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    Home » Recipe Index » Desserts

    Single Serving Apple Crumble Tart

    December 18, 2022 Updated April 23, 2024 By Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD Cooking for One, Desserts, Fall Recipes

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy single serving apple crumble tart is the perfect cool weather dessert. To save time, add a few ingredients to half of the shortbread like crust recipe to make the crumble topping.

    spoonful of apple crumble in dish

    [This apple crumble tart recipe was originally posted in December 2022. It has been updated with cooking instructions, storage tips and substitutions, FAQ, related recipes and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]

    Table of contents

    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Storage/Reheating Tips
    • Substitutions/Tips
    • FAQ
    • Other good dessert recipes
    • Repurpose this tart
    • What to do with leftover ingredients

    Instead of dirtying a few bowls and making a different crust and crumble and of course apple filling, I've tested this apple crumble tart recipe to be delicious and add a few ingredients to the crust recipe.

    Now you're saving prep time and clean-up.

    Recipes like this, that use the shortbread like crust to make the crumble make it easier and more enjoyable to cook for one. It's the small tweaks like this that make a big difference.

    So even though there's lots of steps in this recipe, it's pretty quick.

    Ingredients

    Scroll down to the apple crumble tart recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient, but here's a quick visual + description of what's in this recipe.

    apple crumble tart ingredients on cutting board
    • Flour: Flour binds the crust and crumble topping together.
    • Oats: Use rolled or old fashioned oats (they're the same), quick oats will probably work too, they'll just be smaller pieces of oats.
    • Apple: I recommend a crisp, tart apple to hold it's shape.
    • Brown Sugar
    • Butter: use cold butter, cut into cubes so it doesn't melt too quickly when preparing it, or in the oven.
    • Sugar
    • Cinnamon
    • Nutmeg
    • Lemon juice: a squeeze of lemon juice brings out the tart and apple flavors of the apple, It's one of my favorite flavors to add to apple dishes (you could add apple cider vinegar instead, too)
    • Salt

    Instructions

    Scroll down to the apple crumble tart recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here's a quick overview + photos to see how to make this recipe in general.

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray baking dish.

    sandy crust dough in glass bowl

    2. Make crust: add all crust ingredients to a medium sized bowl. Using a fork, your hand, or pastry cutter, cut butter into other ingredients until you get a pebbly sandy texture.

    unbaked crust in baking dish

    3. Sprinkle ½ of crust mixture into baking dish. Press down with the flat bottom of a cup or measuring cup. Set aside the remaining crust mixture. You will be using this as a base for your crumble topping.

    4. Bake crust for 8-10 minutes. It's ok if your apple crumble tart crust doesn't brown, but it should be slightly harder than before baking.

    crumble topping in glass bowl

    5. While crust is baking, add topping ingredients to remaining crust mixture. Mix together with a fork or your hand. Refrigerate until assembly.

    sliced apples with seasonings in bowl

    6. Now that the topping for your apple crumble tart is in the fridge, it's time to make the apple filling. Thinly slice apples and add them to a medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle remaining ingredients over apples. Mix until all apples are coated.

    spiced apple slices in baking dish

    7. Remove crust when it's done. Place apple slices over crust so they're even. Sprinkle any remaining spices from the apples over the apple slices.

    unbaked crumble in dish

    8. Sprinkle crumble topping over apples, spread it out over your apples. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and apple filling is bubbling. Let cool 10 minutes.

    But I like this apple crumble tart best at room temperature or even cold.

    You can top your apple tart with ice cream and/or caramel sauce.

    I adapted this apple crumble tart recipe from this Caramel Apple Pie Bars recipe that I created for Washington Apples. This recipe is sooo good, and great if you want a recipe similar to this, but with more servings.

    Storage/Reheating Tips

    Store any leftover apple crumble tart in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. You can enjoy it cold or heat it up in the microwave.

