This Apple and Blackberry Crumble is total comfort food and the perfect dessert to warm up with on a cold day. A soft and sweet layer of seasonal apples and blackberries topped with a crunchy oaty crumble topping and smothered in custard is a British classic.
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This blackberry and apple crumble is simple comfort food at its finest. So easy to make and a really rustic and comforting dessert that makes use of seasonal fruit.
If you have picked more blackberries than you know what to do with, then this blackberry crumble is a great way to use them.
This is SO simple to make. Just chop, mix, top and put in the oven - no pre-cooking needed.
If you are looking for other crumble recipes, then why not try our Breakfast Crumble, Apple and Plum Crumble, Apple and Pear Crumble or Apple and Cherry Crumble?
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Why You Will Love It
- Uses seasonal fruit - Blackberries are everywhere in August and September and if you have picked loads then this apple and blackberry crumble recipe is a good way to use them. Even better if you have an apple tree too.
- Total comfort food - I am not sure there is a more comforting dessert than crumble. Sweet fruit topped with a sugary flour and oat topping. YUM!
- Easy to make - This apple blackberry crumble recipe is so easy. No need to soften the apples first, just mix it, layer it and bake it.
- Budget friendly - If you have picked the fruit yourself, then this is a really cheap recipe to make.
- Crowd pleaser - You can easily make a big batch of apple and blackberry crumble to feed a crowd. It also freezes well.
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Apples - We used Bramley apples, which are large cooking apples here in the UK. You don't have to use cooking apples though, and any apples will work. We have also used Granny Smith and Pink Ladies.
- Blackberries - These work so well with the apples. You could use any other berry though if you prefer, or even a mixture. Have you tried our blackberry smoothie or blackberry muffins?
- Sugar - We used brown sugar and caster sugar in this blackberry and apple crumble. The brown sugar gets mixed with the apples and blackberries, so they get nice and caramelised. Then the caster sugar is mixed with the flour and oats and helps it get nice and crispy. You can adjust the amount of sugar used depending on how sweet you want it.
- Flour - Just a plain white flour works here. Don't use self raising flour, as it will give you a more dense and cakey crumble, and you want a light and crisp crumble topping. But if that is all you have, it will still work. For a gluten free crumble, use gluten free flour.
- Oats - This is a crumble with oats and it's the only way to make a crumble in our opinion. Making an apple and blackberry crumble with oats means that not only do you have that crispiness on top, but a little chewiness too. It also helps it to be more filling.
- Butter - This is mixed in with the flour to give that crumble texture. To make this vegan, you can use a vegan spread instead.
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make Apple and Blackberry Crumble - Step by Step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- Step 1: Peel and chop the apples. Put them into a large baking dish along with the blackberries.
- Step 2: Add the brown sugar and mix everything together.
- Step 3: In a mixing bowl, add the flour and butter (a). Using your fingers, combine to make a breadcrumb consistency, leaving a few lumpy bits (b). Add the oats and caster sugar and mix well (c).
- Step 4: Spread the crumble mixture over the top of the fruit.
- Step 5: Put in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Now, this is going to divide people. Some say that crumble (and pie) should be served with ice cream and others say custard. We are custard people. It's like a blanket for the crumble. But, a really good quality vanilla ice cream is delicious too.
You could also pour over some cream, or even put a big dollop of whipped cream on top. You could use yogurt if you wanted to make it lighter. You don't have to serve anything with it, and it's also delicious cold.
Crumble Topping
The perfect crumble topping really is something that everyone should know how to make. It should be buttery, crispy, and of course crumbly. It's in the name. Whilst you can buy crumble topping in a bag to save some time, it really doesn't take much time at all. If you bake a lot, then you probably already have these ingredients in your cupboard too.
This is a good recipe for kids to get involved with, as they will love getting their hands in the bowl and mixing up the crumble.
This blackberry and apple crumble topping is a mix of flour, butter, oats and sugar. You could leave the oats out, but we love the chewiness. You could even add some ground almonds into the crumble. This recipe makes a fair amount of crumble topping, but we are firm believers that the fruit to crumble ratio should pretty much 50:50.
You could also double the amount of crumble topping and then keep it in the fridge for up to a week to use in other fruit crumbles.
Storage
Store: If you have leftovers (this does make 8 servings) then you can portion it out and store in air tight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: This apple and blackberry crumble freezes really well. It will keep in freezer containers in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Defrost: Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: You can reheat portions in the microwave for 2 minutes.
