crumble topping in bowl

This recipe for crumble topping is the perfect crumble for any pie recipe. You can even make it for muffins or coffee cake!

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bowl of crumb topping

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!

use a grater to grate the butter for crumble topping

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!

Tips and Tricks for Crumble Topping

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.

Grated butter for crumble topping is easier to cut in than cubed.

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!

4 ingredients overhead shot

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.

Cut together the crumble topping using a pastry cutter

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!

Apple Crumble Pie sitting on a table with a blue and white plate in the background

It makes a delicious pie served with lots of ice cream!

My favorite CRUMBLE Pies:

  • Peach Crumble Pie
  • Apple Crumble Pie

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  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup sugar (brown or white or a combination)
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 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.

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 300 kcal | Carbohydrates: 34 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 17 g | Saturated Fat: 10 g | Cholesterol: 45 mg | Sodium: 2 mg | Potassium: 30 mg | Sugar: 16 g | Vitamin A: 525 IU | Calcium: 9 mg | Iron: 1.1 mg

Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword crumble, pie

Crumb topping would go so well on so many of my pie recipes.

Apple Crumb Pie is my absolute favorite!

Apple Crumble Pie on a table with a blue and white plate with forks, an apple and a spatula

This crumble topping also works on apple muffins!

Stack of Apple Muffins

Last Updated on December 1, 2020

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.

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Published on: October 4, 2018