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This blackberry crumble is what to make when you want the berries to do the heavy lifting. The filling is simple, so the blackberry flavor actually comes through, and the crumble topping adds just enough sweetness and buttery crunch to balance the tart fruit. It’s easy, unfussy, and especially good served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Blackberry crumble with melting vanilla ice cream on a white plate.
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Here’s Why This Blackberry Crumble Recipe Works

It’s loaded with blackberries: This recipe uses 3 pounds of berries, so the filling actually tastes like blackberries.

You can adjust the thickener: The amount of cornstarch gives you some flexibility depending on how juicy the berries are.

The topping is easy to mix: Melted butter keeps the crumble simple and gives you a topping with plenty of buttery, crumbly texture.

It can be adapted for freezing: If you want to freeze the crumble, Clearjel or tapioca are better options for the filling than cornstarch.

Lemon, blackberries, sugar, powdered sugar, and cinnamon on white marble.
Baking tray with bowls of sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon, and water on marble.

Ingredient Notes

Blackberries: Fresh berries work best, but frozen can be used. If using frozen berries, do not thaw them first and use the full amount of cornstarch since they release more juice.

Cornstarch: Use more if the berries are very ripe and juicy, and less if they are firmer.

Sugar: Blackberries can range from sweet to quite tart. If your berries are very tart, you can add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar.

Lemon zest: Adds brightness to the filling and helps balance the sweetness.

Brown sugar: Gives the crumble topping a deeper flavor and helps it bake into crisp clumps.

Butter: Melted butter makes the topping easy to mix and helps create the crumbly texture.

Flour: Regular all-purpose flour is used for the crumble topping.

Baked blackberry crumble in white dish with golden topping and bubbling fruit.

If you like fruit desserts like this crumble, you might also enjoy my peach crisp, apple crisp, or strawberry rhubarb crisp.

Recipe Tips

Use the full amount of cornstarch for juicy berries: If the berries are very ripe, soft, or frozen, go with 6 tablespoons.

Melted butter keeps the topping simple: No pastry cutter needed. Just stir it together with a fork until you have crumbly clumps.

Bake it on a sheet pan: That way you won’t have blackberry juice dripping onto the bottom of your oven.

Let it sit before serving: Resting the crumble for about 20 minutes gives the filling time to set up.

Serve it warm with something cold: Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream is hard to argue with.

If you still have fresh blackberries leftover, make this blackberry pie. Our tender, all-butter double pastry crust is just as addictive as the filling.

Close-up of blackberry crumble in white dish, juice bubbling over edge.

Blackberry Crumble with Oats

This blackberry crumble is one of those desserts that comes together without much effort but still feels special when it comes out of the oven. A pan of warm berries and buttery crumble doesn’t last long, especially with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream or a quick homemade whipped cream recipe.

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Blackberry crumble with melting vanilla ice cream on a white plate.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
4.79 from 19 votes

Blackberry Crumble

By Dahn Boquist
Fresh blackberries bake into a thick, jammy filling under a buttery crumble topping that turns golden and crisp. It has all the appeal of blackberry pie without dealing with pie crust.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 8 servings
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Ingredients 

Filling:

  • ¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons cornstarch, see notes
  • ⅓ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • 3 pounds fresh blackberries, about 6 cups

Crumble topping:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 10 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 8×8 inch baking dish.
  • Combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and lemon zest in a small dish until all the dry ingredients are blended well. Gently toss the sugar mixture with the berries then place in the baking dish.

Crumble topping:

  • Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and butter. Stir with a fork until it has clumps the size of peas. Sprinkle evenly over the berries
  • Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet (in case the juices bubble over the edge). Bake for about 55 to 60 minutes until the top is golden brown and the juices are bubbly. 
  • Let the berries cool slightly and serve with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream. 

Notes

Adjust the cornstarch as needed: Use 6 tablespoons if the blackberries are very ripe, soft, and juicy. If they are firmer and not especially juicy, 4 tablespoons is usually enough.
Using frozen blackberries: Frozen berries release more liquid, so use the full 6 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Bake until the filling bubbles: The topping should be golden, but also make sure the berry juices are bubbling around the edges so the filling has time to thicken properly.
Let it rest before serving: Give the crumble about 20 minutes to cool so the filling can set up a bit. If you scoop it too soon, it will be pretty loose.
For freezing the crumble: If you want to freeze the crumble, use 4 tablespoons of instant ClearJel or 5 tablespoons of instant tapioca instead of cornstarch. Cornstarch breaks down after freezing and does not thicken as well once baked.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 500kcal, Carbohydrates: 88g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 256mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 50g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

iconLike this recipe? Rate & comment below!

About Dahn Boquist

Dahn Boquist is a retired nurse turned recipe developer, home cook, and baker with years of hands-on experience creating and testing from-scratch recipes. She specializes in whole-food cooking with creative twists on classic dishes. When she’s not in the kitchen, she enjoys sharing meals with family, exploring the Pacific Northwest, and spending time with her grandchildren.

Read More About Me

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4.79 from 19 votes (18 ratings without comment)

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20 Comments

  1. Sheila says:

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! I added about 1/2 cup of oatmeal to the topping as I like a little crunch. Maybe I’ll try some nuts next time !

    Reply
    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      I love that idea! Oats for crunch sounds perfect. So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  2. Laura Gilger says:

    I made this after dinner, and we both just scraped our bowls. It is perfect! I did add a bit of almond extract to the crumble, it was barely there. I’m sure hubby will be out picking blackberries soon!. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Thanks Laura! The almond extract sounds like a great addition. This is the best excuse to go blackberry picking 😉

      Reply
  3. angiesrecipes says:

    Gosh…that crumble topping is driving me nut…I can never resist anything with crunchy topping.

    Reply
    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      The crumble topping is irresistible, I can never get enough 🙂

      Reply
  4. Cookilicious says:

    Now I know what I am going to make this weekend!

    Reply
    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Hope you enjoy it 🙂

      Reply
  5. Alison says:

    I love the extra crumble topping. You can never have too much crumble! The blackberry filling is so refreshing I love the addition of the lemon.

    Reply
    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Thanks Alison

      Reply
  6. Adrianne says:

    This is my kindof crumble! Love that you have used blackberries for this as other berries have been done whereas blackberries not as much. I wish I had a big spoon so I could dive right in.

    Reply
    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Thanks Adrianne, yes we still have the tail end of blackberries here but this is definitely the end of the season for them. Using up that last batch 🙂

      Reply
  7. Tonje says:

    I love a good crumble, and blackberries are a family favorite. Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Thanks Tonje, glad you like it

      Reply
  8. Michelle says:

    I saw this crumble on your Instagram account today and had to come by to check it out. I love a good crumble especially if there are blackberries involved. We’re going blackberry picking this weekend so I shall be making this very crumble and I can’t wait, it looks delicious! 🙂

    Reply
    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      I’m so glad you like it Michelle, have a great time blackberry picking. We are at the end of the season but still have some to put to good use

      Reply
  9. Patty at Spoonabilities says:

    This looks amazing! What a perfect dessert for any occasion!

    Reply
    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Thanks, we think so too 🙂

      Reply
  10. John / Kitchen Riffs says:

    Mmmm, love crumbles! And although I’m a big fan of pie, I rarely make them these days — crumbles and cobblers are much easier, and I think better flavor. Love the looks of this. Bet I’d love the flavor more. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Dahn Boquist says:

      Haha, yes I bet you would love the flavor even more, John, thanks for the comment

      Reply