Apple and Strawberry Crumble is an easy, crowd-pleasing combination of juicy strawberries and crisp apples with a buttery crumb topping. This easy to make dessert is made without oats and it is bursting with sweet-tart flavors.
This recipe takes the British wartime classic, Apple Crumble dessert, and gives it a modern twist by adding juicy, colorful, sweetness in the form of strawberries.
Why You’ll Love Making this Dessert.
- delightful mix of textures (buttery crumb) and tastes (sweet and tart) in every bite.
- offers the option of using seasonal fruit or using frozen fruit for a year round dessert choice.
- discover the health benefits with 2 servings of fresh fruit per portion. Nutritional value of this dessert below in the recipe card.
- about 15 minutes of prep time and on the table in less than an hour.
- only 5 ingredients are used.
- includes shortcuts making this your new go-to dessert.
What Makes This Post Stand Out From the Rest.
It includes:
- a guide as to the best apple choices.
- gluten-free and vegan adaptations.
- seasonal twists to elevate your baking game.
- food and beverage pairings.
Best Apples and Strawberries to Use (And Why It Matters)
For this recipe, I recommend using Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Bramley apples. These apples will introduce a little tartness, crunch and are slower to brown once sliced. Apples that brown slowly, eliminate the need to soak them in lemon water to slow down oxidation (the process that causes browning.)
Strawberries are the sweet, juicy part of this recipe. Use seasonal strawberries rather than buying grocery store, hot house strawberries, with their tell tale whiteish centers. Failing that, choose frozen strawberries that have been picked at their peak of ripeness.
Frozen apples follow the same picking rules as strawberries, so frozen apples are picked in season and then individually quick frozen in slices. While frozen apple slices cost more, all the work is done, and many producers sell them with no additives or extra sugar.
Substitutions for Dietary Needs: Vegan, Gluten-Free and Low-Sugar
Swap out the butter in the crumble for vegan butter or coconut oil.
Use gluten-free flour such as almond flour or oat flour to eliminate the gluten in this dessert.
This recipe is fairly low sugar with only 7g of added sugar (to the crumble) per serving. Feel free to use a sugar substitute such as date sugar or monk fruit sugar.
Seasonal Twists – How to Elevate this Humble Fruit Crumble
This easy 5-ingredient Apple Strawberry Crumble serves as a versatile base, perfect for customizing with a variety of delicious add-ins:
- In Fall, warm spices (nutmeg, cinnamon and clove) are the obvious add in to either the fruit or crumble.
- For a winter / Christmas style of crumble, add fresh cranberries to the filling along with about 2 oz of sugar.
- Spring time brings rhubarb! Add small chunks of this fresh fruit to the filling. Some strawberry varieties will be in season at this time too, so try to include them.
- Summer time brings a plethora of fresh fruit such as pears, and raspberries that can be added to the filling.
- Enhance the crumble topping by mixing in oats, coconut flakes, and chopped nuts for extra flavor and crunch anytime of the year.
Food and Beverage Pairings
The automatic accompaniment to Apple and Strawberry Crumble is warm custard! If this is not your cup of tea, then consider vanilla ice cream or Vanilla Sauce.
If you don’t want a warm or cold sauce or ice cream, then consider a drizzle of caramel or butterscotch sauce.
A natural hot beverage that pairs perfectly with a generous serving of Apple Strawberry Crumble is tea, yep, a nicely brewed cup of tea hits the spot. I covered tea service in this Afternoon Tea post.
Cold beverages include dessert wines like Moscato, cider (with or without alcohol), or even a creamy vanilla milkshake.
Ingredients Needed for Strawberry Apple Crumble
- Apples of your choice. See the ‘Best Apple Choices Guide’ to help you choose.
- Flour: all purpose flour/ plain flour. Use wholewheat if you prefer.
- Butter: salted, if using unsalted add a pinch or two of salt to the crumble.
- Sugar: white granulated but brown sugar is also an option.
- Strawberries, fresh and washed.
Step by Step Instructions How to Make Apple and Strawberry Crumble.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. / 180 degrees C.
In a food processor, add the flour and small butter pieces. Pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the sugar and pulse enough to mix.
Wash the strawberries. Remove the tops and cut into 2 or 4 pieces depending on their size.
Core, peel and slice the apples. Work quickly to avoid the browning.
Add the fruit to an ovenproof dish, mixing it as it is added.
Top with the crumble. Ensure all the fruit is covered especially the tips of the apple pieces.
Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. The crumble will be golden brown and the filling may be bubbly. Rely more on the color of the crumble to confirm the dessert has finished baking.
Delicious Variations to Try Next
In addition to adding more fruits such as rhubarb and berries to the filling, consider adding more unusual ingredients such as condensed milk or a custard to create a unique creamy fruit filling.
Other variations include Apple and Strawberry Crumble with Clotted Cream Ice Cream or with a warm rum caramel sauce drizzled over it garnished with salt flakes.
A Tip From Me
Here are expert tips and tricks to ensure the best results:
- Choose the right apples for crunch(texture), and flavor (tartness). My recommendation is Granny Smith.
- If you know you are slower at coring, peeling and slicing apples, either choose an apple that is slow to brown such as a Pink Lady or have a bowl of cold water containing a tablespoon or two of lemon juice in it to place the apple slices in.
- As a shortcut, feel free to use frozen apple slices and frozen strawberries. If you do, mix in 1-2 tbsp of cornstarch / cornflour to the fruit before adding the crumble topping. The cornstarch will help absorb the liquid released by the fruit during baking.
- Another shortcut is to make double the quantity of crumble topping and freeze the rest. Use this crumb on your next fruit crumble or as the streusel topping on this Apple Crumb Pie.
- Save the strawberry tops and make Strawberry Top Vinegar with them!
- To reheat the crumble without losing crunch, place foil covered crumble in a pre heated 350 degrees F. / 180 degrees C. oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until heated through. Individual portions of crumble can be reheated using an air fryer. Set the air fryer to 320°F (160°C). Place a single portion of crumble in a small heat-safe dish and loosely cover with foil. Place the dish on the air fryer basket. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until heated through.
- If you prefer to make individual Strawberry and Apple Crumbles, then consider using an air fryer to bake them. Simply divide the quantities of this recipe into 8 for an individual portion. Assemble the dessert in a small heat-safe dish and loosely cover with foil. Place this dish in a pre heated 350 degrees F. / 180 degrees C. air fryer. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until heated through and the crumble is golden brown.
Got Questions?
I’ve got answers – hopefully!
A watery filling often causes a soggy crumble. Choose Granny Smith apples for balanced juiciness (see Apple Choices chart above). Strawberries release liquid during baking, so mix 1-2 tbsp cornstarch with the fruit to thicken juices and prevent sogginess.
Absolutely, I highly recommend using frozen strawberries over hot house ripened, out of season, store bought strawberries. Add 1-2 tbsp of cornstarch / cornflour to the frozen fruit to absorb any extra liquid.
Please do, it will make this easy dessert even easier. You can prepare the crumble topping ahead and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready, simply sprinkle it over the fruit filling. Strawberries can be washed, hulled, and halved up to a day in advance, then kept in the fridge. To prevent apples from browning, it’s best to fully assemble and bake the crumble, then refrigerate it (up to 5 days) or freeze it (up to 3 months) for later use.
People often use “crumble” and “crisp” interchangeably, but their toppings differ subtly. A crumble combines flour, sugar, and butter for a crumbly, streusel-like texture. A crisp is similar but with the addition of oats and / or coconut. These additions create more of a ‘crispness’ to the topping.
Store fully baked leftover Apple Strawberry Crumble in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost the crumble in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Easy and Delicious Apple and Strawberry Crumble
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz all purpose flour
- 5 oz salted butter
- 2 oz sugar
- 1 lb apples
- 1 lb strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. / 180 degrees C.
- In a food processor, add the flour and small butter pieces. Pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the sugar and pulse enough to mix.
- Wash the strawberries. Remove the tops and cut into 2 or 4 pieces depending on their size.
- Core, peel and slice the apples. Work quickly to avoid the browning.
- Add the fruit to an ovenproof dish, mixing it as it is added.
- Top with the crumble. Ensure all the fruit is covered especially the tips of the apple pieces.
Notes
-
- Choose the right apples for crunch(texture), and flavor (tartness). My recommendation is Granny Smith.
- Be sure to leave the apple prep to the end, prepare the crumble and strawberries first to reduce apple browning.
- If you know you are slower at coring, peeling and slicing apples either choose an apple that is slow to brown such as a Pink Lady or have a bowl of cold water containing a tablespoon or two of lemon juice in it to place the apple slices in.
- Feel free to use frozen apple slices and frozen strawberries. If you do, mix in 1-2 tbsp of cornstarch / cornflour to the fruit before adding the crumble topping. The cornstarch will help absorb the liquid released by the fruit during baking.
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