Blackberry Crumble

In the spring, our family has a special tradition of picking wild blackberries and coming straight home to make this wonderful Blackberry Crumble.

How can you go wrong with fresh blackberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a crumbly pecan crunch topping?

The textures and flavors of this crumble are something we look forward to all year, while we wait for that first batch of blackberries to come in.

Gathering the Most Important Ingredient: Blackberries

Every spring, each of us (adults and kids included) take their own zip top bag and competes to get the best berries. It reminds me of the doors opening on Black Friday, when bargain hunters all over the country storm retail stores shopping for the best deals on Christmas gifts.

We’ve expanded our orchard now, so we not only take zip top bags, we have to take big baskets! We have plum, pear, apple, pomegranate, olive oil, peach, and fig trees! 

I’m happy to report fruit has been plentiful the past few years. Thankful does not even express how I feel about it. Picking our own berries gives this dessert an extra sweetness.

In this easy recipe, you can truly use any fruit you like – raspberries, strawberries, etc. Berries are high in fiber and vitamin C. Blueberries are especially wonderful in this crumble, but you don’t have to stick with berries — try peaches, cherries, or whatever fruit you have on hand. Just substitute the same amount of fruit as this recipe calls for.

For more about the incredible blueberry, check out my post Blueberries, Wild to Cultivated.

Back to the blackberry crumble….

What’s the difference between a crumble and cobbler?

You may wonder what makes this a blackberry crumble instead of a blackberry cobbler recipe. Cobbler recipes typically have biscuits or doughy batter as the topping. The topping of this dessert is buttery and, well…crumbly! Like many crumbles, it also features nuts in the topping.

How Do You Make the Blackberry Crumble Topping?

It’s super easy! In an electric mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, pecans, and butter. Mix on low speed until the butter is pea sized. If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can also use a hand mixer or whisk.

You can cut the butter into the flour and other ingredients by using two knifes and criss-crossing them back and forth, or by using your hands to incorporate the butter. 

When your baking dish is in the oven, the melted butter will turn the topping a beautiful golden brown.

How Do You Make the Blackberry Crumble Filling?

In another bowl, stir together the berries, white and brown sugar, and flour and gently mix until all the berries are covered. As with the topping, you can adjust the amount of sugar to taste.

Pour the filling into a buttered casserole dish or baking pan and top with the topping. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 to 50 minutes, or until blackberry crumble is bubbly. 

Allow the dessert to cool for about 5 minutes. It will thicken as it cools. 

Serve with vanilla ice cream, goat’s milk ice cream or homemade whipped topping. You can store any leftovers in the refrigerator and enjoy them for breakfast! You may want to bake or microwave the chilled blackberry crumble briefly to warm it up.

If you have leftover berries, this Easy Berry Sauce is the way to go. Both recipes are in my first book, Tracking the Outdoors In. Get your copy today!