Blackberry Crumble

Juicy blackberries, a buttery crumb topping, and just a hint of cinnamon make this easy blackberry crumble irresistible. It’s a great summer dessert but you can use frozen blackberries and make it any time of year!

This is one of my favorite recipes with fresh (or frozen!) blackberries—it’s really simple to whip up and it’s absolutely perfect with ice cream, whipped cream, or just by itself.

And it comes together so quickly there’s no reason not to have a delicious homemade dessert any day of the week!

Why you’ll love this blackberry crumble

• You don’t need a mixer or any kind of special equipment for this recipe—just a bowl and a spatula
• It’s an easy dessert that comes together quickly without a lot of active time
• Because you can use fresh or frozen berries, this crumble is a great dessert whether blackberries are in season or not

How to make your crumble

• Stir together cornstarch, sugar, and lemon juice
• Stir in blackberries until they’re evenly coated
• Pour into a baking dish

Then you’ll make the topping

• Combine all the topping ingredients until crumbles form (I just mix it all with my hands)
• Sprinkle evenly over the blackberries
• Bake for about 30 minutes, until the berry juices are bubbling and the top is turning golden

Then wait about 30 minutes so the juices can collect, and you’re ready to serve. It’s that simple!

Recipe notes and tips

• You’ll need 5 cups of berries for this recipe; that’s about 24 ounces (or 1 1/2 pounds)

• Don’t thaw your berries before using if they’re frozen

• If your berries are really big, chop them coarsely before using

• If your berries are really sweet you can reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup (if you want!)

• This recipe calls for cornstarch to thicken the berries. I don’t recommend replacing it with flour because I don’t think the flavor is as good that way

• I like to serve berry crumbles with ice cream or whipped cream but they’re delicious on their own too

How to store

You can store uneaten crumble, covered, in the fridge for 3 or 4 days.

Be sure to let your crumble cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating or it could sweat and the topping could get soggy.

You can also freeze individual portions in airtight containers for about a month. Again, be sure your crumble is fully cooled before portioning it into containers.

How to make ahead

If you want to make this the day before you serve it, that’s totally fine! It keeps really well in the fridge overnight. (And it’s actually easier to serve if it’s chilled because the juices thicken up more.)

Cool the crumble to room temp, then cover and refrigerate overnight until you’re ready to serve. You can reheat it if you want but it’s delicious served cold.

What is the difference between a crumble and a crisp?

Crisps and crumbles are similar desserts because they’re both made with fruit. The filling is typically the same in both but the toppings are slightly different.

Traditionally, crumbles are topped with a streusel topping (like you might find on a muffin or a coffee cake). Crisps are topped with something similar, however the topping has oats and sometimes nuts mixed in.

The oats “crisp” while baking, hence the name. The topping on a crumble will stay softer, especially if you add a little baking powder to the streusel, like the topping in this recipe.

A few more recipes you might enjoy
Strawberry Crumble
Easy Cherry Cobbler
Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
Apple Blueberry Crisp

Did you make this blackberry crumble? That’s great! Leave me a comment and rating below! And post a pic on Instagram. Tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see!

5 from 1 vote

Print

Blackberry Crumble

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

This easy blackberry crumble comes together quickly with fresh or frozen berries. Top with a scoop of ice cream for an irresistible dessert!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 9

Author: Kelsie

Ingredients

Filling

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 5 cups fresh or frozen blackberries*

Topping

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

Instructions

Filling

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square (or 11- by 7-inch) baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Stir the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice together in a mixing bowl. Add the blackberries and stir until they’re evenly coated in the cornstarch-lemon juice mixture.
3. Spread into an even layer in the prepared baking dish and proceed to the topping.

Topping

1. Stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl. Use your fingers to break up any clumps of brown sugar.
2. Add the butter and use your fingers to cut it into the flour mixture until it comes together and forms large crumbles. (If you want some bigger crumbles, just squeeze the topping in your hands to form larger ones.)
3. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the blackberries.
4. Set the baking dish on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any juices that might spill over. Bake 25 to 35 minutes (possibly a little longer for frozen berries), until the berry juices are bubbling around the edges and the topping is turning light golden brown.
5. Cool for 20 to 30 minutes to let the juices set up a little bit, then serve.

Recipe Notes

• Uneaten crumble can be stored, covered, in the fridge for 3 or 4 days. Be sure to let your crumble cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating.
• *You’ll need about 24 ounces (1 1/2 pounds) of berries to get 5 cups.
• If your berries are really big, chop them coarsely before using.
• If your berries are really sweet you can reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup (if you want!).
• I like to serve berry crumbles with ice cream or whipped cream but they’re delicious on their own too.