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A crunchy cinnamon topping covers this decadent, but healthy Baked Apple Crumble without Oats. Rich caramelized apples and bananas swirl the bottom. Devour it as a dessert, breakfast, or for an afternoon treat.
Why This Recipe Works
Don’t wait for sweater weather to devour this healthy apple crumble without oats! Yes, typically this dessert is reserved for those colder months, but this version contains bananas giving it a summery twist just like this Peach Crumble.
This delicious dessert has a thick layer of caramelized apples and bananas and is topped with a crispy and sweet crumble. Its decadent combination is reminiscent of fall but perfect for summer.
Don’t just save this for dessert! This recipe works for breakfast or brunch too and you can even swap the flour for oats to make it healthier.
I think apple crisp and blueberry cobbler are two of my all-time favorite desserts and while one is for fall and one is for spring, I find I’m often craving these light desserts in the summer too, which is why this recipe works all year long.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Apples: For this recipe, I used gala apples which keep a slight crunchiness to them when baked into the crumble.
- Bananas: Bananas aren’t typically in apple crumble, however, it adds a delicious flavor to this classic recipe and also thickens it. You can leave them out if you’d prefer not to have them.
- Flour: I used an all-purpose flour when baking this recipe, but you could also use a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour if you need that option.
- Oil: My favorite oil to use in baking and cooking is coconut oil, but you could also use vegetable oil. You can’t taste the coconut at all nor does it leave a lingering coconut flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the apple layer. Toss the apples with the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon allspice. Gently fold the bananas into the mixture.
- Make the crumble topping. Combine the flour, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon of allspice. Add the cubed butter and use a fork or pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour mixture.
- Arrange the crumble. Layer the apple and banana mixture on the bottom of a skillet or baking dish coated in cooking spray or oil and top with the crumble mixture. Cover with foil.
- Bake. Heat the oven to 375ºF and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 15 to 18 minutes.
Tools You’ll Need
This recipe is super simple and doesn’t require many tools. I’m sure you have most of these items already, but here are links to some of my favorites.
- Cast Iron Skillet. This skillet is super deep, which makes it great for this recipe.
- Two mixing bowls. Pretty mixing bowls can make cooking so much more fun.
- A Wooden Spoon. I first started using olive wood cooking utensils a couple of years ago and absolutely love how sturdy they are.
- Ice cream scoop. Ice cream is optional but highly recommended. I love this traditional scoop.
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips:
- The best apples for a crumble are gala apples. They have a mildly sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with the other ingredients.
- Peel the skin off the apples. Before adding them into the recipe make sure to peel the skin off so the apple will soften and caramelize properly while it bakes.
- Make this cobbler gluten-free. Swap regular flour for any version of gluten-free flour and use gluten-free oats.
Apple Crumble: Frequently Asked Questions
Unfortunately, this dessert does not freeze well. If you’re worried about having too much you can half the recipe or prepare a smaller batch by adjusting the serving size on the recipe card below.
I prefer to top this delicious dessert with homemade whipped cream or Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.
Of course! The bananas add a nice flavor and make the crumble a bit thicker, but they are not necessary. You can remove them from the recipe without needing to change anything else.
A cooked crumble, if stored in an air-tight container will last for up to 5 days in the fridge.
What’s the Difference Between a Crisp, Crumble, and Cobbler?
As described by The Kitchn, crisps, crumbles, and cobblers are all fruit-based desserts that are topped with a pastry-like layer. During the baking process the fruit bubbles into the pastry layer creating a delicious dessert, especially if it’s topped with ice cream.
Though these desserts are all very similar they do have a few differences, which are detailed out below. There are variations from region to region, but the basics are mostly the same.
Cobbler
The top layer of a cobbler usually consists of a biscuit dropped over the fresh fruit, which creates a cobbled road-like texture. Cake batter can also be used for this dessert as well.
Crisp
The lines begin to blur a little with a crisp and crumble, with the crumble name coming from England. They both have crumbly toppings that bake over the fruit layer. Crisp is more reminiscent of granola baked over fruit and it mostly containers oats.
Crumble
Similar to a crisp the crumble has a similar streusel-like topping baked over fruit. Crumbles though don’t often contain oats and are a combination of flour, sugar, and butter with additional ingredients mixed in.
If you made this recipe I want to hear all about it! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @AimeeMarsLiving and #AimeeMars so I can see your beautiful work. Enjoy!
Apple Banana Crumble
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Mixing Bowls
- Wooden Spoon
- Ice Cream Scoop
Ingredients
- 5 Gala Apples skin removed and sliced thin
- 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
- 2 tablespoons Ground Cinnamon divided
- 1 teaspoon Nutmeg divided
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger divided
- 1/4 teaspoon Allspice divided
- 3 medium Bananas peeled and sliced
- 1½ cup Flour spooned and leveled
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Butter cold and cut into cubes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF and coat a cast-iron skillet or glass baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the apple slices, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon of allspice.
- Add the bananas to the mixing bowl and gently fold them in with the apples. Spread the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared skillet or baking dish.
- In a separate mixing bowl toss the flour, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon of allspice together.
- Add the cold butter cubes and use a fork or pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture.
- Spread the crumble topping over the apple banana mixture in the skillet or baking dish. Cover with foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes and remove the foil. Then cook an additional 15 to 18 minutes until the crumble begins to turn a golden brown.
Notes
- The best apples for a crumble are gala apples. They have a mildly sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with the other ingredients.
- Peel the skin off the apples. Before adding them into the recipe make sure to peel the skin off so the apple will soften and caramelize properly while it bakes.
- Make this cobbler gluten-free. Swap regular flour for any version of gluten-free flour and use gluten-free oats.
