Cranberry Crumble Topping (Printable Version)

Tangy-sweet cranberry topping with buttery crumble, perfect for enhancing desserts or breakfast dishes.

# What You Need:

→ Cranberry Filling

01 - 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
04 - 1 teaspoon orange zest
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thicker texture)

→ Crumble

07 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1/3 cup rolled oats
09 - 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - Combine cranberries, granulated sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until cranberries burst and mixture thickens. If thicker, stir in cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water and cook 2 additional minutes.
03 - Transfer the cranberry mixture into a small oven-safe dish or pie plate.
04 - In a bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Cut in chilled butter with a pastry cutter or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
05 - Evenly sprinkle the crumble topping over the cranberry filling. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the topping is golden brown and crisp.
06 - Allow to cool slightly before serving. Use as a topping for pies, cheesecakes, yogurt, or breakfast oats.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The tartness of cranberries stays bright instead of getting buried under sweetness, especially with that citrus punch.
  • You get to eat warm, crunchy topping straight from the oven without committing to a full pie.
  • It transforms ordinary yogurt, ice cream, or oatmeal into something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skip chilling the butter—room temperature butter makes a dense, oily crumble instead of a crispy, crumbly one.
  • The cornstarch is truly optional; the cranberries release enough natural pectin that the filling thickens on its own, but add it if you prefer something more sauce-like.
  • Frozen cranberries actually work better than fresh in this recipe because they burst more easily and release their juice faster.
03 -
  • Keep your butter genuinely cold and work quickly when making the crumble; warm hands and warm butter create a paste instead of pockets of crunch.
  • Use fresh-squeezed orange juice if possible—the difference between bottled and fresh is noticeable and worth the extra thirty seconds.

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