Apple crumble is a classic for a reason. It’s cosy, comforting, and full of nostalgia. Exactly the kind of dessert that reminds you of being at Grandma’s house, where she’d pull a bubbling apple crumble straight from the oven on a cold winter’s evening. And let’s be honest… the buttery crumble topping has always been the best part anyway.

So naturally, I turned it into a cookie. 🍎

I actually came up with this recipe because I needed something delicious to take to a friend’s house for a playdate with my son. I wanted something I could bake that morning without having to chill cookie dough overnight, wait for dough to rise, or impatiently stare at a cake willing it to cool so I could ice it before rushing out the door.

I needed something quick.

But I also wanted it to feel a little bit special.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These Apple Crumble Cookies are everything you love about the classic dessert, wrapped up in an easy, bakery-style cookie. They start with an oaty, buttery, spiced crumble cookie that’s topped with apples and a generous handful of oat crumble before being baked until golden. A drizzle of golden syrup over the warm cookies is the finishing touch that brings all those cosy apple crumble flavours together.

The best part? They’re surprisingly quick to make. There’s no chilling the dough, no fancy equipment, and no complicated techniques—just simple ingredients that come together into a cookie that looks far more impressive than the effort it takes.

They’re also perfect for sharing. Whether you’re taking a plate to a playdate, making a batch for afternoon tea, packing them into a lunchbox, or serving them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert, they’re guaranteed to disappear quickly.

And somehow, they’re even better the next day. The crumble softens just enough, the apples become beautifully jammy, and all those buttery, cinnamon-spiced flavours have time to meld together into something even more delicious.

If you’re someone who always sneaks an extra spoonful of crumble topping before serving, I have a feeling these cookies are about to become your new favourite bake. 💕

Recipe FAQs:

Yes of course! I love the flavour and texture of green granny smith apples but you can use any apple you like.

No the golden syrup is completely optional, I just love that pop of sticky sweetness it adds to the cookie.

Storage:

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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Apple Crumble Cookies

Anna Wainwright

_{Everything you love about a crumble but in a cookie! 🍏}

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Course Baking, Cookies, Dessert

Servings 8

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

100 g butter melted
100 g caster sugar
100 g brown sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
170 g plain flour
100 g rolled oats

To Assemble

1 green apple
1-2 tbsp golden syrup to drizzle optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan bake).

Cookie dough

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, sugars, cinnamon, ginger and salt until combined. Then whisk in the egg.
Switch to a spatula and fold in the flour and rolled oats.
Remove 100g of the cookie mixture, pop it into a separate bowl and into the fridge for the time being (this will be for the crumble topping).
Split the remaining mixture into 8 equal-sized portions (they should each be 65g if you want to weigh them). Shape each portion into a thick disc shape, approx. 2cm thick.

To Assemble

Use a sharp knife to slice the green apple into thin semi-circle slices (1-2mm thick).
Take 5 slices of apple and shape them into a fan. Press the apple fan firmly into a cookie until the cookie spreads around the edges of the apple. Repeat with each of the remaining cookies.
Crumble the set-aside cookie dough evenly over the cookies. I like to leave some quite large chunks.
Bake for 20 minutes or until they are golden brown and the apple is cooked through. When you take the cookies out of the oven, lightly drizzle them with golden syrup, then allow them to cool before enjoying. Store in an airtight container.