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Apple Cranberry Oat Crumble

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This rustic apple cranberry crumble boasts a buttery, crunchy crumb topping.

apple cranberry oat crumble

This old-fashioned apple cranberry crumble with a crunchy oat streusel topping comes from Rustic Fruit Desserts by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson, a small and unassuming little cookbook full of yummy treasures. If you’re at all intimidated by baking, or just think of it as one of those things that other people do, this recipe is for you. There’s no fussy pie dough—just fruit tossed with sugar and cinnamon and a simple crumb topping of oats, flour, brown sugar and butter. Serve the crumble warm out of the oven topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Leftovers are delicious plain, especially for breakfast.

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Apple Cranberry Oat Crumble

This rustic apple cranberry crumble boasts a buttery, crunchy crumb topping.

Servings: 8-12

Ingredients

For the Dish

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the Topping

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
  • 1⅓ cups packed light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

For the Fruit Filling

  • 8 large baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1⅓ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 3-quart, or 9 x 13-inch, baking dish.
  2. To make the topping, mix the oats, flour, brown sugar and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter, then press the topping together with your hands to form small clumps. Put the topping in the freezer while you assemble the filling.
  3. To make the fruit filling, toss the apples, cranberries, sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Transfer the filling to the prepared pan and spread it out, pressing the fruit down into the corners.
  4. Press the oat crumble evenly over the fruit, then bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the crumble is lightly golden and the filling is bubbling up in the corners. Cool for about 20 minutes to temper the heat before serving, then top with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.
  5. Note: This crumble is best served the day it is made, but any leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in a 300 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, until warm.
  6. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: After baking, the crumble can be frozen tightly covered for up to 3 months. When you're ready to serve it, defrost it in the refrigerator for 24 hours then reheat it, uncovered, in a 300°F oven until heated through and crisp on top.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (12 servings)
  • Calories: 441
  • Fat: 14 g
  • Saturated fat: 8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 80 g
  • Sugar: 51 g
  • Fiber: 6 g
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Sodium: 106 mg
  • Cholesterol: 33 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • Excellent! I halved the entire recipe using 2 granny smith and 2 braeburn (because it’s what I had), slightly more cranberries than called for and a little less of both sugars. Baked in a 8″ square on top of a sheet pan to catch anything that might bubble over, which it didn’t. Never ate it the night I made it due to a change it plans, keeping it covered w/foil at room temp. The next morning I popped it (covered) in a 300 oven for 15min. as Jenny recommends and we all devoured it. I can only imagine how great it is right with ice cream for a dessert and plan to do just that in the future! Thanks for another winner!

    • — andi on January 3, 2024
    • Reply
  • Absolutely delicious! I’ve been making crisps and crumbles for years, but this is the first recipe I’ve ever encountered that calls for melted butter. Game changer! Made the recipe so much faster and easier! Also, the perfect ratio of crispy topping to delicious fruit. Thanks Jen, for another winner of a recipe😊

    • — Twyla Laakso on December 14, 2023
    • Reply
  • Hi Jenn, I’m not sure when this recipe was originally created, but I feel like apples are becoming bigger and bigger. Like the largest are 2 or 3 times what a regular apple size used to be. Do you have some suggestion for a way we could measure the amount of apples needed, like in cups or ounces/grams? Even a rough measure would be welcomed. Thanks!

    • — Rachel Holbert on October 29, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Rachel, Yes, apples seem to keep growing! I’d guesstimate you’d need the equivalent of about 8 to 10 cups of sliced apples (don’t worry too much about it as you don’t need to be really exacting when it comes to the apples in this recipe). Hope you enjoy!

      • — Jenn on October 31, 2023
      • Reply
  • I love this recipe so much and have been enjoying it for years (literally). It’s perfect for gatherings (I think sometimes that I get invited just so I’ll bring this dessert), freezes well and works with blueberries when cranberries are hard to find. Plus, leftovers are divine for breakfast. Yum!!!

    • — Michelle C on March 1, 2023
    • Reply
  • This was a huge hit at Christmas, with adults and small kids alike (vanilla ice cream is a must!). I reheated before serving as suggested, 10-15 min at 300 and it was perfectly warmed. Modifications: reduced both brown and white sugars down to a scant cup each (just reduce your white sugar according to the sweetness of your apples – I used mostly very tart granny smith so didn’t want to reduce too much), reduced cinnamon to 1 heaping teaspoon and added 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, used dairy free Earth Balance unsalted butter bars for our dairy free family members, and added 1 cup of chopped walnuts to the crumble – soooo good! It was officially named “Gruffalo Crumble” (in reference to a children’s book) by the littles at the table and I know this recipe will become a yummy tradition. Not a single one of Jenn’s recipes that I have tried (and I’ve made a couple dozen) have failed to please everyone, don’t skip this one! And other commenters are right, when you come into the kitchen the next morning and lay eyes on this crumble, please sneak those bites with your coffee or tea – truly delicious. Thank you, Jenn, for your totally refined and approachable recipes for all parts of life :).

