Freezer Apple Pie Crumble
With freezer apple pie crumble, the peeling, slicing, and topping prep are already done when you want dessert. Cook the cinnamon-spiced apples, mix the buttery oat crumbs, and freeze them separately so you can assemble the crumble later.
I recently tried meal-prepping freezer apple pie filling and it turned out to be such a success, so of course, I had to try another variation too.
The filling has the brown sugar and warm spices of apple pie, and the rolled oats give the topping a bit of chew and crunch. It’s a handy project when you have apples to use up or want to get a holiday dessert started ahead of time.
I always make this and a batch of my stewed apples or some Air Fryer apple wedges whenever I have extra apples at hand.
Quick Look: Freezer Apple Pie Crumble
- 🔪 Prep time: 15 minutes
- ⏲️ Cook time: 7–10 minutes for the filling, plus cooling and baking later
- 👪 Yield: 1 crumble kit
- 📋 Main ingredients: Apples, butter, brown sugar, rolled oats, flour, and spices
- ♨️ Cooking method: Mix topping → simmer apples → cool → freeze separately
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🥣 Serving ideas: Serve the baked crumble warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped Devonshire cream.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
- Dessert prep is done early. The apples and topping are ready to assemble when you need them.
- Two bags keep the textures separate. The oat crumbs stay away from the juicy apples until baking- just like in my Air Fryer baked apple.
- Easy to portion. Divide the filling and topping into matching portions for smaller desserts.
Recipe Ingredients
Apples: For the filling. Pick firm apples that hold their shape as they cook and slice them evenly.
Butter: To bind the oat crumbs and add richness to the apples.
Brown sugar: To sweeten both components and add a light molasses flavor.
Ground cinnamon + nutmeg + vanilla: For the warm, cozy flavor. You can also add a pinch of Air Fryer ginger powder if you want to.
Rolled oats: To give the topping texture.
All-purpose flour: To help the crumbs hold together.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Blend the apples. Pair a firm tart apple with a sweeter variety if you like a balance of flavors. I do this when I make apple nachos too.
- Adjust the spice. Lean a little more on cinnamon or use less nutmeg for a milder filling.
- Pack smaller portions. Divide both components evenly so each bag of apples has its own topping.
How to Make Freezer Apple Pie Crumble
Step 1: Add the rolled oats, flour, baking powder, vanilla, and the topping portions of butter and brown sugar to a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Work the ingredients together lightly with a fork until small crumbs form. Transfer the topping to a freezer-safe bag.
Step 3: Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan. Add the peeled, sliced apples, remaining brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat for 7–10 minutes, until the slices begin to soften.
Step 4: Cool the apple filling promptly in a shallow container in the refrigerator. Once cold, pack it in a separate freezer bag. Seal, label, and freeze both components.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Slice the apples evenly. Similar slices soften at about the same rate and keep their shape in the filling.
- Keep the topping crumbly. Stop mixing when the oats are coated and small clumps form. I always do this when I make blueberry strawberry crumble too.
- Leave a little bite in the apples. They’ll soften further when you bake the crumble.
- Pack the bags as a pair. Label the filling and topping with the same date and portion size.
How to Serve Freezer Apple Pie Crumble
Thaw the apple filling in the refrigerator. Spread it in an oven-safe dish, break apart any large clumps of topping, and scatter the crumbs over the apples just before baking. The topping should be golden and the apples should bubble around the edges.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or plain yogurt. Use any leftover apples to make apple walnut spread.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Freeze them in separate bags so the apples do not soak the oat mixture. Assemble just before baking.
No. Cook until the slices are beginning to soften but still hold their shape. They will cook further when you bake the dessert.
Chill the cooked apples promptly, then seal them in a freezer bag with the excess air pressed out. Keep the topping in its own bag. Lay both bags flat to freeze and thaw the apples in the refrigerator before assembling.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container. Warm individual portions in the oven to bring back some of the crunch.
More Holiday Condiments
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this Freezer Apple Pie Crumble or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Freezer Apple Pie Crumble
Ingredients
- 4 apples
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ⅔ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine half of the butter with around 2 tablespoon of brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla, all purpose flour and rolled oats.
- Use a fork to gently mix everything together. Transfer this to a Ziploc bag.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan and add the peeled, sliced apples, ground cinnamon and nutmeg and brown sugar.
- Cook for 7-10 minutes on low heat, then take off heat and let it cool down completely. Transfer to a separate Ziploc bag.
Notes
- Use firm baking apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn so the slices hold their shape during cooking and baking.
- Slice the apples evenly and cook them just until they begin to soften, as they will continue cooking when the crumble is baked.
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats rather than instant oats for a crumbly topping with a little extra texture.
- Mix the butter, flour, oats, and brown sugar gently with a fork until small crumbs form. Avoid overmixing into a smooth dough.
- Allow the cooked apple filling to cool completely in the refrigerator before transferring it to a freezer-safe bag.
- Freeze the apple filling and crumble topping separately to prevent the topping from absorbing moisture and becoming soggy.
- Label both freezer bags with the date and freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality.
- Thaw the apple filling overnight in the refrigerator, then transfer it to a baking dish and sprinkle the frozen crumble topping over it before baking.
- Bake until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
