Sacramento-Style Apple Crumble Recipe: Sweet, Crunchy, and Stupidly Easy

My Mum’s Recipe!

Hey Sacramento, let’s crank it up with a warm, gooey apple crumble to pair with that scoop from Gunther’s or Devil May Care.

This recipe’s pure us—busy, broke, and craving comfort while rent’s still $1,748 a month.

It’s got that fall-in-March chaos (thanks, Sacramento weather), and it’s cheap enough to whip up without sobbing over our bank account!

Here’s how we do it!

Ingredients (Serves 6—Or 2 If You’re Greedy Like Me)

For the Filling:

• 5 big apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp—snag ‘em from the Capitol Farmers’ Market)
• 1/4 cup sugar (brown or white, whatever’s not fossilized)
• 1 tsp cinnamon (double it if you’re extra)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (half a lemon—keeps it fresh)
• Pinch of salt (trust me, it slaps)

For the Crumble Topping:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (borrow from your roommate)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (crunch factor—don’t ditch it)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (deep flavor vibes)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (because cinnamon’s king)
• 1/4 tsp salt (cuts the sweet)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (cold, cubed—no melty bullshit)

Gear You’ll Need

• A big bowl (for mixing)
• A baking dish (8×8 or whatever’s clean)
• A knife and cutting board (or improvise)
• Oven (preheat to 375°F—no campfire hacks here)

How to Make This Shit

1. Prep the Apples: Peel ‘em if you’re bougie, skip it if you’re lazy (I get it). Core, chop into bite-sized chunks—nickel-sized works. Toss in a bowl with sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and salt. Mix ‘til coated. Dump it into your baking dish.
2. Make the Crumble: In another bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold butter chunks and mash with your hands (or a fork if you’re prissy) ‘til it’s clumpy—like gravel, not dust. Pinch some into bigger nuggets for bonus crunch.
3. Assemble and Bake: Sprinkle crumble over apples like you’re crowning a champ. Don’t press it down—let it breathe. Bake at 375°F for 40–45 minutes ‘til the top’s golden and apples bubble like crazy.
4. Cool It (Kinda): Wait 10 minutes so you don’t torch your mouth. But don’t dawdle—it’s best warm.
5. Serve It Up: Scoop into bowls and top with ice cream—Leatherby’s toasted almond or Vic’s muddy mocha would kill it. Solo? Eat it from the dish; no rules.

Why It’s Sacramento-Perfect

This crumble’s got our soul—unfussy, rough-edged, and damn good with local apples from the Midtown Farmers Market. It’s cheap (maybe $10 if you’ve got staples), and it’s a big “screw you” to Midtown parking hell or Old Sac tourist traps. Pair it with a scoop from our top 5 Sacramento ice cream shops, and you’ve got a dessert that’s pure us.

Pro Tips

• Toss in chopped walnuts to the topping if you’re feeling fancy.
• No apples? Pears from Sacramento’s markets work too.
• Leftovers (if you’re lucky) reheat with a quick microwave blast.

Go make it, Sacramento. You’ve earned this.