Today I'm sharing with you this easy-to-make yet flavor-packed Blueberry Apple Crumble. Tart apples, and sweet blueberries topped with a brown sugar spiced nut crumble make this the best year-round dessert.
When you think of nostalgic, comforting desserts, fruit crumbles or crisps have to top the list. They're just so super easy to pull together yet always so full of flavour. Plus, depending on the type of fruits you use, they're perfect all year round.
Today's recipe works both in winter and summer where as my Strawberry Crumble and Mango Peach Crumble are the ultimate warm-weather treats.
I use fresh blueberries as they are currently in season but frozen blueberries work just as well. Given that apples are always available makes this a truly year-round crumble. The lemon zest and juice in the filling add layers of flavour whereas the cinnamon and nuts add the perfect warmth and crunch. You're gonna love this!
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🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Uses basic ingredients. There are no unusual ingredients in this recipe. Simple everyday ingredients you'll most likely have in your pantry and fridge or local grocery store.
- The filling is super flavourful. I'm all about building flavour with simple ingredients and by adding extras such as lemon, vanilla, and cinnamon only helps accentuate the taste in the fruity filling and crumbly topping.
- Simple to make. Literally, three steps are all you need to make this Blueberry Apple Crumble. It's fantastically simple and that's why I love it!
🧾 Ingredients Needed
As much as the ingredients are standard- I've made a couple of useful notes regarding a couple of them below.
Blueberry and Apple Filling
- Apples - I use tart green apples such as Granny Smiths. I find that they soften whilst still holding their shape whereas red apples tend to soften too much and turn into mush. You can use Bramley Apples too but the filling will be more tart, or you'll need to up the sugar.
- Blueberries - Fresh or frozen blueberries are perfect for this baked crumble. No need to freeze them if you using frozen.
- Cornflour - The cornflour helps thicken the filling just enough. You can substitute with all-purpose flour.
Nut Crumble
- Flour - Substitute with wholemeal flour or a half-half combination for a more wholesome flavour.
- Rolled oats - I love the added texture oats bring to a crumble topping. You can leave them out and substitute them with more flour, or even ground almonds or ground hazelnuts for a more ut forward approach.
- Nuts - Nuts provide both flavour and crunch. I used a combination of hazelnuts and almonds but really, you can use any like walnuts, pecans, cashew and macadamia nuts.
- Light Brown Sugar - or brown sugar is used for the filling and crumble to add more caramel notes to this crumble. Alternatively, you can use regular granulated sugar.
- Ground cinnamon - you get a subtle warmth from the cinnamon. if you're going for real autumnal vibes then add in a half teaspoon of ground ginger and nutmeg too. Or if this blueberry crumble with apples is for summer then leave the spices out altogether.
📖 Variations
- Mixed berries: Add in blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and red currants for a mixed fruit flavour.
- Change the ratio of fruit: I've gone for a half-half approach in this recipe but swing the dial either way. As long as you get the same amount of fruit for the filling - you can go heavy on the apples or blueberries to suit your preference.
- Use brown butter in the crumble topping: Ok ok. So, if you just so happen to have spare brown butter in your fridge, then use this over regular butter. It adds real warmth and nutty notes to the crumble.
- Make individual portions: Grease 6 to 8 ramekins with butter and divide the fruit filling to ¾ full. Top with a large mound of crumble and bake until the filling is bubbling and the crumble is golden.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make
Without much further ado I want to show you just how simple this Apple and Blueberry Crumble is to make. The hardest part is waiting for it to bake whilst the incredible smells fill your kitchen!
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*
Make the Fruit Filling
STEP 1. Mix together the filling ingredients. Add all the filling ingredients into your baking dish and toss until everything is mixed well together (Images 1 & 2).
Tip: I know my photo shows the filling in the same baking dish that the crumble bakes in, but in truth it was hard to mix together like this. Mix it up in a mixing bowl for ease and sanity!! As long as you scrape out the filling well into the baking dish, you can use the same bowl for the crumble topping!
It may feel like a lot of filling in the dish but it shrinks as it bakes. Plus we like lots of filling!
Make the Crumble Topping
STEP 2. Create the nut crumble. Add the flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon, salt, and butter into a mixing bowl and toss the butter into the ingredients (Image 3). Next, use your fingers to rub the butter into the mixture.
It will feel quite dry to start with but as you rub the butter more and more into the dry ingredients, the flour will start to hydrate from the moisture of the butter and moisten. When you can squeeze the crumble mix and it clumps, it's ready (Image 4). Add the nuts and mix them through.
Assemble the Blueberry Apple Crumble
STEP 3. Add the crumble to the filling. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the fruit filling in your baking dish (Images 5 & 6). Squeeze some of it together to create hazelnut size clumps all over as this creates awesome texture. And don't press it down - this will make it dense and stodgy.
