This healthy twist on the classic Apple Crumble is one of our all-time favourite autumnal desserts. With a spiced apple filling and golden, nutty topping, it’s comfort food at its best!
Apple Crumble is a quintessential British dessert. However, in contrast to the traditional version, which is typically loaded with refined sugar and white flour, I’ve created a more nourishing take using nutrient-rich ingredients. The white flour is replaced with wholegrain flour, oats, and chopped nuts, adding delicious texture, flavour, and heart-healthy goodness. And by using naturally sweet apples instead of tart Bramleys, I’ve been able to significantly reduce the sugar without sacrificing any of the flavour.
This year, our apple tree blessed us with a bumper harvest — over a hundred apples and counting! With so much fresh fruit to use, we’ve been enjoying lots of seasonal treats, and this Crunchy Nut Apple Crumble has been the standout favourite. It’s easy to make, wonderfully comforting, and loved by the whole family. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Why You’ll Love This Crumble
- Made with simple, wholesome ingredients
- Naturally vegan and dairy-free
- Full of warming cinnamon spice
- Delicious hot or cold
- Freezer-friendly
Those lidded Pyrex glass dishes are brilliant for making and transporting crumbles. I recently packed up a couple to share with family in Essex. Tucked into a thermal bag, they stayed warm for over six hours!
Recipe Card
Crunchy Nut Apple Crumble
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling
- 1 kg / 7 medium sweet apples (e.g. Gala) peeled, cored and sliced into 0.6cm / ¼-inch thick pieces
- 60 ml / 4 tbsp water
- 35 g / 3 tbsp coconut sugar or golden caster (unrefined cane) sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 60 g / ⅓ cup sultanas
For the Crumble Topping
- 100 g / ¾ cup fine wholemeal (wholewheat pastry) flour or chapatti flour or gluten-free flour blend
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 75 g / ¾ cup rolled porridge oats (quick oats, not jumbo)
- 50 g / 4 tbsp coconut sugar or unrefined cane sugar
- 70 g / 4½ tbsp vegan butter or dairy-free spread
- 30 g / ¼ cup pecans chopped
- 40 g / ¼ cup almonds chopped
- ½-1 TBSP Demerara (or turbinado) sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan) / 375°F.
Cook the apples:
- Place the water, apples, sugar, cinnamon, and sultanas in a large saucepan. Stir, cover with a lid, and simmer over a low heat for around 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender but still hold their shape. Taste and add a little more sweetener, if needed.
Make the crumble topping:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, oats, and sugar. Add the vegan butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the chopped pecans and almonds.
Assemble the crumble:
- Spoon the cooked apples into a 1.5-litre / 1½-quart ovenproof dish (approx. 22cm x 17cm x 6cm / 9” x 7” x 2½”). Level the surface and gently press down. Spoon the crumble topping evenly over the apples and sprinkle with Demerara sugar.
Bake:
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the topping is crisp and golden. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions:
- This crumble is delicious served with dairy-free custard, cream, or yogurt
- It can be served warm, or cold straight from the fridge (we actually love it this way as the topping becomes even crunchier!)!
Notes
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It is also freezable.
If you make this Crunchy Nut Apple Crumble, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Leave a comment below or tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here:
Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.
With love,
