This easy strawberry apple crumble has a sweet, jammy filling under a crisp oat streusel. It's gluten-free, vegan, and made without refined sugar. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt for a cozy, healthy dessert.
Strawberry Apple Crumble At A Glance
- ✅ Recipe Name: Healthy Strawberry Apple Crumble (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🔥 Bake Time: 32 to 42 minutes
- ⏱️ Total Time: 42 to 52 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 8
- 🍽 Calories: ~311 per serving
- 🍓 Main Ingredients: Strawberries, apples, rolled oats, oat flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, coconut sugar
- 📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, refined sugar-free
- ❄️ Works With: Fresh or frozen strawberries
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Sweet, jammy strawberries and tender cinnamon apples under a crisp oat streusel, naturally sweetened with maple syrup and coconut sugar. No refined sugar, no dairy, and it tastes just like the real thing.
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Strawberries and apples don't usually share a dessert, but that's exactly why I started playing with this one. I wanted something for that stretch when the last summer strawberries overlap with the first fall apples, and after a few batches (my early ones were way too runny until I sorted out the starch), this is the crumble I keep coming back to.
You guys already love my healthy apple crisp and those apple pie oatmeal cookies, so I had a feeling this one would land. It's a hit with my family and friends, even the kids, and the whole thing comes together in one bowl.
The filling bakes down sweet and jammy, and the oat streusel on top gets golden and crisp. I use a Honeycrisp and a Granny Smith together so you get sweet and tart in every bite, plus oats, oat flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, and coconut sugar for a topping that stays crunchy without butter or refined sugar.
Here's the part I love most: it's gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, and nobody at the table has ever guessed. It just tastes like a cozy fall crumble.
Jump to:
- Strawberry Apple Crumble At A Glance
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Is It a Crumble or a Crisp?
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Strawberry Apple Crumble (Step-by-Step)
- Video Tutorial (Step-by-Step)
- Expert Tips for the Best Oat Crumble
- Serving Suggestions
- How to Store, Make Ahead, and Reheat:
- Strawberry Apple Crumble FAQ
- More Healthy Crumble & Crisp Recipes You'll Love
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Sweet meets tart: A Honeycrisp and a Granny Smith together, so you get juicy sweetness and bright tartness in every bite.
- One bowl, ten minutes: Everything mixes in a single bowl with about 10 minutes of prep. Weeknight easy.
- Naturally sweetened: Just maple syrup and coconut sugar. No refined sugar, and honestly a richer flavor for it.
- Secretly wholesome: It's gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, and nobody at the table has ever guessed.
- That crisp topping: Oats and oat flour bake up golden and crunchy with zero butter. It's the part everyone picks at.
- Fresh or frozen berries: Make it in peak season or in the middle of winter.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is officially my go-to crumble recipe. I've tried many others, but never quite as tasty! The filling and the crumble are both 11/10. I especially love using smoked almonds & ghee in my topping. We adore it at our place & a big winner with guests too ❤️
- Bec
Is It a Crumble or a Crisp?
Honestly, a little of both. A classic crumble has a topping of flour, sugar, and butter, while a crisp adds oats for that extra crunch. This recipe uses rolled oats and oat flour, so the topping bakes up crisp and craggy while still retaining the cozy, spoonable feel of a real crumble. Call it whichever you like. It tastes the same either way.
Ingredients You'll Need
Here's what goes into this strawberry apple crumble, and why.
For the Filling:
- Strawberries: The juicy, jammy base. Fresh or frozen berries work, and you don't need to thaw frozen ones; just toss them in. I do the same thing with my healthy strawberry crumble bars.
- Apples: I use one Honeycrisp and one Granny Smith, so you get sweet and tart together. Golden Delicious or Pink Lady work too; just pick firm apples that hold their shape.
- Coconut sugar: Sweetens the fruit without refined sugar and adds a soft caramel note. Light brown sugar swaps in fine.
- Lemon juice: A little brightness that keeps the filling from tasting flat and helps the fruit hold together.
