Dorothy Kern
This recipe for crumble topping is the perfect crumble for any pie recipe. You can even make it for muffins or coffee cake!
When I was in college I created my recipe for crumb apple pie. It was the first pie I’d ever made completely from scratch and it became my signature recipe that is constantly requested at every holiday. (Mel doesn’t even eat my dessert but my apple pie is one he will eat!)
We always joked that the pie would be fantastic with just crust and crumble, no filling. After all, the crust and the crumble are the best parts! That conversation led to this blog being created.
Ever since I first made this crumble recipe, I’ve been topping other pies with it. So many things change over time but the one thing that stays the same is this recipe. It’s the BEST crumble topping recipe you’ll ever make or eat and it goes perfect with any fruit pie.
I’ve also used this recipe with muffins and coffee cake, so it’s a super versatile crumb recipe.
How do you make a crumble topping?
It’s easy and you only need 3 ingredients. One of them is butter. LOTS of butter!
Don’t be scared by the amount of butter in this crumble recipe. It makes it delicious, I promise.
I love some pie with my crumble, if you know what I mean, so piling it high is a must!
One of my secrets for making a crumble topping: grating the butter!
There is nothing harder than using a pastry cutter to cut in cubed or diced butter. It takes a lot of time and arm strength, so I created a shortcut: I grate the butter.
Simply grate the butter on the large side of a box grater and you’ll be able to make your crumble in just minutes.
The other two ingredients for crumble topping are sugar and flour.
What kind of sugar do you use in a crumble topping?
That’s an easy question: what kind of sugar do you like?
For a long time I made this crumble using all granulated sugar. I love using white sugar when I make my apple pie recipe, but when I make peach pies, I think that brown sugar adds a little extra flavor.
The beauty of this crumble topping recipe is that you can use any sugar or combination of sugar you like. Use all white, all brown, or a combination of the two!
For flour, all-purpose is the best. It’s easy to find and everyone already has it in the pantry.
Once you have all your ingredients you have to combine them. Crumble topping is delicate and should be crumbly, so you don’t want to use a mixer. You want to make crumble topping by hand, so I like using a pastry cutter.
If you don’t have a pastry cutter, you can use a fork or two knives, but a pastry cutter is easier.
Once you cut in all the ingredients with the pastry cutter, you’ll have a crumbly sweet topping for any pie. Use this recipe on peach or apple pie, blueberry pie or blackberry or any fruit you like.
Alternately, use this crumble recipe on muffins or coffee cake or anywhere a recipe calls for crumble!
It makes a delicious pie served with lots of ice cream!
My favorite CRUMBLE Pies:
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Crumb Topping Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup sugar (brown or white or a combination)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Grate cold butter into a large bowl. Alternately, you can dice it small.
- Add sugar: use all brown or all white or a combination to make 2/3 cup. Use whatever combination you like (I like using ⅓ cup each brown and white).
- Add flour and then, using a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour and sugar until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
- Use crumble as recipe directs, on a fruit pie or on muffins or coffee cake. Bake as directed in recipe.
Recipe Video
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Crumb topping would go so well on so many of my pie recipes.
Apple Crumb Pie is my absolute favorite!
This crumble topping also works on apple muffins!
All text and images © DOROTHY KERN for Crazy for Crust. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be accurate.
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
Published on: October 4, 2018
Can you freeze the crumble and use at a later date?
I have never tried to freeze just the crumble before baking, but I don’t see why not. Just make sure to let it completely thaw before using it.
how do you make sure the topping does not get gummy
I don’t see anywhere about the temperature for your oven?? What do you bake it on
It depends on the recipe for the pie you are using.
Good.😁
hello! thank you for your recipe, i cannot wait to make it! i’d like to add ube (it’s a yam that when mashed is like the consistency of mash sweet potato) to your recipe and make an ube crumble. how much ube do you recommend i add to your recipe? i would keep the other ingredient measurements the same
hello! thank you for your recipe! i cannot wait to make it, however, i’d like to make an ube crumble topping. ube when mashed is like the consistency of mashed sweet potatoes. how much ube do you recommend i add to your crumble recipe? i would keep the other ingredient measurements the same
Please could you provide non-USA specific measurements also?
Here is a table to convert: https://www.myrecipes.com/how-to/metric-conversion-charts
Thankyou for a simple an easy crumble to make I added it to a peach cobbler I’m trying to make and I added some steel oats to add more of a crunch
Wish me luck first time baking 🙏🤗👍
Seriously the best I have ever had…and I love my crumble…lol
Followed it to the letter. But not nearly enough butter. I need 16TBSP. And that was just Barely enough.
Me too!
Hi! I’ve used the recipe many times. I’m wondering if I can make it a day ahead and keep it in the fridge?
Yes, just make sure to break it up a bit before using it.