    • — Julia on January 2, 2023
    • Reply
  • Awesome, crumble. I love to make fruit crumble as I have never been able to make a decent pie crust. Despite my southern Mother being a master at it. Served this at a dinner party and oddly the men were the ones that absolutely loved it. The cranberries add a nice touch to the apples. Loved it with ice cream. The peeling and chopping of the apples is the hardest longest part. Any suggestions on tools that make this easier? Thanks

    • — ZOEBK on December 30, 2022
    • Reply
    • So glad this was a hit! I know the peeling and slicing of the apples is a bit of an undertaking; I do it by hand, but I’m guessing there are tools out there that will make easier work of it — I’d Google it to see what you come across.

      • — Jenn on December 30, 2022
      • Reply
      • I substitute a can of cranberry sauce, not jellied, for the fresh cranberries, sugar and cornstarch. Mix with apples. Put topping on and bake. Probably not as good as this but so easy.

        • — Marcie on November 18, 2023
        • Reply
  • If I were to peel the apples and assemble this 3 hours prior to baking it, would this work – the apples not turn brown, mushy and ugly?

    • — Bette on October 21, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Bette, that should be fine (and the apples will be covered up anyway). Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on October 21, 2022
      • Reply
  • Loved!

    I made this with frozen wild blueberries.. I exchanged the corn starch for a quarter cup of tapioca flour. I reduced the cinnamon by half and added 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon of cardamon.

    Everyone commented at how excellent it was and how well the blueberries and apples went together. I am looking forward to making this again. I will make more of the topping, (1- 1/2 times) which I made with Almond flour.

    • — Jill Rae Faulkner on August 15, 2022
    • Reply
  • Another home run from Jenn Segal. We love tart recipes and this one was nearly perfect in that respect. Agree with previous review that leftovers make a tasty breakfast. I Appreciate the suggestion on how to halve the recipe. Thanks, Jenn.

    • — Philip Cottell
    • Reply
  • My house smells yummy. I used 6 very large Rome apples, fresh cranberries and whole wheat flour instead of white flour. Per reviews, I cut the sugar in the topping to 3/4 cup and in the filling, I cut the sugar to 1/2 cup. I took it out of the oven at 57 minutes but probably could have taken it out 5 minutes prior.

    • — Diane O'Halloran
    • Reply
  • I would like to make this ahead of time and freeze. Do I thaw Apple Cranberry Oat crisp before reheating? Thanks.

    • Yes, I would thaw it before reheating. Enjoy!

  • This recipe is a required birthday treat for my mom. The whole family loves it. What a tasty treat of apples, cranberries and oatmeal. Any leftovers are eaten for breakfast the next day.

  • Thank you for this great recipe. In our family we’ve reduced sugar to a minimum in recipes. Once you reduce the added sugar, the natural flavours and sugars are highlighted. My modifications were to reduce the sugar in the topping by about 1/2 and the sugar in the filling by about 2/3. For the apple/cranberry filling, I didn’t have corn starch on hand so I used the same amount of xanthan gum stirred into some melted butter, then mixed that into the apples and spices. The topping still bound together well even with the reduced sugar, probably since I didn’t change the amount of butter. I mixed in a few tablespoons of almond flour with whole wheat flour and oats for a slightly nutty flavour to the topping. I used Pazazz apples, a new hybrid of Honeycrisp. They are sweet and stay crispy for months after a fall harvest. I enjoyed the tartness of the cranberries!

    • — William O'Meara
    • Reply
  • I made this recipe, and it was a hit! I only used 6 apples though because 8 was way too many. I have a quick question though, can I half this recipe, but keep the same cooking time?

    • Hi Samara, If you want to halve the recipe, I’d use a smaller baking dish — either an 8 or 9-inch square dish. Baking time should be about the same.

  • Unrated because I made too many tweaks. This is a delicious combination of fruits and the flavor is awesome. However, for us there is too much sugar in the fruit, I use only 1/2 cup sugar, which allows us to enjoy the tang of the cranberries and is still sweet enough. Due to complaints from my family, I also halved the amount of topping, the second time I made this. These changes were deemed successful by the family.

    Thanks Jenn for a flexible recipe that has become a favorite in our house.

  • Amazing, was the hit of my dinner party!! Had two couples over for post holiday dinner. Wanted a more casual yummy, warming comfort food for dessert. Everyone, especially the guys, LOVED it! Quote from my husband “Fantastic, Best one you ever made”.
    The cranberries add a nice tartness and red festive color. I have made a ton of different crisp recipes over the years and this was by far the best. Although I may add some pecans to the crisp next time. Also I have always made crisp with pieces of cold butter and struggled to get the crisp just right. I found the melting of the butter made the crisp a bit easier to handle. I also baked it in a smaller dish by mistake but it was still awesome, but had extra crumble.
    Don’t hesitate to make this for your family and friends, they will love it. Don’t forget the Ice Cream it completes the dish. We love the rich Tillamook brand. BTW I made Jenn’s Baked Ziti too and that was also adored by the group.

  • Thanks for all the great recipes! If I make this the day before serving, would you recommend putting it back in the oven to warm up before serving or would that dry it out too much?

