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This recipe for crumble topping is the perfect crumble for any pie recipe. You can make it with brown sugar or granulated sugar and it’s even the perfect topping for muffins or fruit crisp.
Crumble Topping for Pie
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. 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!
4 Ingredients Needed
- Butter: Use slightly softened unsalted butter. You can use salted butter, but then omit the added salt. Soften it just a bit – not as soft as when you’re making cookies but not hard straight from the refrigerator.
- Sugar: You can use granulated sugar, brown sugar, or a combination of sugars in this recipe. Just use 2/3 cup of either or the combination.
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives the crumble it’s body. If you prefer an oat crumble, use this oatmeal crumble recipe.
- Salt: Just add a bit of salt only if using unsalted butter.
How to make Crumble
- Whisk your dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add your butter in small chunks or grated (see below)
- Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients.
- The crumble is done when it’s crumbly and pea-sized with no loose dry ingredients.
Grating the Butter makes it easier!
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. If you want to make mixing the crumble much easier, grate the butter.
- Freeze the butter for about 30 minutes.
- Grate it using a box grater.
- Use as directed in the recipe.
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- Grating the butter makes it easier to cut into the ingredients, but it’s not required if you don’t want to.
- 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.
- You can make this up to a day ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Uses for Crumble Topping
- Use this recipe on peach pie or apple pie, blueberry pie, blackberry pie or any fruit you like.
- You can also top mini apple pies or mini berry pies.
- It makes enough topping for slab pie also!
- It’s also the perfect topping for peach crisp or apple crisp.
- Make crumble topping for muffins too!
Crumb Topping Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup (133g) sugar (packed brown sugar or granulated sugar or a combination)
- 1 ½ cups (186g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
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 ⅔ 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
Recipe Notes
- Store crumble in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before using.
- If using salted butter, omit added salt.
Recipe Nutrition
Favorite Pie Recipes
Last Updated on September 28, 2023
So I am guessing the crumbles need to be baked as they are on top of pies. Is it okay to cook them w/o a pie for fresh summer desserts in the spongey shells?
Yes if you want to bake it without a pie, I’d line a cookie sheet with foil or parchment, spray foil with nonstick spray, and bake at 350. Not sure how long – but watch it after about 8 minutes
Can you use salted butter?
Yes you can
This crumb topping recipe makes way more than you need for a 9 inch deep dish apple pie. Can you save the topping for later use. (I even piled it as high as I could without it rolling off, lol)
We like it high – ha! You can freeze it yes.
I’m making some mini pies. I think they’re 5-6 inches, not quite sure. Would one recipe be too much to top 2 of them? I don’t want to make more than I need!
Yes you’d probably only need 1/2 or maybe 1/4 of the recipe
Can this be frozen ?
It should be able to be – depending on the pie you put it on.
This is not a recipe you created. I’m not sure where it came from but my great grandmother who came from England has been using this recipe all her life. The amounts for each ingredient is different that is all. My mother and myself also use this recipe. So it has been used for well over sixty years.
I didn’t proclaim I invented the recipe. With that logic, no recipes on the internet should exist.
What a mean comment, Laine.
I bet your great grandmother from England is proud of you knocking someone else to protect her “recipe”.
Sharing the love ♥️ is the beauty of cooking.
I use a similar recipe, but different process. I cut the butter into smallish cubes, cream it with the sugar using a KitchenAid had mixer (or other with wire type beaters), Then add the flour and continue with the mixer to get the crumble you want.
My amounts are:
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of sugar
1 cup of flour
WAYYY to short for my taste! Method is excellent and easy. Use half as much butter and half as much flour in recipe. One could top 4 pies with the amount it makes. Good taste, but butter overwhelms it
Used the recipe with a dash cinnamon on a black raspberry pie and received rave reviews!
I have not tried this yet, however I am hopefully I can.
I made some Baked Apple Slices and they are surprisingly pretty good. My problem at this moment is after eating some I decided I wanted to put crumb topping on them. Is there a way to do it now? Or do I need to just finish the ones I’ve already made amen the next time use the crumbles?
I would do it next time – if you bake the apples too much they might get mushy.
I cook alot and this is THE BEST pie crumble/top recipe ever . Thank you for the details and for sharing !! Iv made this recipe exactly and then added a pinch of salt, a pinch of allspice, approx 2 tblsp cinnamon, and about 8-10 oz walnuts, chopped up a little .. over an apple pie and baked 350 like 40-50 mins it was Phenomenal .. I hav tried a few and this woman gives the ‘secret’ which is a lot of butter and to grate it or at least small small pieces .. I will say make sure the butter is Cold too .. again this recipe delicious .. the Best Ever !!
5 Stars easy ..
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