“Everything” Crumble Topping

Peach crumble is great, but I needed a crumble topping that I could put on ANYTHING – and that’s how this healthy crumble topping came about. I call it my “everything” crumble topping recipe because to me it’s the sweet equivalent of an Everything But the Bagel seasoning. It literally goes on everything.

I use this healthy oatmeal crumble topping on oats, ice cream, apples and PB, smoothie bowls, fruit salads – you name it. If it’s sweet, it has some version of this cripsy, crunchy, healthy and protein-packed topping on it.

The star of this topping is my Garden of Life Raw Organic Vanilla Protein Powder. It’s so delicious, super easy on my stomach and perfect for this particular recipe because of the texture and taste. I’ll link to it if you want to check it out!

Why protein powder?

Protein powder is one of the most versatile and useful ingredients, especially when it comes to developing simple, healthier recipes. I love using vanilla protein for this healthy crumble topping because it truly is the glue that holds the recipe together. It provides not only protein, but if you use Garden of Life, it provides live probiotic enzymes, complete protein from 13 types of raw organic sprouts AND a delicious vanilla flavor.

I’ve also used protein before in my Puppy Chow and it provides sweetness and texture that makes a crunchy snack complete. For this recipe I rely heavily on protein powder to provide texture, crunch and sweetness, without sacrificing anything you love in an oatmeal crumble topping recipe.

What else you will need for this oatmeal crumble topping recipe

Even including the protein powder, the ingredient list for this healthy oatmeal crumble recipe is pretty simple:

• 1 scoop Garden of Life vanilla plant-based protein powder
• 2 tbsp rolled oats
• 3 tbsp flax meal
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ cup almond butter, the drizzly kind, well-stirred
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• ¼ cup sliced almonds, optional

How to make this crumble topping recipe

And after the ingredients list, you just mix, pour, bake and eat! Here’s how to make this healthy oatmeal crumble topping:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the protein powder, oats, flax meal and salt. Add the maple syrup and almond butter and continue to mix until a dry, crumbly mixture forms. Feel free to use your hands here!
3. Add the slivered almonds and toss the mixture again. You want all the pieces to be about the size of a pencil eraser or lentil.
4. Pour the mixture out onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread it out evenly and bake for 10-11 minutes, or until the mix is slightly golden and crisp.
5. Let cool, store in an airtight container and serve whenever!

Tips & tricks on how to make this your own

This crumble topping is super versatile (and pretty hard to mess up!) so here are a few suggestions if you want to make it your own!

• Use a chocolate flavored protein for that extra *something*
• Add in a tsp of vanilla extract if you want a little more depth of flavor!
• Switch up the nuts! Almonds are great, but the best ingredients for this crumble topping recipe are whatever you already have on hand.
• Add in some dried fruit at the end if you want more ~granola vibes~

There’s a lot you can do with this oatmeal crumble topping recipe, so if you have any riffs you like, please drop the deets in the comments!

How to store this recipe

There’s definitely a right way and wrong way to store this, and I want to make sure you maximize on the crunch from your crumble topping recipe! I suggest storing this in an airtight container at room temperature (think your pantry or cupboard).

Putting it in your fridge runs the risk of increasing the moisture level in the crumble and decreasing the crunch. Store it at room-temp to be on the safe side and it should last for 7 days!

Want more quick snack ideas?

Here are a few of my favorite quick recipes:

Watch the recipe video here:

https://youtu.be/DYHaojtVzJ0