This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.
A delicious apple crumble tart featuring a buttery shortcrust pastry, spiced apple filling, and golden, crumbly topping. Perfectly balanced with sweetness and warmth, this dessert is a crowd-pleaser for any occasion. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for extra indulgence.
When it comes to desserts, it is hard to top the sweet and tart flavors of apples - from apple empanadas to a Dutch apple cake to apple custard pie.
But while apples are most famous in pie form, I figured why not try with its close cousin - the tart! It’s versatile, fitting for casual family gatherings or special occasions, and can be served warm or cold.
Jump to:
Why You Will Love This Tart
- Stable ingredients - Besides the apples which you'll need to buy fresh, all of the other ingredients people typically have in their pantry.
- Homemade crust - Yes it takes a little extra work (5 minutes), but the homemade crust makes all the difference.
- Flavor harmony - Apple crumble tart combines the sweet, tartness of the apples with the rich, buttery crumble for a perfect flavor balance.
- Versatile - You can serve it warm with some vanilla bean ice cream on top or cold. You can even have it for breakfast.
Ingredient Notes
- Shortcrust pastry - Homemade shortcrust is very simple to make. Just use a food processor to blend together the flour, sugar, salt, butter, egg and vanilla extract. This recipe creates a super buttery and flaky crust that melts in your mouth.
- Sugars - Granulated sugar is typically used to sweeten the apple filling while light brown sugar is used for the crumble.
- Cornstarch - Helps thicken the apple filling as it cooks.
- Cinnamon - Ground cinnamon is a key spice for flavoring the apple filling. Adjust the amount to your taste preferences.
- Apples - Choose a variety of apples that hold their shape well when baked and have a slight tartness, such as Granny Smith.
- Butter - Unsalted butter adds some fat to the filling and is important in helping create the crumble.
- Lemon juice - A splash of lemon juice can enhance the apple filling's flavor and prevent the apples from browning.
- Vanilla extract - A small amount of vanilla extract can enhance the overall flavor profile.
- Salt - A pinch of salt balances the sweetness.
- Flour - All-purpose flour mixed butter, oats and sugar forms the crumb topping.
- Oats - Rolled oats is added to the crumble topping for texture and nutty flavor.
Ingredient Swaps
Like any recipe, you can switch up some of the ingredients. Some variations include:
- I'm a big fan of homemade crust these days, but you can use store-bought if needed.
- I like using both granulated and light brown sugar, but you can use one of all or the other.
- While I use Granny Smith apples, Honeycrisp apples are good substitutes.
- To make the tart dairy-free, you can substitute vegan butter or coconut oil for regular butter in both the filling and crumble.
- If you're avoiding oats, you can use crushed graham crackers, crushed nuts, or a combination of both for a different texture in the crumble topping.
How to Make an Apple Crumble Tart
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Step 1: Pulse together the dry ingredients before adding the butter and pulsing until it becomes coarse meal.
Step 2: Add the yolk, water and extract and pulse until it just comes together.
Step 3: Turn the dough on a floured surface and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour.
Step 4: Once ready, remove and roll the dough so that it is slight larger than you tart dish and is between ⅛ inch and ¼ inch in thickness.
Step 5: Press the dough firmly into the tart shell, neatly trimming any excess with a sharp knife. Afterward, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until it becomes firm.
Step 6: Mix all of the ingredients for the apple filling.
Step 7: Add the filling to the tart.
Step 8: Mix together the crumble filling.
Step 9: Add the crumble to the top.
Step 10: Bake at 375°F for 45-50 minutes or until done.
Tart FAQs
The biggest difference is in the texture. A pie crust should be flaky, light, tender and crisp. A tart crust is crumbly, rich, crisp and firm.
A pie can be just a bottom crust only, a top crust only or a top and bottom crust, while a tart is always a bottom crust. Pies are also always served in the dish they are baked in, while tarts are removed from the pan before being served.
Both go great with some salted caramel ice cream!
Granny Smiths are best for apple tarts/pies as they hold their shape and give the filling a great sweet-tart flavor. However if you like your dessert sweeter, you can go apples like Galas, Pink Ladies or Honeycrisps.
Two ways to avoid a soggy bottom is to brush the bottom with some egg wash and place on a baking tray that is in the heated oven.
Yes, this recipe also translates to using six 3.5" inch mini tart pans.
Yes, you can prepare the components in advance. Store the unbaked tart shell, apple filling, and crumble separately, then assemble and bake when ready to serve for the best results.
Store the leftover tart in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, for up to 3-4 days. Reheat individual slices in the oven or microwave as needed.
You can also freeze for up to 3 months.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use cornstarch as filling thickener. It works better than flour with apples in creating the syrupy texture you want.
- Don't overdue it with the cinnamon. A little goes a long way. Remember it is an apple pie so you want it to taste like apples.
- Add a baking sheet to the preheated oven. By throwing a baking sheet in the oven when you preheat it, you help brown and cook the bottom crust quicker. It also catches any filling that might flow out.
- Don't fret over tart filling rising above the dish as it will collapse as the tart cooks.
- Have aluminum foil ready to cover the crumble in case it starts browning too quickly.
- Let the tart rest for at least an hour so it won't be runny and wet when you slice into it.
Other Recommended Dessert Recipes
If you’ve tried this apple crumble tart recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! Or if you are looking for another dessert option, you can't go wrong with this pear cobbler. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Apple Crumble Tart
Special Equipment Needed
- tart pan (9 inch)
Ingredients
Shortcrust Pastry
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes (10 tbsp)
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoon ice cold water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- egg white wash
Apple Filling
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 ½ lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced small
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Crumb Topping
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup old fashioned oats
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Using a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar and salt until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture becomes coarse meal, about 15 pulses.
- In a small bowl, combine egg yolk, water and vanilla extract. Add the egg mixture to food processor and pulse until it starts to clump together. DO NOT pulse until ball is formed. It should be crumbly with large clumps of dough.
- Turn dough only a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Flatten slightly to form a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a circle slightly larger in diameter than the 9 inch tart shell. Press dough into the tart shell, trimming the edges with a sharp knife. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes or until firm.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. For filling, mix sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in large bowl. Add apples, melted butter, lemon juice, vanilla extract and salt. Toss to coat.
- For crumb topping, mix flour, oats and brown sugar in medium bowl. Add melted butter and stir until mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Brush the bottom of the tart shell with the egg white wash so it doesn't get soggy. Spread the filling evenly throughout. Top with crumb topping. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling. You will need to cover the tart with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent it from browning too much. Let the tart rest for an hour before serving.
Notes
- Use cornstarch as filling thickener. It works better than flour with apples in creating the syrupy texture you want.
- Don't overdue it with the cinnamon. A little goes a long way. Remember it is an apple pie so you want it to taste like apples.
- Add a baking sheet to the preheated oven. By throwing a baking sheet in the oven when you preheat it, you help brown and cook the bottom crust quicker. It also catches any filling that might flow out.
- Don't fret over tart filling rising above the dish as it will collapse as the tart cooks.
- Have aluminum foil ready to cover the crumble in case it starts browning too quickly.
- Let the tart rest for at least an hour so it won't be runny and wet when you slice into it.
Leave a Reply