Apple Blackberry Crumble
This Apple Blackberry Crumble is the perfect sweet treat. It’s made with fresh apples and blackberries spiced with apple pie spice and baked to perfection under a thick layer of buttery crumble topping.
Easy Apple Blackberry Crumble Recipe
It’s officially apple season, which is one of my favorite fruits. So, of course, I’m celebrating with as many apple desserts as I possibly can! And this one is a crowd favorite.
This Apple Blackberry Crumble is ideal for the transition from summer to fall. It has juicy, summary blackberries mixed with the warm, spiced, sweet apples and topped with a buttery, crunchy topping.
It’s an easy way to satisfy your sweet tooth and the perfect way to use up leftover seasonal fruit you might have on hand!
This is one of those baked goods that you’ll love having in the oven, because it just makes the whole house smell heavenly!
How to Make Apple Blackberry Crumble
This blackberry apple crumble recipe is one of the easiest desserts to put together!
Here’s a quick summary of the recipe. Scroll to the recipe card below for the full instructions and ingredient quantities.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine apples, blackberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, apple pie spice, and salt. Transfer the apple mixture a greased pie plate or baking dish.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the crumble topping ingredients until well-combined. Spoon that mixture in an even layer over the top of the fruit filling.
- Bake the fruit crumble at 350ºF until the top is golden brown and crunchy and the fruit is bubbling. Cool slightly, then serve warm.
Tips and Notes
- Pan size: I use a 9-inch deep dish pie plate, but if you don’t have on of those you can swap it it out for an 8x8x2 square pan, a 9×1-1 ½ round layer cake pan, or an 11x7x2 rectangular pan. Keep in mind that a pan of a different size may change the baking time slightly.
- Apple type: I highly recommend Granny Smith Apples for this recipe. The tart flavor balances out the sweetness perfectly. Sweeter varieties such as Pink Lady, Gala, or Honeycrisp also work, but the dish will be sweeter.
- Use old fashioned oats. Instant oats and steel cut oats do not have the same texture and will not work the same.
- Adjust the sweetness as needed. Before starting your dessert, taste the blackberries to test their sweetness. If they’re really sweet, decrease the sugar. If they’re more on the tart side, add a little bit more sugar.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. The flavor really is so much better than the bottled stuff.
- If the filling seems a little bit soupy, that’s okay. The fruit releases a lot of liquid as it bakes, but will thicken up as the crumble cools.
Variations
- Add nuts. Give your topping a little extra crunch and flavor with chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds.
- Use frozen blackberries. Fresh blackberries are definitely preferred for the fruit mixture, but frozen will work too in a pinch. Toss them into the filling mixture while they’re still frozen, and bake immediately. The frozen berries will release more liquid than fresh berries, so the texture of the crumble will be slightly different.
- Use another berry. Try swapping the blackberries out for chopped strawberries or raspberries.
How to Store an Apple and Blackberry Crumble
Refrigerator: Leftover crumble will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: To freeze your crumble, start by baking it in a freezer-safe container such as a foil pan. Allow the baked crumble to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating: To warm your fruit crisp, simply place it in a microwave-safe dish, then heat in the microwave in 10 second increments until heated through.
What is the Secret to Good Crumble?
The secret is to use the freshest ingredients and a crunchy topping! The fresh apple and blackberries in this recipe really take it to the next level.
You’ll also need a crunchy topping that pairs well with the soft, sweet fruit filling without becoming soggy.
Why Is My Blackberry and Apple Crumble Not Crunchy?
The key to a crispier crumble is to use cold cubes of butter. Warm or melted butter will make the oats soggy, while cold, cubed butter help the oats get deliciously crispy with an incredibly buttery flavor.
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Ingredients
Fruit Filling:
- 1 ½ pounds apples, peeled and diced (about 3-4 large apples)
- 24 ounces fresh blackberries, (about 4 cups)
- 1 cup granulated sugar, See note.
- ¼ cup cornstarch, add more for a thicker filling
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple pie spice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Crumble Topping:
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar, light or brown
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the Fruit Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly grease a 9-inch deep dish pie plate.
- In a large bowl, combine the apples, blackberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and apple pie spice and salt.1 ½ pounds apples24 ounces fresh blackberries1 cup granulated sugar¼ cup cornstarch2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice1 tablespoon apple pie spice1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract¼ teaspoon salt
- Transfer the filling to the prepared dish.
For the Crumble Topping:
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the crumble topping ingredients until well mixed and no dry, sandy parts remain.1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats½ cup unsalted butter½ cup all-purpose flour½ cup brown sugar¼ cup granulated sugar½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Spoon the crumble topping mixture over the fruit filling.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crunchy and the fruit begins to bubble. Let cool slightly before serving.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
- Scroll up and see the post for tips, FAQs, and storage options.