Blackberry and Apple Crumble

Filled with the comforting flavors of apple and tart blackberries baked together until a sugary crumble topping, this blackberry and apple crumble just might be heaven on earth.

As a Washington transplant, this recipe feels near and dear to my heart. Of course, Washington is known for its amazing apple harvest and I spend hours every summer collecting and freezing wild blackberries. These are some of my favorite fruits and they’re so lovely together.

Make this apple and blackberry crumble recipe in the dead of winter for a hearty reminder of warmer days or it’s a perfect way to celebrate the beginning of apple season in the summer months!

If you love fruit desserts, don’t miss this Gravenstein Apple Crisp that is so good we served it at our wedding! You’ll also love this Golden Raspberry Jam and my sheet tray Blueberry Crumble Bars.

What is Blackberry and Apple Crumble?

A fruit crumble is a warm fruit dish topped with a crunchy topping made with sugar, flour, and butter. Unlike a fruit crisp, this apple blackberry crumble doesn’t have any oats.

You use all purpose flour and a little sugar to make the apples and blackberries gel together in the oven. They taste amazing with the sweet, buttery crumble and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Equipment

All you need for this apple blackberry crumble recipe is a good chef’s knife, a 9 x 13 baking dish, and a medium mixing bowl. This is a great recipe for new bakers because it’s pretty low tech.

Ingredients

Fruit Filling Ingredients

• Apples – I prefer using tart apples for baking and Granny Smith apples have that classic apple flavor.
• Blackberries – Use frozen or fresh blackberries for this delicious dessert. Learn how to freeze blackberries to make this crumble all year long!
• Sugar – You just need a little sugar to sweeten the fruit mixture.
• Plain flour – As it cooks, the flour will create a gel to hold the apples and juicy blackberries together.
• Salt – Just a pinch of salt draws out the sweetness.

Crumble Topping Ingredients

I adapted this recipe from I Heart Naptime, which I also use in my Vanilla Muffins recipe.

• Flour – The flour and sugar clump together to create a crunchy cookie texture.
• Sugar – Use white sugar or mix white and brown for a delicious experience.
• Unsalted butter – Partially melted butter is the glue that holds this crumble together; don’t skip it!
• Salt
• Vanilla extract – A little vanilla extract adds a lovely scent to this blackberry apple crumble.

How to Make Apple and Blackberry Crumble

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Chop apples into one-inch cubes. Add the chopped apples to a baking dish. Top with the blackberries, 1/4 c sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1/4 tsp salt.
• Stir to combine fruit with the dry ingredients. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour over the fruit mixture.

• Prepare the crumble mixture by stirring all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Stir and break up the clumps with a spoon.
• Pour the crumble topping over the fruit and spread in an even layer.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
• Allow the crumble to cool for 30 minutes to an hour before enjoying.
• Serve with ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy!

Cooking Time

Bake this blackberry apple crumble for 45-50 minutes.

Storing & Reheating

Since this blackberry and apple crumble is full of freshly baked fruit, I recommend storing leftover crumble in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid to keep it fresh. The crumble may soften from the moisture over time, but it will still taste great.

To reheat, pop in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Tips & Variations

Apple options – Choose a firm, tart apple like Gravenstein, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady. If you’re in the UK or have baking apples available, Bramley apples are a lovely option, but not readily available in the US.

Mix your sugar types – I made this crumble with all white sugar the first time, and it was great, but a little one note. Now I prefer to mix white and brown sugar for a richer flavor.

Serving Suggestions

This easy apple blackberry crumble is just lovely on its own, but a little vanilla ice cream takes it to the next level. It’s also great with whipped cream or a little fresh cream.

FAQs

What’s the difference between a crumble and a crisp?

These two easy dessert recipes are almost the same. The main difference between a crumble and a crisp is oats. A fruit crisp has oats; a crumble does not. Most people aren’t too picky about this definition and you’ll see plenty of recipes for blackberry crumble with instant oats on the internet.

Do I need to thaw blackberries before baking?

My husband and I actually serve blackberry crisp at our wedding and did not thaw the berries first. They released so much juice that we had to bake the dish longer and longer. They ended up tasting gummy and overcooked.

However, this blackberry dessert is a little different. Since you’re not using only blackberries, I found it perfectly fine to use my frozen blackberries straight from the freezer. I did increase the flour just slightly to absorb extra moisture, but I didn’t have to bake this recipe any longer than when I use fresh berries.

Should I use cold or melted butter for my crumble topping?

I’ve tried both methods with this recipe and they’re both delicious. The melted butter method creates finer grains whereas cold butter makes larger chunks. They each are great in their own way.

Can I make this recipe with just blackberries?

You can definitely adjust this blackberry apple crumble however you’d like. If you want to use only blackberries, you’ll need approximately 4 cups of berries. If you want to make just apple crumble, use 9-10 apples and drop the flour in the fruit filling to 2 tablespoons.

Do I need to peel the apples in blackberry apple crumble?

Nope! Your apples will cook down and soften just fine without peeling, so there’s no need for the extra step. I recommend using organic apples to avoid any pesticides that may be on the skin.

Related Recipes

Here are more delicious recipes!

• Golden Raspberry Jam
• Blueberry Crumble Bars
• Gravenstein Apple Crisp
• Caramel Apple Galette
• Matcha Scones with Raspberry Glaze

This recipe is a great way to bake from your pantry using pantry staples! Learn more about sustainable baking for beginners here.