Description

This Homemade Apple and Blackberry Crumble is a delightful, easy-to-make dessert featuring tender cooked apples and juicy blackberries under a crispy, buttery crumb topping. Perfectly balanced with warm cinnamon spices, it uses simple pantry staples and seasonal fruits, making it a comforting treat ideal for any occasion. Its forgiving nature means you can adjust the fruit or topping ingredients easily, and it pairs wonderfully with vanilla ice cream, custard, or cream.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Fruit Mixture:

4 large Bramley or other cooking apples
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp demerara sugar
2 tbsp plain flour (all-purpose)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups blackberries (wild or cultivated)
2 tbsp cold butter, cubed

For the Crumble Topping:

10 Biscoff cookies, gently crushed (or use 3 tbsp demerara sugar as an alternative)
1 1/4 cups self-rising flour (or all-purpose flour plus 1/2 tsp baking powder)
1 cup golden caster sugar (or substitute with light brown sugar)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

Prepare the Apple Base: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Peel, core, and slice the apples into roughly 1-inch chunks. Place the sliced apples in a 10 ½ inch (26cm) pie dish. Toss the apples with lemon juice, demerara sugar, ground cinnamon, and plain flour until the apples are evenly coated. This step flavors the apples and helps thicken the juices during baking.
Add the Blackberries and Bake the Fruit: Gently fold the blackberries into the apple mixture in the pie dish so they are well distributed throughout. Dot the fruit mixture with the cubed cold butter. Cover the pie dish with foil or an oven-safe lid and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes to soften the fruit and meld the flavors.
Prepare the Crumble Topping: While the fruit bakes, crush the Biscoff cookies gently using a food processor or rolling pin and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the self-rising flour, golden caster sugar, and ground cinnamon. Add the chilled unsalted butter cubes and rub them into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture forms a crumbly texture with some larger lumps. Adjust with a little more butter if too dry or a bit more flour if too greasy.
Top and Bake the Crumble: Remove the partially baked fruit from the oven. Evenly sprinkle the crumble topping over the warm fruit, pinching sections into small clumps for texture. Scatter the crushed Biscoff cookie crumbs on top. Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the fruit filling bubbles at the edges.
Cool and Serve: Allow the crumble to cool for several minutes to let the filling set slightly, making it easier to serve. Spoon into bowls and enjoy as is or with vanilla ice cream, custard, cream, or Greek yogurt for added richness and contrast.

Notes

Cut apples into roughly 1-inch chunks to prevent them from becoming mushy during baking.
Keep the butter cold and rub it into the topping mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some larger lumps for the best texture.
Toss fruit with flour and sugar before baking to thicken juices and avoid soggy bottoms.
Baking the crumble on a preheated baking sheet can help crisp the base and prevent sogginess.
You can substitute apples and blackberries with other cooking apples or berries like blueberries or raspberries.
For a dairy-free option, use cold vegan butter or solid coconut oil in the topping.
Leftovers keep well covered in the fridge for up to 4 days and freeze well for up to 3 months (add 15–20 minutes extra cooking time if baking from frozen).

Prep Time: 26 minutes
Cook Time: 54 minutes
Category: Desserts
Method: Baking
Cuisine: British

Keywords: Apple crumble, blackberry crumble, fruit crumble, dessert, baked fruit dessert, easy dessert, autumn dessert, homemade crumble