Healthy Apple Crumble with Walnuts

This quick, delicious and healthy apple crumble with walnuts and ginger makes a perfect Sunday breakfast/brunch recipe idea. It's low in sugar, high in fibre and super simple to put together. 

See also apple crumble tart!

This healthy apple crumble with walnuts is the perfect autumn recipe using seasonal apples. I used my favourite Bramley cooking apples, but you can use another sour variety if you can't get Bramley apples where you live.

Apple crumble (or apple crisp) is such a classic dessert I am sure most people have tried it at least once.  It's delicious, warming and perfect at this time of the year.  It can be made in many different ways to suit individual tastes.  Plus it's very simple and easy to make.

My recipe for apple crumble is quite low in sugar and high in fibre so it's perfect to serve for breakfast.

How to make a healthier crumble

I swapped flour for wheat germ in this breakfast apple crisp recipe to make it more nutritious. (Wheatgerm is a good source of folic acid and Vitamin E).  Other typical breakfast ingredients include oats as well as ginger preserve.  The ginger preserve adds both flavour as well as sweetness to the apple mixture.

So there is no need to add any sugar!

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.Core the apples and chop into chunks (you can peel them but you don't have to). Place in a large pan, add the apple juice and ginger preserve and stir thoroughly.  Cover and cook gently for 5-6 minutes until the apples have softened.

2. In the meantime make the crumble topping.  Combine all the topping ingredients and rub with your fingertips until well combined and crumbly.

3. Transfer the apple mixture into your dish and cover with the crumble topping without pressing down.

4. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes (200 C).  Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then serve.

Healthy apple crumble ingredients

• The apples

If you are using Bramley apples, which are very sour, taste the mixture before popping the dish in the oven. You may want to add more jam for extra sweetness.

As this is not a typical dessert recipe I decided not to peel the apples and make this dish more robust.  Less waste plus there is goodness in the skin too!

• The crumble topping

The topping includes wheat germ, oats, a moderate amount of butter and sugar as well as walnuts for more crunch. The walnuts make a gorgeous addition to this easy apple crumble.  They pair beautifully with both the apple and the ginger.  Not to mention the extra fibre they contribute! 

Substitutions

• Flour: You can use either wheatgerm, plain flour or whole wheat flour.  Alternatively use or a bit of each.
• Ginger preserve: Use another preserve if preferred (blackberry, raspberry etc).
• Walnuts: Substitute pecans if you like.

Top tips

• I didn't peel the apples as I wanted to add more texture to the filling but it's absolutely fine to peel them if you prefer.
• Use old-fashioned rolled oats, NOT instant oats.
• Adjust the amount of sugar to suit your preference.  If your apples are not as sour as Bramleys you may want to use less sugar.
• Make the crumble ahead and keep refrigerated (overnight) until you are ready to bake it.
• Freeze uncooked crumble (covered) for up to 3 months.

You might also like

• Simple Peach Blueberry Crumble
• Cherry Crumble Recipe with Almonds
• Blackberry Crumble (Healthy)
• Healthy Baked Apples with Pecans
• Polish Rice with Apples (Ryz z Jablkami)

You may also like this collection of 18 healthy, easy vegetable breakfast recipes.

Keep in touch!

How has your healthy apple crumble with oats turned out for you? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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