Easy, warming and comforting, this apple and blackberry crumble is dessert at its finest! A layer of juicy apple pieces and sweet blackberries are topped with a deliciously crisp crumble to make a fabulous dessert that is sure to become a family favourite. It’s made with just 9 ingredients and cooked in one dish!
Just like caramel apple sponge pudding, mini steamed puddings and chocolate mug cake, this crumble recipe is a comforting keeper that you will want to make again and again!
Today, I’m giving you a step-by-step recipe for the perfect crumble. It can be adapted with your favourite flavours, to make a dessert that is tailored just for you.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Quick and easy to prepare – all you need is 7 simple pantry ingredients to add to the apple and blackberries. And just one mixing bowl; the rest of the dessert is prepared together in one dish!
Family sized – this recipe makes 8 serves, perfect for feeding a crowd. Or, freeze half for next time!
Make ahead or freeze – need a quick and easy dessert? Make ahead and freeze (cooked or un-cooked) for an easy dessert, whenever it is required.
What you’ll need
Ingredient notes;
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. For full ingredient quantities and methods, see the detailed recipe card below.
Apples – I prefer to use Granny Smith apples here, for their sweet and tart flavour and a texture that holds up well in baking. But, any fresh apples can work! They will need to be thinly sliced in order to cook through completely. For more information on how to choose the right apple for baking, check out this helpful guide here!
Blackberries – fresh or frozen berries can be used, depending on the season and what you have available. If using frozen berries, there is no need to thaw them first. Just add them straight to the apple mixture according to the instructions below.
Flour – plain (all purpose) flour is used for the crumble. If you require gluten free apple crumble, use gluten free flour or even add a mixture of gluten free flour and almond meal instead of regular flour.
Lemon – a squeeze of lemon juice over the fruit adds a lovely, tart flavour to balance the sweetness.
Step by step instructions
Step 1; prepare the crumble.
Mix the dry crumble ingredients together in a large bowl. Using your fingers (or a food processor), rub the flour into the dry mixture until it looks like coarse sand or crumbs.
**Optional step: if you prefer extra crispy crumble, you can place it on an oven tray and bake for 10-15 minutes before placing it on top of the apples to bake further. Cook at 180 C (356 F)/160 C fan forced over before following the rest of the recipe as normal.
Step 2; the apple blackberry filling.
This layer is super easy! Set the blackberries aside and gently stir the apple and other ingredients together in the bottom of a deep baking dish until the apples are evenly coated. Then gently add the blackberries and lightly fold. I used a deep 30 cm x 18 cm (12 “ x 7 “) dish. Make sure the apples are thinly sliced, or they won’t completely cook through.
Step 3;
Evenly cover the apple layer with the crumble and bake according to the recipe instructions below, until the crumble is crunchy and the apple filling is cooked through. The apple filling will thicken and become lovely and jammy as it sits, so leave it aside for 5-10 minutes before serving, if you are serving it straight away.
Variations
- Fruit. While we are using apples and blackberries here, I don’t think there are many fruits out there that don’t taste amazing when topped with a crispy crumble! Some other fruit suggestions are; mixed berries, stone fruits like peaches, cherries, apricots, nectarines, plums, pears or a combination of your favourites. Follow the instructions in the recipe card below, but add your favourite fruit combinations.
- Sweetness – using a tart variety of apples and a little lemon juice, this crumble isn’t overly sweet. But, if you prefer a little more sweetness, you can add some brown sugar or maple syrup to the apples, along with the caster sugar.
- Crumble – basic crumble is made by rubbing butter into flour and sugar. This recipe also adds oats for a little extra texture and flavour. You can also add your favourite crushed or slivered nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts or macadamias). Or swap a little of the flour for some almond or hazelnut meal. And, try adding your favourite spices, like cinnamon or my favourite, a little ground ginger for a little extra spice.
Expert tips
- Make sure the apples are thinly sliced (about half a centimetre / ¼ inch in thickness), or they will still be firm when the crumble topping has cooked. Thicker apple slices will take much longer to cook through and become soft.
- Bake the crumble in one large dish as per the recipe below, or add the filling and topping to individual ramekins for single serves. The baking times will be reduced for smaller serves.
- To re-heat from frozen, simply leave the crumble at room temperature (or overnight in the fridge) to thaw before adding to the oven (or microwave) until heated through.