- Tapioca or arrowroot starch: The key to a jammy filling instead of a watery one. Don't skip it. Cornstarch works just as well.
For the Oat Crumble:
- Rolled oats: The backbone of the topping and where all that crunch comes from. Use gluten-free certified oats if you need them.
- Oat flour: Makes the topping melt-in-your-mouth crisp instead of floury. You can substitute almond flour.
- Nuts (optional): Walnuts, pecans, or almonds for extra crunch. Skip them if you're nut-free.
- Coconut oil: What makes the oat crumble crisp up without adding butter. Vegan butter or regular butter both work if you'd rather.
- Maple syrup: Binds the topping and helps it crisp into clusters as it bakes. Honey or agave also works.
- Coconut sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla: The cozy flavor base. The cinnamon and pinch of salt do a lot of quiet work here.
Scroll to the recipe card for quantities!
Substitutions & Variations
- Make it nut-free: Leave out the pecans or walnuts. The crumble still holds together and crisps up fine.
- Swap the fruit: Frozen strawberries work great, no thawing needed. Or trade in peaches, blackberries, blueberries, or a mix. Or check out my blueberry apple crisp.
- Coconut sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works one-for-one in both the filling and the topping.
- Oat flour: Almond flour subs in nicely and keeps it gluten-free.
- Coconut oil: Melted unsalted butter or vegan butter both work. If you use salted butter, skip adding salt to the topping.
- Maple syrup: Honey or agave will do the same job.
- Tapioca or arrowroot starch: Cornstarch works just as well for thickening.
- Go all strawberry: Want it without the apples? My classic healthy strawberry crumble uses the same oat streusel, all berries, no refined sugar.
How to Make Strawberry Apple Crumble (Step-by-Step)
Here's exactly how I make it, step by step, with photos so you can see what each stage should look like. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Make the filling: Toss the strawberries, apples, coconut sugar, lemon juice, and starch in a large mixing bowl until the fruit is evenly coated.
- Fill the dish: Spoon the filling into the greased baking dish.
- Mix the crumble: In a separate bowl, stir together the rolled oats, oat flour, coconut sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nuts, if using. Pour the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla on top and mix with your hands until it clumps.
- Add the topping: Spread the oat crumble evenly over the strawberry-apple filling.
- Bake: Bake at 375°F for 32 to 42 minutes, until the top is golden and crisp, the strawberries are bubbly, and the apples are tender. Mine usually takes about 40 minutes.
Video Tutorial (Step-by-Step)
Expert Tips for the Best Oat Crumble
- Use two kinds of apples: A Honeycrisp for sweetness and a Granny Smith for tartness, which gives you the best flavor and keeps the apples from turning to mush. Golden Delicious or Pink Lady work too; just keep them firm.
- Don't skip the starch: Tapioca, arrowroot, or cornstarch is what turns the juices jammy instead of watery. This is the step that makes or breaks the filling.
- Bake at 375°F, not 350°F: The higher heat crisps the topping while keeping the filling from going runny. I tested both, and 375°F wins every time.
- Clump the topping with your hands: Mixing the wet into the dry by hand builds those craggy clusters that bake up crunchy. A spoon won't get you there.
- Watch for the bubble: It's done when the topping is golden, and the fruit is bubbling at the edges.
- Let it rest before serving: Cool for 10 to 15 minutes so the filling can set. Cut it too soon, and it runs.
Serving Suggestions
This crumble is best warm, about 10 to 15 minutes out of the oven, when the filling is set but still cozy. A few ways I love to serve it:
- Vanilla ice cream: The classic. Warm crumble and cold, melty ice cream are unbeatable. I love adding a spoonful of my protein ice cream recipe.
- Frozen yogurt or Greek yogurt: A lighter, tangy option that plays up the healthy angle.
- A drizzle of something: Caramel, chocolate, or a little honey over the top.
- Whipped cream: Dairy or non-dairy, a dollop is never wrong.
Leftovers are honestly great cold for breakfast the next day, too. No judgment.
