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Fruit Crisp Topping

Fruit crisp topping with a chunky oat-brown sugar-butter crumble that turns deeply golden. Made by working cold butter into oats and flour, then baking until crisp and speckled with cinnamon.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fruit crisp topping
  • 1.5 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter cold, cubed
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup chopped nuts optional add-in
  • 0.25 cup shredded coconut optional add-in

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the oat crumble topping
  1. Combine rolled oats, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl until evenly mixed, with no dry patches remaining.
  2. Add chopped nuts and shredded coconut if using, then toss to distribute the add-ins evenly throughout the dry mixture.
  3. Add cold cubed unsalted butter, then work it in with your fingertips, two forks, or a pastry cutter until large chunky clumps form; leaving some pea-sized butter pieces is ideal.
Bake over fruit filling
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and scatter the topping evenly over your prepared fruit filling so it covers the surface in a thick layer.
  2. Bake at 375°F for 35-45 minutes until deeply golden, with visible brown crumb edges and a crisp-looking top.
Storage
  1. If not using right away, refrigerate the topping in an airtight container up to 5 days, or freeze up to 3 months for later use.

Notes

For the best chunky texture, keep the butter cold and mix just until you see large clumps—overworking can turn the topping sandy. Refrigerate baked or unbaked topping in an airtight container up to 5 days; freeze up to 3 months. To make it dairy-free, use a 1:1 cold plant-butter stick and keep the crumble as chunky as possible.