Baking Dessert

This brown butter apple and rhubarb crumble pie mash-up is the ultimate winter dessert

Name: Brown butter apple and rhubarb crumble pie recipe
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 200g cold unsalted butter, chopped (see recipe notes); 100g plain flour; 85g chilled cream cheese, cut into cubes; Ice cream, to serve; 50g butter, chopped; 1kg Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1cm pieces; 110g caramel sauce; 40.00 ml plain flour; 200g trimmed rhubarb, cut into 2cm chunks (you’ll need about 1/2 bunch); 45g almond; 125g plain flour; 65g caster sugar; 30g rolled oats

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40m

1h 15m

Brown butter apple and rhubarb crumble pie

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by Lucy Nunes

Delicious Team

Mar 10, 2026

Why choose between a crumble and a pie when you can have both? The brown butter gives the pastry and crumble the most amazing aroma and flavour.

You’ll need to start this recipe at least 6 hours ahead, and you’ll need a 17cm (base) x 22cm (top) ovenproof frypan or metal pie dish.

200g cold unsalted butter, chopped (see recipe notes)
2/3 cup (100g) plain flour, plus extra, to dust
85g chilled cream cheese, cut into cubes
Ice cream, to serve

Filling

50g butter, chopped
1kg Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1cm pieces
1/3 cup (110g) caramel sauce (we used Bonne Maman), plus extra, to drizzle
2 tbs plain flour
200g trimmed rhubarb, cut into 2cm chunks (you’ll need about 1/2 bunch)

Crumble topping

1/3 cup (45g) slivered almonds
125g plain flour
65g caster sugar
1/3 cup (30g) rolled oats

Method

1.

To make the brown butter, cook butter in a medium stainless-steel frypan or saucepan (it’s harder to see the colour of the butter in a dark pan) over medium heat while whisking constantly, until there’s a nutty aroma, the butter turns light brown and large bubbles become smaller and begin to subside. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and chill until set.
2.

For the pastry, place flour, cream cheese, 85g chopped brown butter and a generous pinch of fine salt in a food processor. Pulse until mixture looks like chunky sand, then comes together to form a sticky dough. Using lightly floured hands, place dough on a lightly floured surface and gently bring together. Shape into a disc, enclose in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
3.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Melt butter in a large frypan over medium-high heat. Cook apples, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until turning golden and juices evaporate. Transfer to a large bowl and stir through caramel sauce and flour until there are no more streaks of flour. Stir through rhubarb and set aside to cool.
4.

On a lightly floured benchtop, roll out pastry to a 24cm circle. Line a 17cm (base) x 22cm (top) ovenproof frypan or metal pie dish with pastry. Trim edges. Freeze for at least 10 minutes, or until ready to use.
5.

Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Place a baking tray on the lower rack in the oven to preheat.
6.

For the topping, place the almonds in a small bowl and cover with cold water (this will stop them from burning). Set aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine flour, sugar, oats and 80g chopped brown butter in a medium bowl. Using fingers, rub butter into the flour mixture until a clumpy texture. Drain almonds and pat dry with paper towel, then stir through the crumble mixture.
7.

Spoon filling into the pastry shell and crumble over the topping. Place in the oven on the hot tray and reduce temperature to 205°C/185°C fan-forced. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden. Loosely cover with foil and reduce temperature to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Bake for another 20 minutes. Stand on a wire rack for at least 1 hour (see recipe notes).
8.

Serve with ice cream, drizzled with extra caramel sauce.