For a slightly sweeter crumble, swap some of them for Honeycrisp.
Adjusting sweetness: The topping already uses a little less brown sugar to balance the tart apples and rich brown butter. You can cut it further, but the topping may come out less crisp.
Storage: Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3–4 days. Reheat in a 325°F oven to bring back the crisp topping.
Nutrition Information (Estimated)
- Servings: 8
- Calories: about 460 kcal
- Total Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Total Carbohydrates: 71 g
- Dietary Fiber: 5.5 g
- Total Sugars: 45 g
- Protein: 4 g
Nutrition is estimated per serving (1/8 of the recipe) using standard ingredient values and will vary with brands and apple sizes. Does not include ice cream, caramel, or other toppings. Values are for the oat crumble, not the oat-free version.
Ardently Earnest: Real food, real life, and a little bit of chaos.
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