How to Store, Make Ahead, and Reheat:
- Storing: This crumble is best within a few hours of baking, when the topping is still crisp. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Make ahead: Assemble the whole crumble, but don't bake it. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then bring it to room temperature and bake as directed when you're ready to serve.
- Freezing: Freeze it well-wrapped for up to 2 to 3 months, baked or unbaked. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking or reheating.
- Reheating: Warm in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes to bring back some crispness. For a single serving, microwave 45 to 60 seconds in 15-second bursts so the berries don't get too hot.
Strawberry Apple Crumble FAQ
Yes, they're a great match. Firm, mildly tart apples balance the soft, sweet strawberries, so you get contrast in both flavor and texture instead of one flat note. It's the same logic behind strawberry-rhubarb, just cozier.
A crumble has a topping of flour, sugar, and butter or oil, while a crisp adds oats for extra crunch. This recipe uses oats and oat flour, which gives it the crisp texture people love, with the classic feel of a crumble.
Use a mix of oats and oat flour, and bake at 375°F until the top is golden. To bring back crispness in leftovers, reheat in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes rather than in the microwave, which softens the topping.
Usually, it's skipped or skimped starch, or it was cut too soon. Starch thickens the juices as it bakes, and a 10 to 15 minute rest lets the filling set. Make sure the fruit is bubbling at the edges before you pull it from the oven.
A mix of one sweet and one tart, like Honeycrisp and Granny Smith, gives the best flavor and texture. Golden Delicious, Jonagold, and Pink Lady also hold their shape well. Avoid soft apples that turn to mush.
More Healthy Crumble & Crisp Recipes You'll Love
If you loved this strawberry apple oat crumble, here are a few more recipes to try next:
Did you make this recipe?
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don't forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Apple Crumble
Ingredients
Filling:
- 3 cups strawberries, halved or quartered (see notes for frozen)
- 1 large Honey Crisp or Pink Lady apple, peeled, cored and cubed
- 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cubed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon tapioca flour or arrowroot starch
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
Oat Crumble:
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, (gluten-free certified if needed)
- ⅔ cup oat flour, spooned and leveled (I used homemade, but store-bought will work)
- ½ cup walnuts, almonds, or pecans (optional), chopped
- ¼ cup coconut sugar, or light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, (I like just a hint, but add more if you love it)
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or butter, you can also use vegan butter
- ¼ cup real maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking dish, 9-inch pie dish, or skillet. Set aside.
- Make the filling: Toss the strawberries, apples, coconut sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and starch in a large bowl until the fruit is evenly coated. Spoon into the greased dish.
- Mix the crumble: In a separate bowl, stir together the oats, oat flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nuts if using. Pour the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla on top and mix with your hands until it forms clumps.
- Assemble: Spread the crumble evenly over the fruit, covering the whole surface.
- Bake: Bake for 32 to 42 minutes, until the topping is golden and crisp and the fruit is bubbling at the edges. Mine usually takes about 40 minutes.
- Rest: Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the filling sets. I love serving it with some vanilla protein ice cream.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe tested and developed by Tati Chermayeff, creator of Healthful Blondie, where everyday ingredients meet high-protein, wholesome recipes. Tati is a recipe developer, food blogger, and endurance athlete based in Austin, TX, who specializes in healthy, whole-food recipes that taste like the real thing.
Bec says
This is officially my go-to crumble recipe. I’ve tried many others, but never quite as tasty! The filling and the crumble are both 11/10. I especially love using smoked almonds & ghee in my topping. We adore it at our place & a big winner with guests too ❤️ Thanks for bringing this into my life 🙏
Tati Chermayeff says
Bec, this review just made my day! 🥹 Smoked almonds and ghee in the topping sounds absolutely incredible — I need to try that variation myself. So glad it's become your go-to and that it's a hit with guests too. Thank you for the kind words and for sharing! ❤️
Erin says
Really good.
Tati Chermayeff says
Hi Erin, thank you so much for leaving this 5-star review!