Dannii's Tips
- Make sure the apples are cut very small. The apples aren't softened before they go in the oven, so if you want them nice and soft they need to be chopped up small. If you wanted them to have more bite to them, then you can keep them larger.
- Don't worry if the apples start going brown. This happens when cut and they get air to them and it will not change the flavour. You can soak them in water with a little lemon juice if you want to stop this from happening whilst you are preparing your other ingredients though.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar used depending on how sweet you like your crumble.
- Cooking times will vary depending on your oven. So your crumble may cook quicker, or take a little longer to cook. You will know it is cooked when it is starting to brown on top and you can see the fruit juices bubbling at the side.
- Allow the crumble to cool a little before serving (only a few minutes), as it will make it easier to scoop out without falling apart. But, it is called crumble for a reason!
- Add a pinch of cinnamon to the crumble topping for more autumnal flavour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if you have foraged a load of blackberries and then frozen them, this is a good way to use them. Just leave them out at room temperature for a couple of hours before using them. You can also buy frozen blackberries in the supermarket if you don't have any foraged ones left.
No, there is no need to stew the apples first, as they will have plenty of time to stew in the oven.
Yes, you can either make up the crumble and then before putting it in the oven, keep it in the fridge where it will keep for 2 days. Then you can put it in the oven when you are ready to cook it - it may need an extra 5-10 minutes cooking if coming straight from the fridge. You can also cook it fully and then allow it to cool and then store in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can then reheat the whole thing covered with foil for 20 minutes.
More Dessert Recipes
If you've tried this blackberry and apple crumble recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe
Apple and Blackberry Crumble
Ingredients
Filling
- 800 g (1.75 lb) of Apple - peeled, cut into small chunks
- 300 g (2 cups) of blackberries
- 170 g (0.75 cups) of Light brown sugar
Crumble topping
- 200 g (1.6 cups) of Plain flour
- 170 g (0.75 cups) of Butter
- 50 g (0.25 cups) of Caster sugar
- 120 g (1.5 cups) of Oats
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- Peel and chop 800 g of Apple. Put them into a large baking dish along with 300 g of blackberries.
- Add 170 g of Light brown sugar and mix everything together.
- In a mixing bowl, add 200 g of Plain flour and 170 g of Butter. Using your fingers, combine to make a breadcrumb consistency, leaving a few lumpy bits.
- Add 120 g of Oats and 50 g of Caster sugar and mix well.
- Spread the crumble mixture over the top of the fruit.
- Put in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
Recipe Video
Recipe Tips
- Make sure the apples are cut very small. The apples aren't softened before they go in the oven, so if you want them nice and soft they need to be chopped up small. If you wanted them to have more bite to them, then you can keep them larger.
- Don't worry if the apples start going brown. This happens when cut and they get air to them and it will not change the flavour. You can soak them in water with a little lemon juice if you want to stop this from happening whilst you are preparing your other ingredients though.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar used depending on how sweet you like your crumble.
- Cooking times will vary depending on your oven. So your crumble may cook quicker, or take a little longer to cook. You will know it is cooked when it is starting to brown on top and you can see the fruit juices bubbling at the side.
- Allow the crumble to cool a little before serving (only a few minutes), as it will make it easier to scoop out without falling apart. But, it is called crumble for a reason!
- Add a pinch of cinnamon to the crumble topping for more autumnal flavour.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Gina Abernathy says
My favorite crumble during the fall. The flavors are amazing!
Dana says
Adding blackberry to the usual apple crumble really amps things up! So good I didn't even add the ice cream!
Kali Alexandria says
Such an amazing recipe and crumble! Highly recommend making this!
Ieva says
Every year at the beginning of October I want nothing else for dessert but a crumble with hot custard on top! We tried this recipe yesterday and literally devoured it - such a good combo of apples of blackberries, and we love the oat texture in the crumble topping!
Jen says
This is really amazing! Such a perfect comforting dessert!
Kate says
My favourite crumble in the world - yum! I have a freezer full of foraged blackberries at the moment so will give this a try at the weekend. Thanks!
Claudia Lamascolo says
Great combo This is a delicious crumble I am going to make it often and love everything in it! thanks
Stephanie says
We recently picked a few too many apples, and this is a great way to use some of them up! Such a delicious dessert!
Kim says
We do a lot of entertaining during the holiday season and this is the perfect dessert recipe to feed a crowd. So full of fruit with a delicious crumble topping.
Jovita says
The taste of this apple-blackberry crumble is amazing! Crunchy topping and juicy filling! Such a great recipe!