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You can make crumble without butter using numerous alternatives – regardless of whether you don’t have butter in your household or prefer a vegan version.
Butterless crumble – the alternatives
Butter gives the crumble the necessary consistency and taste at the same time.
- If you don’t have enough butter in the house for the crumble, you can replace half of the specified amount with apple sauce. This will make the crumble fruitier but less crispy;
- An alternative to butter in crumbles can also be quark. You only need half the specified amount of butter. If the consistency of the crumble is not yet right, add a little more quark. It is best to add a little semolina for firmness.
- Nut butter is suitable for lower-fat crumbles that have a nutty flavor. However, these are less traditional. Nut butter makes the crumble softer and less crispy.
- Coconut oil crumble is a simple and vegan alternative to classic butter crumble Coconut oil gives the crumble a light coconut flavor that goes particularly well with tropical fruits such as mango or pineapple. The typical “buttery” taste is missing, but the crumble has a subtle sweetness and freshness. Crumbles with coconut oil are slightly crispier than those with butter, as coconut oil contains less water.
- Cream can also be a substitute for butter in crumbles. Sufficient fat should be provided by the cream. To make the dough crumbly, do not use too much here either.
Vegan crumble for cakes
If you follow a vegan diet, you don’t have to do without crumble on your cake.
- Instead of butter, you can just as easily use vegetable margarine for the crumble.
You can substitute the required amount one to one. - Another alternative to butter for crumbles is vegetable oil. However, only tasteless oils such as sunflower or rapeseed oil are suitable. Olive oil would give the crumble a strange taste.
- If you use oil for the crumble, you will need less than the specified amount of butter. Start with about half the amount. If the crumble is too dry, you can always add a little more oil.
- You can also make delicious vegan crumbles with a mixture of margarine and banana. The mashed banana mixed with margarine, sugar and flour makes a nice crumbly crumble.
- Almond butter is also a vegan butter substitute.
You can use this to make crumbles. However, the almond flavor should match the cake. - Making crumbles with avocado is a creative and healthy alternative to classic recipes with butter. Avocado can be used as a source of fat and gives the crumble a special consistency and a mild taste.
Gluten-free and reduced-sugar crumble options
If you want to make gluten-free and/or sugar-free sprinkles, there are various options here too.
- For gluten-free crumbles, it is best to use gluten-free flour such as almond flour, buckwheat flour or oat flour;
- Gluten-free flour often has a neutral taste, but can be slightly nutty or sweet, depending on the variety. Ground almonds add extra flavor to the crumble and make it more aromatic.
- Gluten-free crumbles are often somewhat finer and less elastic than those made with wheat flour. The addition of almonds or oat flour ensures a crispier consistency.
- Erythritol or xylitol can be used for sugar-free crumbles. Both alternatives have a neutral taste and are well suited to retaining the typical sweet character of the crumble.
- Natural alternatives such as date paste or tigernut flour give the crumble a slightly fruity or nutty note.
When using date paste, the crumble can become a little softer. - It is also possible to use honey, maple syrup or algarve syrup.
