Apple And Blueberry Crumble (Super Easy)

This apple and blueberry crumble is crunchy, fruity, and irresistible. With buttery, golden streusel and a burst of fruity and cinnamon flavors, this dessert will be your new year-round favorite. And the best part? Whether you use fresh or frozen blueberries, it only takes 10 minutes of hands-on time.

Apple crumble is a popular dessert in Anglo-Saxon countries. However, by incorporating juicy blueberries, you can create an even more irresistible version of this uncomplicated and practical dessert.

Jump to:

• Why you should try this recipe
• Ingredients
• Recipe variations
• How to make blueberry and apple crumble
• Expert Tips
• Serving
• Storing and freezing
• Recipe FAQ
• Love fruit desserts? Try these next!
• Recipe card
• Need to adjust your baking pan size?
• Comments

The marriage between apples and blueberries no longer needs to be demonstrated. It is the ideal freshness duo to take advantage of the summer weather.

But when you add almonds, it adds an extra texture, like a true guilty pleasure for a big fan of crumbles.

Why you should try this recipe

• The apple & blueberry crumble is very easy to prepare.  

• It is the perfect summer dessert after brunch or dinner and a delightful breakfast addition.

• This apple and blueberry crumble recipe is so versatile: you can make it with almost any type of fruit, from strawberry crumble to peach and amaretto and plum crumble.

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Find the recipe card below for exact amounts and detailed instructions. I recommend making the recipe as written for the best results.

• Blueberries: Use frozen or fresh blueberries interchangeably. No blueberries? You can use any berries you have on hand.

• Apples: The recipe calls for apples that keep their shape while cooking or baking. Opt for Golden apples, Pink Lady, Bramley apples, Cortland, Gala apples, Empire, or Golden Delicious. Using tart apples like Granny Smith apples greatly balances the sweetness of the dessert.

To peel apples or use unpeeled ones is entirely your decision. Apple peels are an excellent source of fiber and can save time in the crumble-making process.

Cutting apples into thin slices or cubes again depends on personal preference. However, it is worth considering that cooking times may differ, with sliced apples typically cooking faster than those in cube form.

Choosing the right method and cutting apples of the same size is essential. It can significantly impact the appearance and texture of your finished dish.

• Lemon juice is used to prevent apple slices from browning. Choose freshly squeezed over bottled when available.

• Cornstarch is added to thicken the blueberry and apple filling.

• Ground cinnamon and salt add and balance the flavors of the dessert.

• Flour: Use all-purpose flour, also known as plain flour, but you can replace it with a gluten-free flour blend. 

• Almond flour, or ground almonds, is essential to crumble-making. You can replace it with hazelnut flour or a meal. If you want to replace it with rolled oats, you will make apple blueberry crisp.

• Unsalted butter is used to make the crunchy crumble. It's best to use butter that is just slightly softened, so be sure to remove it from the fridge 5-10 minutes before you begin. If desired, the butter at room temperature or melted butter can be used as an alternative. Should salted butter be your only option, simply omit the salt.

• Brown sugar gives a beautiful caramel flavor. Replace it with white sugar in the streusel recipe if desired. For fruit garnish, substitute a tablespoon of maple syrup for brown sugar.

• Flaked almonds are optional, but they will bring even more texture.

Recipe variations

Here are a few recipe variations to prepare a delectable apple blueberry crumble.

• Fruits: Replace apples with peeled and sliced ​​pears, and swap blueberries with cranberries. You can make an apple berry crumble with mixed berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, etc.

Download this 10-page flavor fruit pairing chart (it's free) and discover other fruit combinations.

• Buttery crumble: Play with crumble ingredients, from making it gluten-free (replace AP flour with wholemeal or rice flour) to adding chocolate chips to the crumble mixture.

Download this streusel recipe template and create your own crumble topping.

• Flavors: Experiment with adding some fresh ginger, scraped vanilla seeds, vanilla extract, chopped fresh basil leaves, or lemon zest.

