Winter Fruit Oat Crumble (Printable)
Tender winter fruits baked under a crunchy oat topping for a cozy dessert experience.
# What You Need:
→ Fruit Filling
01 - 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
02 - 2 medium pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
03 - 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
→ Oat Crumble Topping
09 - 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
10 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
11 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
15 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch baking dish.
02 - In a large bowl, toss apples, pears, cranberries, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch until well mixed. Spread evenly in prepared baking dish.
03 - In a separate bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Rub cold butter into dry ingredients with fingers or pastry cutter until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts if using.
04 - Sprinkle the oat crumble evenly over the fruit filling.
05 - Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling.
06 - Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving warm, optionally accompanied by vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It comes together in minutes, leaving you time to light a candle and sit down before it's even done baking.
- The contrast between tender, jammy fruit and that buttery, crunchy topping is genuinely addictive—you'll find yourself stealing bites straight from the dish.
- It tastes impressive without any of the fussy precision that fancy desserts demand.
02 -
- If your topping looks burnt before the fruit is bubbling, tent it loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes—every oven runs hot or cool, so trust your eyes over the timer.
- Don't skip the cooling time; I once served it straight from the oven and watched someone burn the roof of their mouth, which is never the memory you want to create.
03 -
- Cut your butter into smaller pieces than you think you need and keep your hands cold—this is the secret to that shattering, crispy texture that makes people come back for seconds.
- Toast your nuts lightly in a dry pan before adding them to the topping; it deepens their flavor and makes the whole thing taste more intentional.