Whole Grain Apple-Raspberry Oat Crumble

Is it just me or have raspberries been available a lot later than usual this year? Even in late October I was finding the most gorgeous raspberries in the store. So of course I did what any reasonable raspberry lover would do and bought like 6 pints of them. And then proceeded to wonder how in the world I was going to use them all before they went bad… So, consider this your warning, I’ve got some raspberry recipes for you!

My fridge is also stocked with a ton of apples right now, so the minute I laid eyes on the recipe for this apple-raspberry oat crumble, I knew I had to make it. Fruit crumbles and crisps are among my favorite fall desserts – they’re so simple to throw together and really let the fruit shine. When I want pie but don’t want to be bothered with making crust, crumbles and crisps are always the answer! You really can’t go wrong with juicy apples and raspberries tossed with cinnamon finished with a buttery, crisp topping, can you?

Here’s some more good news about this dessert: it’s whole grain! Instead of using all-purpose flour in the topping and to thicken the filling, oat flour is utilized. Don’t worry, you don’t need to run to the store to buy another bag of flour either, oat flour is simply old-fashioned oats that have been finely ground. Just throw the oats in your food processor, pulse a few times, and bam – you just made your own oat flour! So simple!

I enjoyed this fruit crumble for dessert with a big dollop of whipped cream on top, but it’s also great for breakfast (I mean it is whole grain after all 🙂 ), maybe even with a little yogurt on top. You could probably even cut back on the sugar in the filling if you wanted to make it a little easier to justify for breakfast. I demolished the entire pan so quickly I made this recipe twice in a week. I’m thinking it might even make an appearance on the dessert table at Thanksgiving this year!

Whole Grain Apple-Raspberry Oat Crumble
adapted from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

{Note: I used McIntosh apples, but feel free to substitute your favorite apple for baking. You can also substitute frozen raspberries for the fresh if fresh are unavailable. You can halve this recipe and bake in an 8×8-inch dish.}

Topping
1 cup (3 1/2 oz) oat flour
1 cup (7 1/2 oz) packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup (3 1/2 oz) old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling
7 cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples (7-8 apples, about 3 lbs before peeling)
1 cup fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (3 3/4 oz) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup oat (3/4 oz) oat flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

To make the topping: Whisk the oat flour and brown sugar together in a medium bowl. Add the butter and cut it into the flour/sugar mixture until the pieces of butter are no larger than small peas. Mix in the oats, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Set the topping aside.

To make the filling: Combine the apples, raspberries, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Gently toss to combine. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, oat flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the fruit and toss to coat evenly. Pour the filling into the prepared pan and distribute the topping evenly over the fruit.

Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the topping has browned and the filling is thick and bubbling around the edges. Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Top with whipped cream or ice cream and enjoy!