STEP 4: Bake!! The best part! The smell that infiltrates your kitchen is intoxicating! Bake the Blueberry Apple Crumble for 35-40 minutes until the filling is bubbling big slow bubbles around the edge of the baking dish and the crumble has turned a beautiful golden colour (Image 7).
Tip: pop the baking dish onto a sheet tray whilst baking as the filling can drip over - not much, but enough to warrant catching it on a tray that can easily be cleaned!
🥣 How To Serve
Once baked, you need to show the ultimate restraint and let it sit for 15 minutes to cool slightly, then serve. The filling will still be juicy but as it reduces from piping hot in heat, it goes more sticky on the edges. Plus piping hot filling can burn!
I love, love, love hot custard, and in the winter tend to serve the Blueberry Crumble with copious amounts drizzled on top! But in the summer months, it's undeniably delicious with scoops of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of thick cream, or a dollop of Creme Chantilly.
💭 Recipe Pro Tips
- Use any type of berries or stone fruit. Just make sure you have the correct quantity to make enough filling for your Blueberry Apple Crumble.
- The crumble mixture can be made up to 4 days in advance. Keep in chilled in the fridge until ready to use.
- Make the crumble mix in the food processor for ease. Pop all the ingredients, minus the nuts into the food processor bowl and pulse until you have small and large pieces. Then mix in the nuts.
- Convert it into a gluten-free crumble by substituting the regular flour with your favourite gluten-free flour.
📋 Recipe FAQs
When making the crumble, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles bread crumbs of varying sizes. the squeeze together some of the crumble to from hazelnut size clumps. Don't press the crumble down on the filling. The more pits and grooves there are around the rough surface of the topping, the more crispy bits will be created.
Crisp, tart apples are best as they soften yet hold their shape when baked. Granny Smith Apples are perfect for this. Bradley Apples are also great- but you may need to add more sugar to the filling.
Too much butter in the crumble mix will lead to a greasy mess on top. Also, if your butter is too soft when mixing it into the crumble mix. If it's hot in your kitchen when making the crumble, pop the topping once made, into the fridge for 15 minutes to allow the butter to harden again and avoid soggy crumble.
All three are made with a sweet fruit filling and baked with a topping. Crumble and crisp are very similar, both are made with butter, sugar, and flour. Crisps traditionally have oats and/or nuts in the mix, whereas crumbles don't. But I love to include them too in a crumble streusel. A cobbler fruit filling is topped with pieces of pie crust or American biscuit dough.
❄️ Storage and Freezer Instructions
To store: Cool the apple and berry crumble to room temperature. Cover the dish well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Fruit crumbles can be frozen baked or unbaked. If baked, cool to room temperature. Wrap baked or unbaked crumbles well in plastic wrap until airtight. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake from frozen in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes until bubbling and the crumble is golden.
To reheat: If reheating the whole dish, reheat in a 180C/350F oven for 15 minutes or so or until heated through and the crumble has crisped up. To reheat individual portions, spoon into a bowl and microwave until warm.
🫐🍏 More Blueberry & Apple Recipes
If you tried this Blueberry Apple Crumble Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Blueberry Apple Crumble Recipe
Equipment
- baking dish
Ingredients
Blueberry Apple Filling
- 400 g blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 300 g apples, cored, peeled and sliced. About 4 apples
- 100 g light or dark brown sugar, packed, firmly packed
- 2 tablespoon cornflour (corn starch)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Nut Crumble
- 190 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- 100 g light or dark brown sugar, packed,
- 45 g rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 115 g unsalted butter, cubed into small chunks
- 70 g hazelnuts and almonds, chopped. Or other nuts
Instructions
Blueberry Apple Filling
- Pre-heat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Mix together the filling ingredients. Add all the filling ingredients into a large mixing bowl and toss them together until everything is mixed well. Pour into a large baking dish/pie pan (about 1.5 litre capacity).
Nut Crumble
- Create the nut crumble. Add the flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon, salt, and butter into a mixing bowl and toss the butter into the ingredients. Next, use your fingers to rub the butter into the mixture until it feels like breadcrumbs in varying sizes. When you can squeeze the crumble mix and it clumps, it's ready. Add the nuts and mix them through.
Assemble
- Add the crumble to the filling. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the fruit filling in your baking dish. Squeeze some of it together to create hazelnut size clumps all over as this creates awesome texture. And don't press it down - this will make it dense and stodgy.
- Bake: Bake the crumble for 40-50 minutes until the filling is bubbling big slow bubbles around the edge of the baking dish and the crumble has turned a beautiful golden colour. Remove from the oven and set to one side for 15 minutes before serving and the juicy filling is molten hot when freshly baked.Serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of warm custard or cold cream.
All recipes are developed and tested in Metric grams. I strongly recommend that you bake using digital scales for a more accurate result. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in September 2019 but has been updated with new photos, new content and a revised recipe.
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