Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large cooking apples (such as Bramley or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (substitute with gluten-free flour blend if preferred)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced (use coconut oil for dairy-free option)
- Vanilla ice cream or your choice of flavour, for serving
- Optional: chopped toasted walnuts or pecans for extra crunch
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This gentle warmth is just right to coax out the apples’ sweetness without drying them out.
- In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. I always give the apples a little extra toss here, as if I’m dressing them for a special occasion—because they are.
- Transfer the apple mixture to a shallow ovenproof dish. The bubbling filling is the heart of this sundae, so choose a dish that lets you scoop out generous portions easily.
- In another bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, and salt. Using your fingertips (or a pastry cutter if you prefer), rub in the cold diced butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. I remember my mum teaching me to do this by hand, feeling the texture change under my fingers—a tactile joy that no machine can replicate.
- Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the apples. Don’t be shy; a thick layer yields that perfect crunch contrasting the soft fruit.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling. The aroma at this point is almost hypnotic—take a moment to breathe it in deeply.
- Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes. This short pause lets the filling thicken slightly, making it easier to serve.
- Spoon warm apple pie and crumble directly into serving bowls. Add a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Watch as it melts slowly into the warm fruit—this is the moment that turns a simple dessert into a sundae.
- Optionally, sprinkle with chopped toasted walnuts or pecans for an added nutty crunch, a trick I picked up from one of my mum’s favourite recipes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
