Apple and Blueberry Crumble

Whip up a delightfully easy and delicious Apple and Blueberry Crumble with just 20 minutes of prep! Combining sweet tart apples and blueberries with a buttery, crunchy crumble topping, this dessert is begging to be eaten on a warm summer night with a big scoop of ice cream!

Cobblers and Crisps and Apple Blueberry Crumbles, Oh My!

Scoop of ice cream atop a serving of apple blueberry crumble.

My favorite genre of desserts is most definitely of the warm fruit and buttery pastry variety, especially if it includes ice cream.

I donโ€™t discriminate when it comes to fruit desserts. Give me the slightly crisp, cake-like batter atop a Blackberry Peach Cobbler, the flaky layers of a Caramelized Apple Pie, or the crunchy, toothsome bite of a Cherry Crumble. I will gobble that all up.

Because theyโ€™re my favorite, Iโ€™ve eaten a lot of crisps, crumbles, and cobblers over the years. Some have been mediocre (though even a mediocre crumble is still pretty good, in my opinion), and some have caused my eyes to roll back in my head in delight.

Melted ice cream swirled into the nooks and crannies of a bowl of blueberry and apple crumble.

So, what makes a great crumble?

This Apple and Blueberry Crumble has all the components that make a crumble truly outstanding. It is the crumble which all other crumbles aspire to be, checking all the boxes of my โ€œcore values of crumble.โ€

  1. This crumble has substantial crunch. It doesnโ€™t melt into the filling or become soggy.
  2. There is a good ratio of crumble to filling. What can I say? Iโ€™m a crumble gal. I want lots of texture and a satisfying cronch to stand up to the soft, pudding-like fruit.
  3. Itโ€™s easy to prepare. You donโ€™t have to cut butter into flour or peel apples to make this crumble. Itโ€™s done in 20 minutes flat!

Itโ€™s just a bonus that this Blueberry and Apple Crumble can be made ahead of time and served in early spring or early fall, when other summer fruits arenโ€™t at their prime.

We hope it will become one of your go-tos for spring and summer gatherings!

What are the ingredients in crumble?

Apples, blueberries, brown sugar, oats, pecans, flour, butter, cinnamon, cardamom, and lemon displayed in bowls on a wood background.

For the fruit filling youโ€™ll need:

  • Apples– Choose a sweet tart variety, like Honeycrisp, or mix two or three different kinds for a variation in texture and flavor.
  • Blueberries– You can use fresh or frozen blueberries.
  • Brown sugar- You may want more or less sugar depending on how sweet your blueberries are and your personal preferences. I like to keep mine on the less-sweet side, so thereโ€™s plenty of sweet space for ice cream.
  • Cornstarch thickens up the juices so the crumble isnโ€™t runny.
  • Spices and flavor boosters- Cinnamon, cardamom, lemon juice, and vanilla. If you donโ€™t have cardamom feel free to admit it, but itโ€™s a lovely addition to fruit desserts.

For the crumble, youโ€™ll need:

  • Melted unsalted butter- Melted butter makes this crumble super easy to throw together, and results in chunkier crumbles than cutting cold butter into flour.
  • All purpose flour
  • Brown sugar
  • Rolled oats– I use old fashioned oats, not quick oats.
  • Pecans– I love the flavor and texture pecans give to this. Feel free to omit them, or substitute walnuts or almond slivers.
  • Salt– Salt is essential for a perfectly balanced crumble!

How to Make Apple and Blueberry Crumble

  1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch square or 11 x 7 inch rectangular baking pan.
  2. Prepare the fruit filling. Chop the apples into bite size pieces. In a large bowl, toss together the apples, blueberries, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon juice, and vanilla. Spread it evenly across the prepared pan.
  3. Prepare the crumble. In another bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, oats, pecans, and salt. Pour the melted butter over top and stir until all the dry ingredients are moistened.
  4. Layer the crumble on top. Use your fingers to pinch together the crumble to form various sized crumbles. Sprinkle them evenly over the fruit filling.
  5. Bake. Place the crumble in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the apples are fork tender. Check the crumble at 40 minutes. If the crumble is already well browned, loosely cover it with foil for the remaining bake time. Serve the crumble warm with ice cream, if desired.
Wooden spoon scooping up blueberry apple crumble from a baking dish.

