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A juicy, sweetened blackberry and lemon filling nestled under a ‘buttery’, crispy crumble topping makes this crowd-pleasing blackberry crumble recipe perfect for entertaining!
Quick, Easy Blackberry Crumble Recipe
Crumbles and crisps are a comforting, crowd-pleasing, nostalgic dessert perfect for family dinners, holiday entertaining, and other gatherings. They’re cost-effective, really easy to make (and customize), and super satisfying.
This time, we’re making a recipe for blackberry crumble with sweet and tart, juicy blackberries (fresh or frozen to enjoy year-round) with a ‘buttery’, crisp crumble topping. It’s perfect for the blackberry-picking season and all summer long, served warm with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream.
Want a simple crumble/crisp recipe for every occasion? You might also enjoy apple and blueberry crumble, easy pear crisp, vegan apple crumble, vegan plum crisp, or even this easy apricot crumble. You might also enjoy this easy plum cake!
The Ingredients and Substitutes
Alternatively, make more of an oaty crisp topping like in this easy pear crisp recipe.
Blackberry Crumble Recipe Variations
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, or even cardamom to the blackberry filling would be great additions. A small amount of vanilla extract would also work.
- Ginger: 1 tsp of grated ginger or a pinch of ginger powder adds depth.
- More fruit: Replace a portion of berries with another fruit, such as pears, rhubarb, plum, or raspberries.
- Herbs: i.e., mint, basil, or rosemary pair particularly well with blackberry crumble.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc., add toasty crunch to the topping.
- Oats: Mix some rolled oats into the topping for extra texture.
- Shredded coconut: To add to the crumble topping for texture and flavor.
How to Make A Blackberry Crumble
Step 1: First, preheat the oven to 375F/190C and grease an 8×8-inch baking dish. Then, in a medium bowl, combine all the crumble topping ingredients, using a form or pastry cutter, until it resembles a crumb consistency. Set it aside.
Step 2: Then, zest and juice the lemon. In a large bowl, combine the zest, sugar, flour, and starch. Add the blackberries and mix until well coated, then stir in the lemon juice.
Step 3: Transfer the berry filling to the prepared baking dish (it should be very full), then sprinkle over the crumble topping.
Step 4: Bake the berry crumble for about 40-45 minutes. Finally, remove the crumble from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes to allow the filling to thicken/set before serving. Enjoy!
Press the berries down to pack them in well, as they will be almost spilling out. Also, bake it over a sheet pan to catch any spillage.
FAQs
To prepare the berry crumble in advance, either use fresh berries or first thaw and drain the frozen berries. Then, assemble the filling and topping separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Before baking, bring both to room temperature for 20-30 minutes, then assemble and bake as usual.
You could also freeze the fully assembled, unbaked crumble for up to three months.
Use maple syrup or agave in place of regular sugar in the fruity filling. However, you may need a little extra cornstarch to thicken the filling.
Soak them in a vinegar water bath (using a 3:1 ratio of water to vinegar) for about 10 minutes to remove any dirt/bugs. Then drain and rinse – some people prefer to repeat the process once more.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Balance the sweetness: Taste the blackberries and adjust the amount of sugar accordingly. This is more important when using fresh berries, as their tartness can vary.
- To reduce mess: Bake the crumble over a sheet pan to catch any sauce spillage.
- For a crunchier topping: Broil the top for a few minutes at the end of the baking time if it isn’t too brown.
- To prevent over-browning: If it starts looking too dark, loosely cover the dish with foil.
- Leave it to rest: This is important to allow the juices to thicken, making it easier to serve.
Serving Recommendations
Enjoy homemade blackberry crumble warm or at room temperature with:
- Dairy-free whipped cream (like this homemade vegan whipped cream)
- Dairy-free yogurt
- Vegan custard
- Vegan vanilla ice cream
- Caramel date sauce or vegan chocolate sauce
- More fresh berries
- Toasted nuts (like almond flakes or chopped walnuts/pecans)
Storage Instructions
Leave the leftover blackberry crumble to cool, then store them covered/in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave (45-60 seconds, though the crumble topping will be soft) or bake larger amounts at 350F/175C (around 15-20 minutes).
More Vegan Desserts to Consider
Vegan Desserts
Vegan Lemon Loaf Cake
Vegan Desserts
Carrot Cake Muffins
Vegan Desserts
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
Vegan Desserts
Vegan Banana Cream Pie
If you tried this easy blackberry crumble recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
Easy Blackberry Crumble
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the crumble:
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- ½ cup of granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup of packed brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- ½ cup of melted vegan butter
Berry Filling:
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup of flour
- ¼ cup of cornstarch
- 40 ounces of frozen blackberries, not thawed
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and grease an 8×8 baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the crumble. Use a fork to cut it until it resembles crumbs, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the sugar, flour, cornstarch, and lemon zest for the filling.
- Add the frozen blackberries and mix until the berries are coated with the flour mixture. Add the lemon juice and mix well.
- Add the berry mixture to the prepared baking dish. The berries will be almost spilling out. Try to distribute them as evenly as possible, but with more in the middle as a pile. Press them to pack them as much as possible.
- Evenly sprinkle the crumble topping over the blackberries. You might have to carefully place some of the crumble otherwise it will spill out.
- Place in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown. Let stand for 20 minutes to thicken up. Serve warm or cold
Notes
- Balance the sweetness: Taste the blackberries and adjust the amount of sugar accordingly. This is more important when using fresh berries, as their tartness can vary.
- For a crunchier topping: Broil the top for a few minutes at the end of the baking time if it isn’t too brown.
- To prevent over-browning: If it starts looking too dark, loosely cover the dish with foil.
- Leave it to rest: This is important to allow the juices to thicken, making it easier to serve.
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So easy and an absolute crowd pleaser.
Thanks so much, Jayne! I’m thrilled to hear it was a hit! It’s one of my favorite easy desserts—so glad you enjoyed it too!
Love how easy this crumble is to make!