    Substitutions/Tips

    • Use cold butter for the crust and topping. It'll help the crust be tender and the topping be nice and crumbly.
    • Mixing the crust with a fork or pastry cutter will keep your hands clean and help you waste a bit less of the crust from having to wash it off your hands. But using your hands (or food processor) is faster.
    • You can also mix up the crust for your apple crumble tart in a mini food processor.
    • Use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar in the topping. Either works. (I like dark brown because it has a bit more molasses for flavor)
    • I recommend using tart crisp apples like granny smith apples, pink lady, etc. But you can use any kind of apple.
    • I tested this apple crumble tart in a 7 ounce ramekin, which is great. I made it in the shallower dish so you could see it better in the video and photos. If using a wider dish, you may need to double the crust/topping recipe so they're not too thin.
    • If you don't finish your tart, you can chop it up and add to yogurt or ice cream. Refrigerate in an air tight container for 5-7 days.
    • Other great add-ins: chopped nuts, rhubarb, berries, caramel sauce are all great to add to this apple crumble tart.

    FAQ

    What apples are best for tarts?

    Crisp apples are best, if you don't want apples that are just mush after baking. Tart apples are delicious with sweet buttery crust and topping. Granny smith and pink lady apples are my favorite, but use your favorite.

    Do you have to peel apples for apple crumble?

    Peel your apples for apple crumble, apple pie, and apple tarts if you don't like the texture of the peel in your baked goods. I personally like the added texture and flavor from the peel, so I leave it on. Plus it's easier.

    Why is my apple crumble not crispy?

    It may not be baked long enough for the crumble topping to crisp up. It also could have too much butter, or not enough butter. The texture should be crumbly before baking, make sure to use cold butter too.

    baked apple crumble in dish

    Other good dessert recipes

    • Single Serving Apple Crisp
    • Chocolate Chip Cookie
    • Skillet Peach Crumble

    Repurpose this tart

    Break apart leftover apple crumble tart and serve with plain or vanilla Greek yogurt for breakfast, snack, or dessert. The tart is great warmed or cold in this way.

    What to do with leftover ingredients

    When you're cooking for one, you often have leftover produce, cans of whatever ingredient, etc. Here are a couple ideas on how to use up the leftover ingredients. It'll help you save money by wasting fewer ingredients.

    • Brown Sugar: Small Batch Dark Chocolate Cookies, Small Peach Cobbler with Cake Mix, and Oatmeal Cherry Bars.
    • Oats: Baked Oats for One and Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
    • Apple: Apple Pie Overnight Oats, Chicken Apple and Pecan Salad, and Cinnamon Overnight Oats with Apples
    • Lemon Juice: Strawberry Banana Milkshake, Shaved Zucchini and Feta Salad, and Sparkling Berry Lemonade

    Did you make this apple crumble tart? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!

    spoonful of apple crisp in dish, square

    Single Serving Apple Crumble Tart

    This easy single serving apple crumble tart is the perfect cool weather dessert. To save time, add a few ingredients to half of the shortbread like crust recipe to make the crumble topping. It's filled with tart apples for the perfect sweet, tart, crumbly bite.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
    Servings: 1 serving
    Author: Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN

    Equipment

    • knife
    • cutting board
    • 2 small-medium mixing bowls
    • Measuring Cups
    • Measuring Spoons
    • 1 small ramekin 4-7 ounces (base circumference: about 3-4 inches)
    • Cooking spray
    • fork, pastry cutter, or mini food processor
    • rubber spatula

    Ingredients

    Crust Ingredients

    • ¼ cup all purpose flour
    • 2 Tablespoons refrigerated butter cut into small cubes
    • 1 Tablespoon white sugar
    • pinch kosher salt
    • pinch cinnamon

    Topping Ingredients

    • 1 Tablespoon Old Fashioned oats
    • ½ Tablespoon brown sugar light or dark
    • ½ Tablespoon refrigerated butter cut into small cubes