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Crumble

Leftover crumble should be stored, covered, in the fridge. It will keep for about 5 days.

This crumble keeps its crunch surprisingly well, even when reheated in the microwave.However, to get the best re-crisping, reheat the crumble in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Rich, purple hued blueberry and apple crumble shown in a baking dish with a wooden spoon.

FAQS

Can I prep Apple Blueberry Crumble the night before?

Absolutely! The crumble can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance, covered, and refrigerated. Remove the cover and bake as usual whenever youโ€™re ready.

What type of apple is best for crumble?

Pick apples that are sweet-tart and firm enough to hold up to a long baking time. My favorite baking apples are Honeycrisp, Jonagold, and Pink Lady. Avoid apples like gala and fuji which get mushy when baked.

Do I need to peel apples for crumble?

No! (And everyone said, โ€œHallelujah!โ€). I donโ€™t even notice the peels once its baked, so donโ€™t waste your precious time with peeling.

Apple and blueberry crumble in a blue clay bowl.

How do I get my crumble crunchy?

The secret to this crunchy crumble lies in using the correct ratio of butter to flour (too dry and the crumbles wonโ€™t form, too wet, and theyโ€™ll be melty and mushy). Using melted butter and adding nuts also makes this an exceptionally crunchy crumble!

Can I make this crumble gluten free or vegan?

While you can’t make this exact recipe gluten free and vegan, you can use the apple and blueberry filling and pair it with the topping from this Healthy Berry Crisp for a gf and vegan dessert!

Ice cream melting on top of a serving of apple and blueberry crumble.

More Warm Fruit Desserts to Serve with Ice Cream

If fruit desserts are also your jam (ha! Get it??), try these other favorites.

Melted ice cream swirled into the nooks and crannies of a bowl of blueberry and apple crumble.

Apple and Blueberry Crumble

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Sweet tart apples and blueberries combine with a buttery crumble topping to make a delicious warm dessert that's perfect for spring and summer. Serve it with a big scoop of ice cream!

Ingredients

For the filling:

  • 2 lbs. (5-6 medium) apples
  • 2 cups (1 pint) blueberries
  • ยผ-โ…“ cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • Squeeze of lemon juice
  • Pinch salt
  • Splash vanilla

For the crumble:

  • 1 cup flour
  • ยพ cup brown sugar
  • ยพ cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • ยพ cup pecans, chopped
  • ยพ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 8 Tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch square or 11 x 7 inch rectangular baking pan.
  2. Prepare the fruit filling. Chop the apples into bite size pieces. In a large bowl, toss together the apples, blueberries, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon juice, salt, and vanilla. Spread it evenly across the prepared pan.
  3. Prepare the crumble. In another bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, oats, pecans, and salt. Pour the melted butter over top and stir until all the dry ingredients are moistened.
  4. Layer the crumble on top. Use your fingers to pinch together the crumble to form various sized crumbles. Sprinkle them evenly over the fruit filling.
  5. Bake. Place the crumble in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the apples are fork tender. Check the crumble at 40 minutes. If the crumble is already well browned, loosely cover it with foil for the remaining bake time. Serve the crumble warm with ice cream, if desired.

Notes

  • Leftover crumble can be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to five days. Reheat it in the microwave or, for the best crisping, reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.
  • The crumble can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance and baked whenever you're ready.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 381Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 236mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 3gSugar: 30gProtein: 4g

Please note nutritional information for my recipes is calculated by a third party service and provided as a courtesy to my readers. For the most accurate calculation, I always recommend running the numbers yourself with the specific products you use.

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