Christmas Crumble

The holiday season always draws me to warming spices, bright orange zest, and caramelised something something. They don’t just comfort from the inside and help me brave the cold — they also fill the house with with a cosy, comforting fragrance.

This Christmas Crumble brings all of that together, made with juicy pears and soft, spongy apples, baked until golden and bubbling.

Christmas Crumble

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

Fruit filling

• 4 medium pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 2 tbsp sugar (brown or coconut sugar work well)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground  of each: ginger, anis, nutmeg & cardamon
• 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch

Crumble topping

• 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• ½ cup gluten-free flour blend (or almond flour for a nuttier crumble)
• ⅓ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 6 tbsp cold butter or dairy-free alternative, cut into small cubes. I am a fan of using olive oil these days
• ¼ cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Prepration

1. Preheat oven
   Preheat to 180°C / 350°F. Lightly grease a baking dish (about 20 cm / 8 inches).
2. Prepare the fruit
   In a large bowl, toss pears and apples with sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger/nutmeg, cornstarch. Spread evenly in the baking dish.
3. Make the crumble topping
   In another bowl, mix oats, gluten-free flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
   Add the cold butter and rub it in with your fingers (or use a fork) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts if using.
4. Assemble
   Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit.
5. Bake
   Bake for 35–45 minutes, until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbling around the edges.
6. Cool slightly & serve
   Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Serving ideas

• For vegans: serve warm with plant based vanilla yoghurt or non vegans use Greek yogurt
• Drizzle with honey or maple syrup for extra sweetness

Happy Holidays and wherever you are I hope you feel warm, safe and with a desire for nourishing food. Hari Om Tat Sat!