strawberry crumble bites

gluten free, vegan, refined sugar free!

i developed this recipe for a local cafe i was pitching a new baked goodie to - their ethos is to use only non-refined sugar, with a preference for vegan, gluten-free recipes

lovely crunchy sunflower seeds & pepitas in the crumble topping

this recipe definitely took a few rounds of testing - keeping it vegan and gluten free means no eggs, and no gluten from the wheat flour, both of which are pretty vital binding agents and integral to creating baked goods that keep their shape

my first take at these had a press-in shortbread-style base which was popular with my taste-testers but absolutely fell apart when picked up, which is not ideal for a cafe setting! so i pivoted to a light, vanilla-cake style base more in the style of a coffee cake

initial testing with a biscuity base, comparing evoo v coconut oil and cashews v almonds in the crumble

i tested both evoo and coconut oil in this recipe and preferred coconut oil for the solidity it brings at room temperature and the subtle coconut scent

i also tested cashews, almonds, and seeds for the crumble topping and honestly they were pretty indistinguishable! i went for seeds to avoid issues with nut allergies, but feel free to use a mix of whatever is in your pantry

further testing with blueberries, mixed seeds, in a loaf cake format (not enough crumble!!)

i’d keep making these all year round, swapping the strawberries for seasonal fruits and herbs as the seasons cycle - think summer stonefruit, winter apples and pears, the eternal frozen blueberry, free quinces from your neighbours, and so on!

yields 18

ingredients

strawberries

500g strawberries (2 punnets)

2 tbsp chia seeds

juice of 0.5 lemon

crumble

70g coconut sugar

40g gluten free flour

40g oats (gluten-free)

50g mixed seeds (pepitas, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds)

30g coconut oil

cake

190g gluten free self-raising flour

150g coconut sugar

240g soy milk

80g coconut oil, melted

generous squeeze of lemon juice

2 tsp best-quality vanilla extract

method

strawberries

thinly slice the strawberries (500g, 2 punnets) and discard the tops

add the sliced strawberries, chia seeds (2 tbsp), and lemon juice (from 0.5 lemon) to a saucepan over medium heat

cook briefly, 4-5 minutes, until the strawberries are just starting to break up

remove from the heat and let cool

crumble

add the sugar (70g), flour (40g), oats (40g), and seeds (50g) to a medium bowl

add the coconut oil (30g) and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture appears like wet sand

cake

preheat the oven to 180°C

grease and line 18 muffin cups (two 9-cup muffin tins)

add the flour (190g), sugar (150g), and a pinch of salt to a medium bowl and mix together

pour in the soy milk (240g), melted coconut oil (80g), lemon juice (about 1 tbsp), and vanilla extract (2 tsp) and fold together until just combined

divide between prepared muffin cups

bake for 15 minutes

remove from the heat, and spoon the cooled strawberry chia mixture on top

working quickly, sprinkle over the crumble mixture

return to the oven and bake for a further 15-20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out cleanly

let cool completely before running a butter knife around the edges to remove the little bites in one piece without losing any crumble

store in an airtight container