• Individually-served dessert: Bake the crumble in ramekins instead of making a shared dessert.

How to make blueberry and apple crumble

Preheat oven to 350˚F (177˚C). Prepare a 9-inch (23 cm) ceramic pie dish.

Pro tip: Prepping a baking dish with butter or a non-stick cooking spray is optional. You can omit this step.

Make the crumble topping

In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, brown sugar, almond flour, salt, and cinnamon. Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients and rub your hands in the flour until you get a crumbly texture. Add flaked almonds (photo 1) and refrigerate.

Pro tip: Leave some clumps of the butter when mixing the dry ingredients with the butter. This technique is the key to perfecting the ultimate crunchy crumble.

Make the garnish

In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and cinnamon with a mini whisk or a fork.

Wash the apples, remove the core, peel them, and cut them into cubes. Transfer them to a large bowl, and sprinkle them with lemon juice to keep them from blackening.

Add washed and dried blueberries to the apples. Sprinkle the sugar and flour mixture over the fruits, and toss to coat them evenly (photo 2).

Immediately transfer the apple mixture to the prepared pan. Sprinkle the crumble mixture in an even layer over the fruit filling. Try to clump the dough into pieces of different sizes, but avoid pressing down on the crumble (photo 3).

Pro tip: Prepare the crumble dough and refrigerate it beforehand for quick baking. Avoid excess fruit juice release and strain with this method.

Bake

Bake the crumble in the middle oven rack for 45-50 minutes, until the topping is golden brown, the fruit is tender, and the syrup is bubbling up actively around the dish edges (photo 4).

Pro tip: The bubbly crumble is ready when its inner temperature reaches 79°C (175°F). Check the internal temperature of the crumble right in the center to be sure it is baked all the way through to the middle of the dish. 

Remove from the oven, set aside 10 minutes to cool, and enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Expert Tips

1. There is no need to thaw frozen blueberries for the recipe. Add a few more minutes to bake to ensure the filling is thoroughly cooked.
2. Keep the crumble topping in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
3. Cover the pan with aluminum foil if the crumble browns too quickly to prevent it from burning.
4. The thickness of the syrup varies from syrupy to chunky blueberry sauce-like. If you feel too liquid, bring it to the oven again for a few minutes.
5. Baking in a glass pan, lower the oven temperature by 15°C (25°F) and bake the crumble for 10 minutes longer.
6. If you need to recalculate the amount of ingredients for a square baking dish, use this simple cake pan converter.
7. Make-ahead option: Prepare crumble, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Cut apples, sprinkle them with lemon juice, and chill. Don't add sugar: it will tend to melt and release juices. Once ready to bake, toss everything in a baking pan and bring to the preheated oven.

Serving

Serve the apple and blueberry crumble warm or at room temperature on its own or accompanied by the following:

• a scoop of ice cream,
• sugar-free whipped cream,
• Chantilly cream,
• vanilla custard,
• clotted cream,
• Greek natural yogurt, or
• French crème fraiche.

Storing and freezing

Store the fruity crumble covered with plastic wrap or a lid or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Can you freeze the fruit crumble? You can freeze the baked and unbaked crumble.

• Unbaked crumble: Cover the crumble with plastic film and aluminum foil or use a freezer-friendly box to freeze for 3 months. For the best result, use a baking pan to cook the crumble right from the freezer. To bake, there is no need to defrost it. Just bring it to the preheated oven and add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

• Baked crumble: Let the crumble cool completely, then wrap it with cling film and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, let it warm in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for a few minutes.

Recipe FAQ

Love fruit desserts? Try these next!

If you love fruit desserts, enjoy the numerous sweet treats on the website, from luscious blueberry recipes to tantalizing strawberry creations and more.

• Fresh Fruit Cake
• Peach Compote
• French Cerry Clafoutis
• Mixed Berry Muffins

Print

Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.