    Apple Filling Ingredients

    • ½ whole tart apple, sliced pink lady, granny smith, etc
    • 2 teaspoons all purpose flour
    • ½ Tablespoon white sugar
    • ½ teaspoon lemon juice
    • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
    • pinch kosher salt
    • pinch nutmeg
    • caramel sauce optional topping
    • ice cream optional topping

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Add ¼ cup all purpose flour, 2 Tablespoons chopped refrigerated butter, 1 Tablespoon sugar, a pinch of kosher salt, and a pinch of cinnamon to a medium sized mixing bowl or mini food processor. Using a fork, pastry cutter, or hand, cut butter into dry ingredients. Mix until a small pebble sandy texture.
    • Spray baking dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle ½ of crust mixture into baking dish (remaining mixture will be used for the topping). Press together with the smooth bottom of a glass or small measuring cup.
    • Bake 8-10 minutes until soft. May not be golden brown, that's fine.
    • While crust is baking, prepare the topping by adding 1 Tablespoon oats, ½ Tablespoon brown sugar, and ½ Tablespoon cubed refrigerated butter to remaining crust mixture. Mix together using a fork until a pebbly texture. Refrigerate until assembly.
    • Assemble the apple filing by adding ½ apple (sliced), 2 teaspoons all purpose flour, ½ Tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch of kosher salt, and a pinch of nutmeg to a small-medium sized mixing bowl.
    • Toss until all apple slices are coated.
    • Remove crust from oven once done, evenly spread out apples over crust. Sprinkle remaining filling mixture over apples. Sprinkle topping over apples and spread it out to cover apples evenly.
    • Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and apples are bubbling below.
    • Cool 10 minutes, or refrigerate. It's my favorite cold. Optional: drizzle caramel sauce over tart, and add a scoop of ice cream.

    Notes

    • Use your favorite apple in this recipe, I recommend a crisp tart apple (like granny smith, pink lady, braeburn, etc) as they keep their shape and are delicious with the sweet buttery crust and topping.
    • Use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, whichever you have. I personally like dark brown sugar in baking, it adds a bit more savory molasses flavor.
    • Enjoy warm, at room temperature, or cold. I like it best after being refrigerated-if you can wait!
    • If you want to make this for a crowd, I recommend making these Caramel Apple Pie Bars instead. This apple crumble tart recipe is based off of it, and they're delicious.
    • If you don't finish your tart, you can chop it up and add to yogurt or ice cream. Refrigerate in an air tight container for 5-7 days.
    • Optional add-ins: add chopped nuts to the crumble topping  if desired.  You can also substitute some of the apples for rhubarb or berries. 
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    Want time saving tips to make recipes like this apple crumble tart delivered to your inbox? Click here to download my Cooking for One Time Saving Tips.

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    About Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD

    Welcome! I’m Rebecca, a food loving dietitian who has been cooking for one for over 10 years. On Nourish Nutrition, you’ll find real, quick, and nourishing recipes for one that'll get you to want to cook for yourself, because you deserve it.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. kushigalu says

      December 22, 2022 at 12:42 am

      5 stars
      this crumble tart looks so delicious. Thanks for the recipe

      Reply
    2. MacKenzie says

      December 21, 2022 at 9:24 pm

      5 stars
      Love this perfectly portioned dessert. I served warm with vanilla ice cream and it was amazing.

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        January 02, 2023 at 5:12 pm

        it's so good with ice cream!

        Reply
    3. nancy says

      December 21, 2022 at 7:44 pm

      5 stars
      i love this single serving apple crumble tart! perfect when i need a little pick me up for myself and don't have tons to leftover

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        January 02, 2023 at 5:12 pm

        exactly! enjoy

        Reply
    4. Nicolette says

      December 21, 2022 at 6:05 pm

      5 stars
      This was SO good my whole family loved it!! They're already requesting I make it again soon. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        January 02, 2023 at 5:12 pm

        great

        Reply
    5. Caitlin says

      December 21, 2022 at 4:36 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a delicious tart recipe, perfect for a weeknight dessert!

      Reply
    5 from 5 votes

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