A simple yet delicious apple and blackberry crumble made with juicy foraged blackberries and tart Bramley apples, all topped with a golden, flapjack-style oat crumble.
This classic dessert is perfect when blackberries and apples are in season, and it's best enjoyed with a generous spoonful of whipped cream or warm vanilla custard. You might also like my apple and pear crumble recipe!
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This is one of my family's favourite desserts-made with simple pantry staples and foraged fruit.
My youngest daughter loves venturing into the field next to our house to pick ripe blackberries, then climbing our old apple tree (with a little help from me) to reach the best Bramleys.
The crumble topping couldn't be easier-no rubbing-in required. Just pour melted butter over the sugar, flour, and oats to create a sweet, golden topping that pairs beautifully with the fruit.
👩🍳 Love apple and blackberry? Try my easy apple and blackberry muffins next!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Blackberries and apples give a perfect mix of sweet and tart.
- Warm, comforting dessert-great for chilly evenings or after a big meal.
- Easy to make with basic ingredients and minimal prep.
🛒 Ingredient notes
For the fruit filling you will need:
Apples - I like to use cooking apples like Bramleys, but you could swap for a tart eating apple instead. Granny Smith apples would work well.
Blackberries - use fresh or frozen blackberries. There is no need to defrost frozen blackberries before using them but frozen berries will release more juices so the fruit filling will be runnier. To counter this you could mix in a tablespoon of cornflour.
Cinnamon - a teaspoon of ground cinnamon provides subtle warmth and spice to the dish. You can substitute it for mixed spice if you prefer.
Caster Sugar - a small amount is needed to sweeten the tart apples.
For the crumble topping you will need:
Flour - plain white flour is best for a crumble topping. Use wholemeal for a healthier version.
Oats - porridge oats or rolled oats. Don't use jumbo oats as they don't absorb the melted butter very well.
Brown Sugar - light brown sugar or light muscovado sugar or swap for crunchy demerara.
Butter - melted unsalted butter which has been allowed to cool slightly.
🔪 How to make apple and blackberry crumble
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Preheat the oven to 180 °C (160 °fan/ Gas 4/ 350°F) and lightly butter a 1.5 - 2 litre baking dish.
Two: Place the dry ingredients (plain flour, light brown sugar, and oats) into a large bowl and pour over the melted butter. Stir with a spoon until crumbles form. Set aside
Three: Peel, core, and thinly slice the Bramley apples and place them in the bottom of the pie dish along with the blackberries, caster sugar, and cinnamon. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon.
Four: Spoon over the crumble topping and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling underneath.
Top Tips
- Slice the apples thinly to ensure they are cooked and tender in the specified cooking time.
- If you are using foraged blackberries, make sure you give them a good wash. Place the blackberries in a colander and wash them with cold running water. Gently pat dry with paper towels.
- If you prefer your fruit to be very tart, reduce the amount of caster sugar in the fruit filling by half to 25g.
- The crumble topping is not suitable to make in a food processor.
- Make sure to preheat your oven to the required temperature before placing the crumble inside. A hot oven will help achieve a crispy and golden topping while ensuring the fruit filling is thoroughly cooked.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Fruit crumbles are delicious with clotted cream, custard, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream or no-churn honeycomb ice cream.
You can serve the blackberry and apple crumble warm out of the oven, or at room temperature. Why not drizzle over some maple syrup for extra sweetness?
Eat leftover crumble for breakfast, with Greek yogurt and extra berries!
📖 Variations
- Add lemon zest to the fruit filling, for a zingy citrus flavour.
- Add a handful of chopped walnuts or pecan nuts to the crumble topping for crunch and texture.
- Use different berries such as raspberries, bilberries (wild blueberries), or try a mixture of berries. Stone fruit also works nicely in crumbles such as peaches or apricots.
- Make the blackberry and apple crumble vegan by using a dairy-free spread instead of butter.
- Swap one-third of the oats for ground almonds for a nutty taste.
🥡 Storage
Store - The crumble can be made up to 2 days ahead, and then stored in the fridge until needed.
Reheat - Baked crumble can be reheated in the microwave, or eaten at room temperature.