- For a more golden, crunchy crumble, you can add a little more sugar to the mixture, or place it on a tray and bake it for 10-15 minutes before adding it to the apples and baking further. This will result in a more caramelised, crunchy top.
FAQs
This recipe completely satisfying on its own, but can also be served with a dollop of whipped cream, ice cream or hot custard for the ultimate indulgence! It can even be eaten cold the next day and makes a delicious breakfast with some Greek yoghurt!
Yes! You can freeze this dessert in a few different ways, depending on your needs. The apple filling and crumble can be prepared and frozen before cooking, ready to add to a dish and bake when required. Assemble it (uncooked) in a freezer-safe tray, covered and ready to be added to the oven (continue to follow the cooking instructions below). Or, it can be cooked ahead and added to the freezer in an airtight container once it has completely cooled. Freeze it whole, or in individual serves in small containers for an easy dessert for one (or two). To re-heat, thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature and then bake in the oven or heat in the microwave until cooked through.
I recommend using Granny Smith apples, because their slightly tart flavour balances with the sweetness of this recipe. They also hold their shape well during baking and won’t go mushy. If you prefer not to have tartness, choose a sweet, red apple variety.
Related Recipes
Looking for more easy and comforting dessert recipes? You’ll love these ideas!
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating or leave a review below and let me know how you went!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for the latest recipes and news.
Apple and Blackberry Crumble
Ingredients
For the apple and blackberry filling
- 6 large apples Peeled and thinly sliced. 1.4kg. I recommend Granny Smith or any other tart baking apple.
- ¾ cup caster sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tbs lemon juice
- 3 cups frozen blackberries
For the crumble
- 1 ¾ cup plain flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ¼ cup oats
- ¾ cup butter salted, (185 grams) cut into cubes
Instructions
For the crumble
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C (356 F)/160 °C fan forced. Set aside a large, deep baking dish (I used a 30cm x 18cm (12“ x 7 “) dish) and grease it with a light coating of oil spray.
- Place the flour, sugar and oats into a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the butter and use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour mixture, until everything is combined and the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. (see notes below for extra crisp crumble option).
For the apple filling
- Arrange the thinly sliced apples along the bottom of the baking dish. Add the sugar, vanilla and lemon juice and use a spoon to carefully stir the apples until they are coated with the sugar. Fold in the blackberries.
To assemble
- Place the crumble evenly over the top of the apple and blackberry mixture.
- Bake for around 1 hour – 1 hour 10 minutes, until the apples have completely cooked through and the crumble on top has become a light golden colour and crunchy. Check that the apples have cooked though. If they are sliced thickly, they may need a little more time to cook.
- The apple filling will thicken as it sits, so set the crumble aside for 5-10 minutes before serving hot with ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.
Notes
- I recommend using Granny Smith apples, because their slightly tart flavour balances with the sweetness of this recipe. They also hold their shape well during baking and won’t go mushy. If you prefer not to have tartness, choose a sweet, red apple variety.
- Make sure the apples are very thinly sliced, or they will still be firm when the crumble topping has cooked. Thicker apple slices will take much longer to cook through and become soft.
- The apple filling and crumble can be prepared ahead of time and frozen before cooking, ready to add to a dish and bake when required. Assemble it (uncooked) in a freezer-safe tray, covered and ready to be added to the oven and then cook according to the instructions above. Or, it can be cooked and then frozen either whole or in individual serves, ready to re-heat.
- To re-heat from frozen, leave the crumble at room temperature (or overnight in the fridge) to thaw before adding to the oven (or microwave) until heated through.
- For a more golden, crunchy crumble, you can add a little more sugar to the mixture, or place it on a tray and bake it for 10-15 minutes before adding it to the apples and baking further. This will result in a more caramelised, crunchy top.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in October 2020, but was re-published with new information and photos in January 2021.
Joy Hughes says
I found this recipe very good and easy to followed make. I was involved in a mountain bike race in May 2018, came of while going down a hill and suffered severe brain trauma. Being able to get back to following simple recipes is fantastic, I really appreciate recipes like this.
Andrea Geddes says
Hello Joy! Your lovely comment has absolutely made my day. I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe and that you found it easy to follow. And it is so wonderful that you are able to get back into cooking during your recovery. Best of luck with your recovery and I hope that you continue to enjoy these recipes! Andrea 🙂