This irresistible Rhubarb Apple Crumble is the perfect warm dessert for colder evenings. Its sweet-tart filling features tangy rhubarb and juicy apples, topped with a crispy, buttery oat topping that will have everyone wanting more.
My go-to dessert is always a fruit crumble. It’s incredibly versatile, allowing you to use whatever fruit you have, like fresh or frozen rhubarb, apples, peaches, cherries, blueberries, or strawberries.
The rhubarb gives the dish a beautiful, vibrant red colour, the apple provides natural sweetness, and the oat topping adds a satisfying crunch. Top with vanilla ice cream, and it’s perfection!
All you need to create a comforting and delicious dessert the whole family will love is a baking dish, a few mixing bowls, and a little time.
If you love this recipe, you’ll also love this simple apple crumble or this sweet cherry crisp.
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Why You Will Love This Rhubarb Apple Crumble
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Rhubarb – Fresh or frozen. I freeze mine in pre-cut chunks to make fruit crumble throughout the year.
- Apples – Granny Smith or Jazz apples are crisp and sweet for crumbles.
- Brown Sugar – Brown sugar is mixed with the fruit to make it less tart and sweeter. You can substitute this 1:1 for coconut sugar or maple syrup.
- Cinnamon – Adds flavour to the fruit as they stew with the brown sugar.
- Flour – All-purpose flour for binding the topping. Substitute flour 1:1 with a gluten-free flour mix if necessary.
- Baking Powder – Adds a little rise to the crumb.
- Butter – I bake with salted butter, but you can use unsalted if you like.
- White Sugar – Standard white sugar gives this crumble topping its crunch. You can substitute this 1:1 for coconut sugar.
- Rolled Oats – I suggest rolled oats for this recipe, as quick oats will be too fine to add texture to the crumble topping.
Time-Saving Tip
Make a triple batch of the crumble topping and store it in an airtight ziplock bag in the freezer for a quick dessert later.
Additions
- Nuts and seeds – Add chopped almonds, pecans or your favourite seeds to the topping for extra crunch.
- Spices – Add a pinch of nutmeg in the topping.
- Vanilla Extract – Add a splash in the filling for extra flavour.
Equipment You May Need
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Copper Measuring Cups and Spoons
Buy Now →How to Make Rhubarb Apple Crumble
Step 1. Preheat the oven to fan bake, 190°C (375°F).
Step 2. Prepare the rhubarb and apple filling. If using fresh rhubarb, remove the leaves and cut the stalks into 2cm (1 inch) sized chunks. If using frozen rhubarb, thaw it out beforehand and drain the extra liquid. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and then cut them into thin slices. Combine the rhubarb, apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside.
Step 3. Make the crumble topping. Sift flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the cold cubed butter. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add in the white sugar and mix to combine. Use your hands to mix the sugar in well if needed.
Add the rolled oats and mix the crumble topping to combine all the ingredients together well.
Step 4. Assemble the crumble. Add the fruit filling to a 15cm x 20cm baking dish, add 1/4 cup of water, and then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.
Step 5. Bake. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the topping is golden brown or the fruit is soft and cooked.
Step 7. Serve. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve warm with your favourite ice cream, a drizzle of cream, or Greek yoghurt.
Makyla’s Tips for Success
- Cold butter – Make sure the butter is cold before you cut it into the topping mixture. This helps create a crumbly, crisp topping.
- Balance the sweetness – Rhubarb is quite tart, but the apples are sweet, so this recipe doesn’t require as much sugar as a traditional rhubarb crumble. Feel free to customise the sweetness to your liking by adding more brown sugar.
- Baking time – Keep an eye on the crumble as it bakes. If the topping starts to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with foil to prevent burning.
Storage
Once the rhubarb apple crumble is baked and cooled, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the oven at 175°C (350°F) for 10-15 minutes before serving, or enjoy it cold.
Rhubarb Apple Crumble
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups rhubarb fresh or frozen and thawed
- 2 apples granny smith or jazz, peeled
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup 80g cold butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup rolled oats
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to fan bake, 190°C (375°F).
- If using fresh rhubarb, remove the leaves and cut the stalks into 2cm (1 inch) sized chunks. If using frozen rhubarb, thaw it out beforehand and drain the extra liquid. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut them into thin slices. Combine the rhubarb, apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Sift flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the cubed butter. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add in the white sugar and mix to combine. Add the rolled oats and mix the crumble topping to combine all the ingredients.
- Add the fruit filling to a 15cm x 20cm baking dish, add 1/4 cup of water, and then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the topping is golden brown or the fruit is soft and cooked.
- Let it cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve warm with your favourite ice cream, a drizzle of cream, or Greek yoghurt.
Notes
- Cold butter – Make sure the butter is cold before you cut it into the topping mixture. This helps create a crumbly, crisp topping.
- Balance the sweetness – Rhubarb is quite tart, but the apples are sweet, so this recipe doesn’t require as much sugar as a traditional rhubarb crumble. Feel free to customise the sweetness to your liking by adding more brown sugar.
- Baking time – Keep an eye on the crisp as it bakes. If the topping starts to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with foil to prevent burning.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
