Apple Blackberry Crumble (Easy Recipe)

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This apple blackberry crumble combines the tartness of apples with the sweet (yet still sharp) taste of blackberries. It is a lovely combination of flavors that pairs extremely well with a brown sugar, butter, and oat topping.

baked blackberry and apple crumble in a dish

Fruit crumble is always a crowd favorite and one of my favorite desserts. It’s so simple to make, tastes delicious, and uses fresh ingredients. Depending upon where you’re located, this is the perfect dessert to make with your family after a day of blackberry picking (or apple picking).

Combining blackberries and apples gives this crumble a unique flavor. It’s tart, yet sweet and the apples provide a nice crunch (see below why I don’t peel the apples in this recipe). And anything with a buttery crisp topping is a win in my book. (I also saw Abdul from the Great British Baking Show use these flavors in one of his showstoppers, so you know it has to be good. 😊)

You can serve this with homemade whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or just eat it plain. It’s a warm, delicious dessert option on a chilly evening (or you can also eat it for breakfast … it’s basically fruit and oats, right? 😉 )

Why You’ll Love This Apple Blackberry Crumble

Fresh fruit. Juicy blackberries combined with delicious apple slices. These are some of my favorite fruits to bake with (and to eat in general). You can any type of apples you’d like. I made this with gala apples but you could use Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, a combination of apples, or even Granny Smith Apples (just know the granny smith will have the most tartness).

Buttery crumble topping. Homemade crumble is just the best, right? 🙂 This crumble topping is different than my Strawberry and Apple Crumble topping as this is made with oats and brown sugar (rather than just butter, flour, and white sugar). The brown sugar adds a deeper flavor (as brown sugar is made with molasses) that complements the apple, blackberry, and oats.

Easy to make. You can make this all in a single baking dish, making this not only easy to make but easy to clean up! Hands-on time is only about 10 minutes and the rest of the time the blackberry and apple crumble is spent baking in the oven.

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Key Ingredients

Light brown sugar. As mentioned before, brown sugar provides the crumble mixture with a richer flavor than white sugar.

Unpeeled apples. Keeping the apple skins on not only provides a unique texture but also gives the crumble more flavor. Plus, it’s less prep time (win-win!).

Oats. I used old-fashioned oats in this recipe, but you can also use quick oats or instant oats.

Tapioca Pudding. Fresh fruit releases a lot of moisture and juice when heated. Tapioca acts as a thickening agent so that the fruit filling holds together.

Variations & Substitutions

Individual Ramekins. Want to make this into individual servings? No problem. Simply split the filling and crumble into 6-8 ramekins and cut the baking time to around 25 minutes. The goal is to have the crumble turn a golden brown. Store by covering each ramekin with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

How to make Blackberry and Apple Crumble – Step-by-Step Instructions

This apple and blackberry crumble recipe is split into two parts – the fruit filling and the crumble topping.

To make the filling, slice apples into 1in pieces (keeping the skins on). Place them into a large baking dish.

Add the fresh blackberries and toss the fruit with lemon juice, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Finally, add the sugar and tapioca over the blackberry apple mixture. Mix until everything is well combined and all the fruit is coated with the sugar and tapioca. Set aside.

For the crumble topping, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients (oats, brown sugar, all purpose flour, and ground cinnamon) until it resembles breadcrumbs. You can use either a pastry blender, a fork, your fingers, or even a food processor. The goal is to break down the butter into pea-sized chunks.

Sprinkle the crumble on top in an even layer. Bake for 45-50 minutes in a large baking dish and enjoy.

You can watch me make this easy apple blackberry crumble recipe in the video below.

Storage Instructions

Store leftover crumble in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

What fruits can be used in a crumble?

This is another reason I love a good crumble. You can experiment with many different flavors. In the fall, apple crumble (or apple crisp) is very popular as apples are in season. In the summer, peach cobbler, plums, strawberries, blueberries, etc. The key is to find ingredients that pair well with that fruit (i.e. apples and cinnamon).

Can you reheat this crumble?

Yes! I prefer to eat this old fashioned blackberry and apple crumble warmed up and topped with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Pop each serving in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and you’re good to go.

What is the difference between a crumble, a crisp, and a cobbler?

Crumbles, crisps, and cobblers are all in the same family. The main difference between the three is how you make the top crust as all three have a fruit base with no bottom layer crust.

Cobbler: A cobbler has a pie crust or biscuit top layer.
Crisp: A crisp topping usually contains brown sugar, nuts, or oats.
Crumble: Crumbles use a simple combination of butter, flour, and sugar for their top layer.

In many countries, crumbles and crisps are used interchangeably, but cobblers are more unique as they tend to be more labor intensive. If you’re looking for a simple baked fruit recipe, your safest bet is to go with a crisp or crumble recipe.

Looking for more recipes? This pairs well with comfort food dinners like a Jiffy Corn Pudding Recipe or homemade noodles. Or other fall desserts such as this gluten free apple cake or these cranberry pecan oatmeal cookies.

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