This skillet Blackberry Crumble is loaded with juicy berries and topped with a sweet crunchy buttery topping. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy any night of the week!
Blackberry Crumble
I like baking with fruit – like my raspberry cream cheese coffee cake, apple cinnamon swirl bread, and raspberry cream cheese crumb cake…but I hadn’t made a crumble.
When fresh blackberries are in season it’s a great time to take advantage of this crumble recipe. If you’ve taken a trip to your local farmer’s market or the grocery store and are wondering what to do with those berries, this classic blackberry crumble is your answer.
Make some blackberry lemonade while you’re at it.
If blackberries aren’t your thing, you can sub out different fruits to suit your tastes – like strawberries, raspberries, or even apples.
Why you’ll love this easy blackberry crumble
- Perfect Dessert – Fruit crumbles are so easy! Just a handful of ingredients.
- Fresh Berries – Crumble recipes are a delicious way to use up fresh berries.
- Ultimate Summer Dessert – Such an easy recipe and the perfect sweetness with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
What’s the difference between a crisp, crumble, and cobbler?
Before we get down to business you might be wondering what the difference between a crumble, a crisp, and a cobbler is. If you get these confused you are not alone (I still can’t keep them straight)!
The one thing all of these dishes have in common is they are all fruit-based desserts that get baked with some sort of pastry topping. The difference is in the type of pastry.
Although they are very similar (hence the confusion) in the fruit base and the signature juice that bubbles to the top, it’s in the ingredients used for the topping that separates them.
Cobblers usually have a biscuit, cake, or cookie topping. Dollops of dough are dropped on top prior to baking.
Crumbles and crisps are even more similar to one another in that they both use a streusel topping and really the only difference is crisps use oats in theirs and crumbles do not!
Whether it is the sweet baked fruit you love or that buttery crunchy topping, it really is the perfect addition to any backyard BBQ, weeknight dinner menu or even a weekend brunch!
Helpful Tools
- Cast Iron Skillet – If you don’t have a skillet, you can also use a glass baking dish.
- Mixing Bowls – You know I love the mixing bowls with the grippy bottoms.
- Whisk – Makes it easy to mix flour, sugar, and egg.
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- July Blackberries – Wild blackberries will work as well if you are lucky enough to have some growing in your yard.
- All-purpose flour
- White sugar
- Egg
- Butter
- Lemon juice
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
How to make a Blackberry Crumble
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- STEP ONE: Preheat your oven. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, white sugar and egg combining well until it is fine, coarse crumbs..
- STEP TWO: Butter the skillet. Melt the remaining butter and set aside. Add blackberries to the skillet and cover with lemon juice.
- STEP THREE: Sprinkle the flour mixture over top of the berries and drizzle with melted butter.
- STEP FOUR: Finally, sprinkle the top with cinnamon and brown sugar and bake in the oven until done.
How do you prepare blackberries?
Placing them in a bowl of cold salt water for an hour or two will help kill any bugs or dirt. Then rinse them well, picking off any bits of stem or leaves as you go.
How do you sweeten blackberries?
If you happen to have picked up a batch of blackberries that are not as sweet as you would like, or perhaps you’ve bought them when they are not quite in season, either way a tried and true method to sweeten those tart berries are to put them in a bowl, sprinkle a bit of sugar on them and let them sit while the berries absorb the sugar and the sweet juices are released.
You can also use a bit of honey or maple syrup and even a bit of fruit juice for the same result.
What if I don’t have a skillet?
If you don’t have a skillet, not to worry. You can definitely make this crumble using an 8×8 glass baking dish!
Does it need to be refrigerated?
Crumbles can remain at room temperature for up to 3 days, however best to eat within a day or two.
It can be kept in the fridge for up to a week in a container covered in loosely wrapped plastic.
If you are wanting to freeze any leftover crumble, seal it in an airtight container and will be good for up to 5 months.
What should I serve with crumble?
Aside from the ever popular vanilla homemade ice cream, you can try things like a custard or whipped topping. And of course, you might not need any topping at all, it is fantastic all on its own.
Need more fruit based desserts? Try these:
Blackberry Crumble
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted & cooled
- 4 cups blackberries washed & dried
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and butter a medium (10-12") skillet. Set aside.
- To a large bowl, add the flour, white sugar, and egg. Blend well until it’s a fine, coarse, powder.1 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup granulated white sugar, 1 large egg
- Melt the butter and set aside.½ cup unsalted butter
- Add washed blackberries to prepared skillet and cover with lemon juice.4 cups blackberries, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- Top the berries with the flour mixture.
- Drizzle the top with the melted butter.
- Sprinkle the top with the cinnamon and brown sugar.½ tsp cinnamon, 1 Tablespoons brown sugar
- Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Clean the berries: Soak blackberries in cold salted water for 1–2 hours to remove bugs or dirt. Rinse well and remove any stems or leaves.
- No skillet? No problem: Use an 8×8 glass baking dish as an alternative.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
- Store covered for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @melissa_pplates so I can see!Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
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I couldn’t find anything in your recipe as to the size of the skillet. Am I missing it?
Sorry, I meant to include that – medium so 10-12″.
thank you for answering that question, I needed that info too
This recipe is super easy and my family loves it!!! So simple- great taste!!!!
Thanks, Shannon! So happy to hear that 🙂
If I used a glass dish what size should I use 8 x 8 , 9 x 13 ?
8×8 should work well
What temp do you preheat oven and how long do you bake?
The recipe card is right above where you left this comment 🙂 step one is preheat to 375°
You ever try this recipe with strawberries
I haven’t.
I have loads of frozen blackberries.
Do you have a recipe alternative for using frozen berries for winter dessert?
Looks so yummy, thanks!
I think blackberries are pretty safe to bake straight from frozen in this one (thought I haven’t tested it). Are you able to thaw them first?
I made this last night and served it warm with ice cream. Definitely a big hit.
Thanks, Judi!
Would this work in a regular baking pan or glass dish? (I don’t have a skillet). You think any adjustments would be needed?
An 8×8 glass baking dish should be fine.
I’ve made this twice now and it always surprises me how quick and easy it is, yet the final result looks beautiful and tastes great! It’s a very budget-friendly dessert too, which is awesome. My entire family loves it, including my little niece who is a little over a yr old. 😀 I’d give it a solid 5/5!
Thank you Jackie!
I went to the Farmers Market today and bought the most beautiful blackberries. They were not quite ripe enough but I added sugar per your suggestion. The recipe was easy to follow and turned out to be wonderful. I will definitely use this recipe again.
So happy to hear that!
Loved it!
Actually made with black raspberries and turned out great! The crust turned out very yummy and great compliment to berries.
I didn’t use a pan but used a 9” pie glass plate.
Wow. This is exactly what I look for in a recipe: quick, simple, delicious. I’ve made it with blackberries, raspberries, apples, and peaches, and it is excellent with any of those options. Seriously, this recipe is a keeper.
I made it last night and it was so good. Thank you!
yay, you’re welcome!
How do you “blend” to get a “fine coarse powder”? I have tried a whisk and a fork. Never get a fine coarse powder.
A fork should have done the trick. Which result did you get?
This recipe was incredible. Used lime instead of lemon and zested it into the crumble topping – Amazing!
This was delicious and super easy to make. The only things I would change is adding a little cornstarch to the berries and a little more of both toppings.
I will definitely make this again.
I don’t have any blackberries but I do have frozen blueberries. Would they work?
I think they should work, but I haven’t tested to say for sure 🙂
YUM!!!!!