Freeze - Blackberry and apple crumble is suitable for freezing, either baked or unbaked. There is no need to defrost the crumble first if it is frozen, just pop it in the oven to bake or warm through.
❓ Frequently asked questions
A crumble, also called a crisp, refers to a dish with sweetened fruit topped with a crumbly mixture of butter, flour, sugar, and sometimes oats, nuts, and spices like cinnamon.
Blackberries can be eaten raw or cooked.
Bramleys are available all year round as they are picked in August/September and then cold stored throughout the year to provide a constant supply to customers.
Yes, you can use different types of flour for the crumble topping. For example, you can use wholemeal flour, spelt flour, or almond flour. However, keep in mind that the texture and taste may vary slightly.
Yes, you can make individual portions of this recipe by dividing the fruit mixture and crumble topping between smaller ramekins or baking dishes. Adjust the cooking time accordingly based on the size of your dishes.
Yes, you can add chopped nuts such as almonds, pecans or walnuts to the crumble topping to add extra texture and flavour.
Yes, you can use frozen blackberries and apples for this recipe. However, keep in mind that the fruit will release more liquid during baking, which may affect the texture of the crumble.
😋 More fruit crumble recipes
- Apple and Blueberry Crumble
- Apple and Raspberry Crumble
- Gooseberry Crumble
- Slow Cooker Apple Crumble
- Blackcurrant Crumble
- Rhubarb and Ginger Crumble
- Strawberry Crumble
- Plum and Apple Crumble
- Frozen Berry Crumble
- Air Fryer Apple Crumble
You might also like my classic Eve's pudding recipe!
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Recipe
Easy Apple and Blackberry Crumble Recipe
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Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Knife
Ingredients
- 750 g Bramley Apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 300 g Blackberries
- 50 g Caster Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
For the crumble topping
- 125 g Plain Flour
- 125 g Oats
- 150 g Light Brown Sugar
- 125 g Butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c (160 fan/ Gas 4/ 350F) and lightly butter a 1.5 - 2 litre baking dish.
- Place the dry ingredients for the crumble topping (plain flour, light brown sugar and oats) into a large bowl and pour over the melted butter. Stir with a spoon until rubbles form. Set aside125 g Plain Flour, 125 g Oats, 150 g Light Brown Sugar, 125 g Butter
- Peel, core and slice the Bramley apples and place them in the bottom of the pie dish along with the blackberries, caster sugar, and cinnamon.750 g Bramley Apples, 300 g Blackberries, 50 g Caster Sugar, 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- Spoon over the crumble topping and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling underneath.
Notes
- Add lemon zest to the fruit filling, for a zingy citrus flavour.
- Add a handful of chopped walnuts or pecan nuts to the crumble topping for crunch and texture.
- Use different berries such as raspberries or bilberries (wild blueberries), or try a mixture of berries. Stone fruit also works nicely in crumbles.
- Make the blackberry and apple crumble vegan by using a dairy-free spread instead of butter.
- Swap one-third of the oats for ground almonds.
Jamie says
I love this combination of apples and blackberries. The crumble topping came out so good!
Janessa says
I love the combination of blackberries and apples! Such a tasty dessert- especially topped with some vanilla ice cream.
Laressa says
love the combination of blackberries and apples - definitely giving this a try this fall!
Sara Welch says
Enjoyed this for dessert last night and it did not disappoint! Turned out perfectly sweet with the right amount of crunch; easily, a new favorite dish!
Tara says
Made this with some of my glut of apples from the garden and blackberries foraged in the lane and it's absolutely delicious! Made way more than I can eat, so very happy it's also freezable! This is the first of your recipes I've made and I will definitely be making more.
Clare says
Wow, this was a BIG HIT with all the family! The crumble topping was the perfect combination of crunchy and a little bit chewy, like a good cookie. And the fruit was pink and soft and the right balance of sweet and sharp (we used a little less sugar, as suggested). And so so easy for even small kids to make. Will 100% be making this again!
Helen says
This was the first crumble I made and it went down a treat with a group of friends after dinner. Will be making it again with different fillings. A super recipe, really delicious, thank you for sharing! I've subscribed to your site and will try some more of your recipes.