There's nothing quite like a warm and comforting fruit crumble for pudding, and one of my very favourite crumble recipes is this classic gooseberry crumble.
With its tangy and tart fruit filling and sweet buttery, crumble topping, this gooseberry dessert ticks all of the boxes!
Gooseberries are a versatile fruit and can be used in a variety of recipes, including pies, crumbles, fools, and jams.
But take advantage of them whilst they're in season, as they don't stick around for long, and it's quite difficult to get hold of frozen gooseberries out of season!
👩🍳 Love seasonal fruit crumbles? Try my easy blackcurrant crumble next!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Delicious tart and fruity summer dessert.
- Flapjack style crumble topping so no rubbing in required.
- Serve with cream, ice cream, or custard.
- Eat warm or at room temperature.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Gooseberries - use fresh, ripe gooseberries (you'll need to top and tail each berry), but if gooseberries are not in season, you can use frozen ones as a substitute. Make sure you defrost them thoroughly before using them in the recipe and drain off any excess liquid.
Caster Sugar - gooseberries are naturally tart, so they need to be sweetened with sugar. I use caster sugar, but you can also use granulated sugar or demerara sugar.
For the crumble topping:
Flour - plain white flour, or use wholemeal flour.
Oats - rolled oats (porridge oats) are best. Jumbo oats don't absorb the melted butter very well so avoid these.
Sugar - I like to use light brown sugar, but it can be substituted with demerara sugar or caster sugar if you prefer.
Butter - unsalted butter and melted in the microwave. The crumble topping isn't made in the traditional way by rubbing cold butter into the flour, instead, the melted butter is poured onto the dry ingredients (flour, oats, and sugar) and mixed in until crumbles form! It's so much easier and less messy!
🔪 How to make gooseberry 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/ 350°F/ Gas 4).
Two: Place the flour, oats, and brown sugar for the crumble topping in a mixing bowl and pour in the melted butter. Mix until crumbles form.
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Three: Place the gooseberries in the bottom of a 2-litre ovenproof dish and sprinkle over the caster sugar. Stir in with a spoon.
Four: Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top of the gooseberries and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until the crumble is golden brown and the fruit underneath is bubbling.
Top Tips
- Wash fresh gooseberries to get rid of any debris.
- Fresh gooseberries will also need to be topped and tailed. This can be quite time-consuming, so enlist some help if you can!
- It's important to drain off any excess liquid if you are using defrosted frozen gooseberries, as excess water will make the fruit layer too watery.
- If you find the crumble topping is getting too brown, cover it with a layer of foil and carry on baking.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the gooseberry crumble warm or at room temperature with double cream, clotted cream, vanilla ice cream, or creamy custard.
Leftovers are delicious with Greek yogurt for breakfast!
📖 Variations
- Add rhubarb to make a gooseberry and rhubarb crumble.
- Add ground almonds to the crumble topping for a nutty flavor and texture and sprinkle over some chopped nuts such as walnut or pecans before serving.
- Add a pinch of orange zest or lemon zest to the fruit layer for a zesty twist.
- Try adding cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice to the crumble topping for a warming flavour.
- Add some chopped stem ginger to the gooseberry mixture for a warming spicy kick.
- Combine gooseberries with other summer berries, such as strawberries or raspberries, for an extra fruity crumble.
🥡 Storage
Store - in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat - leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or an oven until warm through.
Freeze - freeze the crumble for up to 3 months.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Gooseberries are a type of fruit that are native to Europe and the Northern Hemisphere. They grow on shrubs and bushes, which are commonly referred to as gooseberry bushes. Gooseberries are in season during the summer months and are known for their sweet and tart flavor.
They have a unique taste that is often described as a cross between a green grape and a tart green apple. The flavor of gooseberries can vary depending on the variety, with some being sweeter and others being more tart.
Yes, gooseberries are a healthy fruit that is high in vitamins and antioxidants. They are a good source of Vitamin C, which helps to boost the immune system, and are also rich in antioxidants, which help to protect the body from damage caused by free radicals.
😋 More crumble recipe
- Blackberry Crumble
- Rhubarb and Ginger Crumble
- Apple and Blackberry Crumble
- Apple and Blueberry Crumble
- Apple and Cinnamon Crumble
- Slow Cooker Apple Crumble
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Recipe
Easy Gooseberry Crumble Recipe
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Equipment
- Knife
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 700 g Gooseberries topped and tailed
- 130 g Caster Sugar
For the crumble topping
- 125 g Plain Flour
- 125 g Porridge Oats
- 175 g Light Brown Sugar
- 125 g Butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160° fan/ 350F/ Gas 4).
- Place the flour, oats, and brown sugar for the crumble topping in a mixing bowl and pour in the melted butter. Mix until crumbles form.125 g Plain Flour, 125 g Porridge Oats, 175 g Light Brown Sugar, 125 g Butter
- Place the gooseberries in the bottom of a 2-litre baking dish and sprinkle over the caster sugar. If you're using fresh gooseberries, add 1 tablespoon of water too. Stir with a spoon.700 g Gooseberries, 130 g Caster Sugar
- Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top of the gooseberries and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until the crumble is golden brown and the fruit underneath is bubbling.
Notes
- Rince fresh gooseberries to get rid of any debris.
- Fresh gooseberries will also need to be topped and tailed. This can be quite time-consuming, so enlist some help if you can!
- It's important to drain off any excess liquid if you are using defrosted frozen gooseberries, as excess water will make the fruit layer too watery.
- If you find the crumble topping is getting too brown, cover it with a layer of foil and carry on baking.
- Add rhubarb to make a gooseberry and rhubarb crumble.
- Add ground almonds to the crumble topping for a nutty flavor and texture and sprinkle over some chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans before serving.
- Add a pinch of orange zest or lemon zest to the fruit layer for a zesty twist.
- Try adding cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice to the crumble topping for a warming flavour.
- Add some chopped stem ginger to the gooseberry mixture for a warming spicy kick.
- Add a peeled and chopped Bramley apple for apple and gooseberry crumble.
Hettie says
Simple and delicious. Thanks. I halved the sugar in the topping and subbed nuts and seeds and some wheat germ to the topping along with almond flour instead of wheat flour to bump up the protein and healthy fats. Also included a pinch of salt, a tsp of cornstarch slurry, and a 1/2 tsp of vanilla to the berries and used xylitol instead of sugar. Lovely! Thanks!
Tina says
Made the gooseberry crumble ,was absolutely delicious 😋 thankyou for sharing your recipe, Tina