I adapted my grandmother’s classic apple crumble by adding blackberries and a few small changes. The result is a bright, flavorful dessert with juicy fruit under a buttery, shortbread-like topping. It’s straightforward to make, can be prepared ahead, and freezes well.
Fantastic flavors
This recipe was the first post on my blog in February 2012 and it’s still one of my favorites.
It’s a refined take on the old-fashioned apple crumble my grandmother taught me. Over the years I tweaked the formula to get a more tender, melt-in-your-mouth topping without oats, and the apple-and-blackberry combination is the delicious result.
No special equipment or complicated steps are required: toss the fruit with a little sugar and flour, combine melted butter with the dry topping ingredients, clump the topping with your fingers, and bake until golden and bubbling. If you prefer different fruit, pears or blueberries are great alternatives.
If you also make an apple-berry crisp that uses oats, note this is different: the topping here uses almonds and no oats, giving it a shortbread-like texture instead of an oat crisp.
Difference between a crisp and a crumble: A crumble topping is a simple mix of butter, flour, and sugar. Add oats and it becomes a crisp. Both have a fruit base with a streusel-style topping.
Testing Notes
- Choose the right apples: Firm baking apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn hold their shape and add texture to the filling.
- Sugar adjustment: Blackberries vary in sweetness by season. Taste them first and adjust the sugar for the filling to balance the tartness, taking into account how tart your apples are as well.
- Peeling apples: I recommend peeling apples; the skin can become chewy rather than pleasant in texture.
- Pre-cooked or raw apples: Raw apple slices bake firmer and less sweet while briefly cooking apples first yields softer, compote-like fruit. Both methods work—choose based on your preference.
- Baking dish choice: A shallow dish gives more topping relative to fruit in each serving. A deeper dish yields more filling per portion and less topping.
- Resting time: Let the crumble rest 15–20 minutes after baking so the juices settle and the filling firms slightly; it’s easier to serve and less runny.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed in the recipe card below. Use good-quality ingredients for the best flavor.
- Apples: Granny Smith are great for balance, and mixing with Honeycrisp adds sweetness and aroma. Use your preferred baking apple.
- Blackberries: Fresh or frozen (unthawed) both work well.
- Orange: A little orange zest and juice brighten the filling; if you prefer, substitute lemon juice (use half the amount of lemon to orange).
Process steps
You can make the crumble topping ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for a month.
Apples
Slice the apples thinly if you want them to stay firmer, or cut thicker pieces if you prefer them softer after baking. Dicing is also an option.
Raw apple pieces bake with some bite; briefly pre-cooking yields softer fruit.
- Pre-cooked apples: Place apples with cornstarch and sugar in a saucepan and cook briefly over low heat until they release some juice and begin to soften—about 3–5 minutes. This produces a softer filling after baking.
- Raw apples: Toss apple slices with the thickening ingredients in a bowl (or in the baking dish) so they’re evenly coated, then transfer to the prepared dish. Raw apples keep more texture and less sweetness after baking.
Video tutorial for cutting apples👇🏻
Assemble the fruit
Layer the apples in the dish and scatter the blackberries on top. Alternatively, toss both gently in a bowl before transferring. Blueberries can replace blackberries, and lemon juice may be used instead of orange juice if preferred.
Sprinkle the topping
Melted butter helps the dry mixture form crunchy clumps quickly. Cover the fruit mostly but leave a few small gaps so juices can bubble up during baking.
Baking
Bake until the filling bubbles at the edges and the topping turns golden brown. This ensures the fruit is cooked through and the topping is crisp.
How to serve it
Serve warm with a spoonful of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream—classic and delicious.
- Cream: Cold pouring cream is simple and lovely. Alternatively, lightly sweeten and whip cold cream for a soft dollop.
- Ice cream: Vanilla is a perfect match; butter pecan or cinnamon-flavored ice cream also pair nicely.
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Blackberry and Apple Crumble
Ingredients
For the fruit layer:
- 2 pounds baking apples, about 6 large, I use Granny Smith
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 1 cup blackberries, washed and dried (or frozen, unthawed)
For the crumble topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup butter, melted
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180°C).
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Butter a 9×9 inch glass or ceramic dish or six individual ramekins.
For the fruit layer:
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Peel and core 2 pounds baking apples. Cut into medium wedges or dice.
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In a large bowl, toss the apple pieces with ½ teaspoon orange zest, 2 tablespoons sugar, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
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Dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in ¼ cup orange juice and add ¼ teaspoon vanilla if using. Drizzle over the apples and toss lightly.
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Transfer the apple mixture to the prepared baking dish.
For the crumble topping:
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In a bowl, stir 1 cup all-purpose flour with ¼ cup white sugar and ½ cup brown sugar.
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Drizzle ½ cup melted butter over the dry mix and stir quickly with a fork or spatula until the mixture is moist and forms clumps. Some dry spots are fine.
To assemble:
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Place the apple mixture in the baking dish and scatter 1 cup blackberries over it.
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Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the fruit, clumping it with your fingers so the topping is irregular and crunchy.
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Bake 35–40 minutes until the topping is golden and the berry juices are bubbling.
Notes
Crumble: The topping can be made ahead and frozen for a month or refrigerated for several days.
Apples: For firmer apples, add them raw to the baking dish. For softer fruit, cook the apple mixture briefly in a saucepan until it begins to soften and release juice—about 5 minutes—then assemble with the blackberries.
Storing: Keep covered at room temperature 1–2 days or refrigerated. Reheat at 325°F (165°C) until warm. Freeze well wrapped for up to one month.