    • I think it’s fine to reheat it a bit – it will also add some crispiness back to the topping. Enjoy!

  • Best dessert for thr holidays! So easy and festive!

  • I stumbled across this site while planning to make yummy meals for my grandkids. I’d been trying quite a few other sites with mixed results and when I found this one, I really bonded with it. Everything was turning out, except for possibly one I don’t recall UNTIL I TRIED THIS ONE. What happened? All these five star reviews and mind was a disaster. SO SWEET. I followed the crumble topping and I’ve made a fair number but there was SO much in my 13×9 pan and I pressed it but it never set, just sat on top after baking, dry and disconnected from the filling. I really did follow everything to the letter, except I used four pears and four apples because I was out of apples. I’m incredibly sad, not because I wasted time and effort but because I loved the feeling that I could turn to one big your new recipes and be guaranteed a great success. I just needed and wanted that reliability factor in my life.

    • So sorry this didn’t turn out well for you, Nyny. You mentioned it was dry – did you by chance use dried cranberries instead of fresh?

      • Well, you are an angel to reply.

        The cranberries were whole, unsweetened ones, thawed from the freezer. I used the lightest brown sugar of the three I have. Maybe I mismeasured (but I’m a stickler for measuring and use mise en place for double checking).

        I feel like jumping right back in because of your reply. If you had to recommend your favorite little cake recipe, the go-to that you’d whip up for family that is easy, which would it be? I’m going to make it happen today and get over my disappointment in the crumble! Thank you. I love your warm personality that comes through.

        • Hmmm… not sure why it would’ve come out dry for you then — I’m sorry it was a bit of a miss!

          If I had to pick my favorite cake from a whip-it-up-quick perspective, I’d say my French Apple Cake. Hope you enjoy if you make it!

        • I’ve nade this many times and once unknowingly used a sweeter apple type and it was too sweet. Now I always make sure to use tart baking apples and it’s perfect every time.

          • — Melissa on November 18, 2023
          • Reply
  • This looks like a great recipe for Thanksgiving. What type of apples would you recommend for this recipe? Thanks

    • Hi Rich, I like any of the following: Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Fuji, Granny Smith, or Golden Delicious. And I’d suggest using a mix of them for the best flavor. Hope you enjoy!

      • Thank you. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving

  • Everybody loved it! I decreased the sugar a little bit and it was sweet enough.

  • I am gluten free so was wondering if there was a substitute I could use in the crumble for flour apart from gluten free flour, which tends to be less than yum

    • — Gemma Saccasan
    • Reply
    • Hi Gemma, I think almond flour would work well here as a gluten-free alternative to the flour. Hope that helps!

  • I’ll be serving this at a dinner party that includes friends who are vegan. Can you suggest a substitute for the unsalted butter? Thanks.

  • Is it possible to make half of the recipe?

    • Sure. Just keep in mind that it may take slightly less time in the oven. Enjoy!

      • Yes, definitely! I wish I had read the comments before I made it, as I halved the recipe. 55min was too long. It’s a little overdone, unfortunately. I’ll let you know how it tasted.

        • — Anne on February 19, 2024
        • Reply
  • Hi Jenn, if this is frozen after baking does it need to be completely thawed before reheating? Thanks so much—your recipes never disappoint!

    • Hi Sarah, I think you could go either way here, but I’d probably stick it in the fridge to begin thawing the night before you plan to reheat it. (And glad you like the recipes! 💓)

    • I substitute a can of cranberry sauce, not jellied, for the fresh cranberries, sugar and cornstarch. Mix with apples. Put topping on and bake. Probably not as good as this but do easy.

      • — Marcie on November 18, 2023
      • Reply
  • This recipe is perfect! It is easy, forgiving, adjusts to gluten free and most importantly always delicious! I have made this for so many occasions and have had wonderful compliments! Thank you for an amazing yet uncomplicated way to share something homemade with friends and family.

    • — Constance Sorgen
    • Reply
  • I made this gluten and dairy free due to my wife’s allergies. I also added a cup of Haskap berries. It turned out great, bubbly and jucy and oh so delicious!!

  • Hi Jenn, I truly feel like I am all over your blog demanding metric measures, that’s because I am all over your blog, printing off recipes in readiness for a 2 week visit from an old buddy. The metric measure here still comes up as cup measures, kindly adjust. Thank you. I have only had your cookbook for a short while but with that and this blog, all my other cookbooks are on ‘holiday’.

    • I just added them (and so glad to hear your other cookbooks are on holiday! ;))

  • I have an apple tree in my yard so this was a very nice change from the regular straight apple crumble or apple rhubarb crumble. I froze my apples in slices and so I used fresh cranberries so I would not have too much water when it baked. It was a very nice combination of flavours especially when I poured a bit of cream over it. Yum!

  • Hi Jen: Just wondering if I can used dried cranberries instead of fresh or frozen. If so, do I need to add less sugar? I love, love, love every one of your recipes!!!!

    • — Debbie Rodriguez
    • Reply
    • Hi Debbie, for the best results I would stick with the fresh or frozen cranberries here.

  • Delicious really worth making. I served mine as an alternative to Christmas pudding.

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