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    Home · Recipes · Pies, Crumbles, and Tarts · Crumble Topping

    June 22, 2022

    Crumble Topping

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Take your desserts to the next level with this easy crumble topping! No more sandy crumbles; this one creates great big, irresistible mounds of sweet, buttery goodness, and it only takes 10 minutes to make! So grab that almost-too-far-gone fruit from the fridge and get cooking!

    a close up of peach cobbler on a spoon

    WHAT IS A CRUMBLE TOPPING?

    A crumble is a quick and easy streusel topping that is all things sweet, buttery, and good. It is made up mostly of sugar, butter, and flour, and can be used to top off desserts like fruit crumbles, blueberry muffins, breakfast bars, and coffee cakes. 

    An overhead shot of a blueberry bar on wax paper

    You can even use a crumble topping on top of your favorite quick bread recipes. Want to take your banana bread to the next level? Try adding a crumb topping.

    If you're looking for a crumb topping recipe with rolled oats, you're really looking for a crisp topping. And, while we love a good fruit crisp (blueberry, cherry, peach -- you name it, we've got it), today's lesson is all about the crumble. 

    HOW TO MAKE A CRUMBLE TOPPING

    To kick off your crumble topping, all you'll need is a mixing bowl, a whisk, and your own two hands. Combine all-purpose flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon (if using), and a pinch of fine sea salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

    Dry ingredients being mixed in a bowl.

    Then, you'll scatter small cubes of room temperature butter across the top of your dry mix, and use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour mix until it holds together when pinched and no longer appears dry.

    Butter cubes scattered over dry ingredients.

    Once your crumb topping has reached this consistency, it is ready to be used on top of muffin batter, cake batter, or over just about any fruit filling!

    A hand squishing butter into the crumble mixture

    CRUMBLE TOPPING INGREDIENTS

    Flour | different flours have different protein structures. Be sure that you use all-purpose flour for your crumble topping!

    Sugar | This crumb topping recipe calls for a combination of both light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Because of the molasses content in brown sugar, this ingredient adds great color and flavor to a crumble topping.

    Granulated sugar is lighter and more "pure" in flavor. The combination of the two in this crumble recipe provides a nice balance.

    However, if you had to choose between just one, you'd want to go brown sugar all the way. If you were to only use granulated sugar, your crumb topping will likely appear white and splotchy-looking. 

    Cinnamon | Brown sugar and cinnamon go hand in hand. And, although the cinnamon in this Crumble Topping recipe is optional, it tends to add great depth of flavor to baked goods. It is especially recommended if your crumb topping is to be used for any dessert containing apples, pumpkin, pears, or peaches.

    Salt | Where there is sugar there should always be salt. This ingredient is a must when it comes to sweets. Don't leave it out! 

    Unsalted Butter | Many crumble and crisp recipes call for melted butter. However, you'll find this one calls for room temperature butter instead. We have found throughout the recipe testing process that the texture of the crumble is far more enjoyable when the butter is at room temperature during the crumble assembly.

    Peach cobbler with crumble topping in a bowl

    BASIC FRUIT CRUMBLE FILLING RECIPE

    If you don't have a particular recipe already in mind for this crumble topping, you can easily make one up! Below you'll find our master filling recipe that will work great for just about any fruit crumble.

    Here's what you'll need:

    • 3-3 ½ cups of fruit (about 1 ½ pounds)
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • 2 tablespoons corn starch
    • Juice of a lemon
    • Generous pinch of salt

    Once you have your fruit picked out and prepped, add it to a mixing bowl along with the granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon, and salt.

    Give that a mix and transfer the fruit to either a 2-quart shallow baking dish or an 8 x 8" baking dish. Next, assemble your crumble topping as directed in the recipe card below and sprinkle it over your filling.

    Then bake at 375°F for about 30 minutes. Remove your fruit crumble from the oven and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before serving. Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream and enjoy!

    pear cobbler on a plate with a dollop of whipped cream on top

    6 MORE TREATS YOU’LL LOVE

    • Pumpkin Coffee Cake
    • Pear Cobbler
    • Peach Cobbler 
    • Apple Crumble Muffins
    • Apple Crumble Cake
    • Blueberry Bars

    • A slice of pumpkin coffee cake on a serving spatula.

      Pumpkin Coffee Cake

    • Pear cobbler topped with whipped cream and cinnamon on a white plate with a fork and pears behind it.

      Pear Cobbler

    • An overhead shot of a bowl full of old fashioned peach cobbler with ice cream on top.

      Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler

    • Apple Crumble Cake

      Apple Crumble Cake

    • Apple Crumble Muffins

      Apple Crumble Muffins

    • Blueberry Bars

      Blueberry Bars

    5 from 3 votes
    a close up of peach cobbler on a spoon
    Print
    Crumble Topping
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Total Time
    10 mins
     

    Knowing how to make a great (and quick!) Crumble Topping is one of the best skills an at-home chef can have. The possibilities are endless!

    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Crumble Topping
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 177 kcal
    Author: Kelly Anthony
    Ingredients
    • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
    • ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
    • Generous pinch of fine sea salt
    • 6 tablespoons room temperature, unsalted butter, cut into ½" cubes
    Instructions
    1. Add the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon (if using), and salt to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk to combine.

    2. Scatter the butter across the top of the mixture. Rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until it is well-mixed and no longer appears dry.

    Nutrition Facts
    Crumble Topping
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 177 Calories from Fat 81
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9g14%
    Saturated Fat 5g31%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 2g
    Cholesterol 23mg8%
    Sodium 70mg3%
    Potassium 28mg1%
    Carbohydrates 24g8%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 15g17%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 263IU5%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 14mg1%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

     

    Image for PInterest

    Sources: Healthline | Brown Sugar Vs. White Sugar

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    I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

    Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

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