Easy Apple and Blueberry Crumble Recipe

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If you're a big fan of crumbles, you'll love this easy apple and blueberry crumble! With sweet apples, juicy blueberries, and a crispy, crunchy topping with oats, it's the perfect sweet dessert for the whole family.

portion of apple and blueberry crumble on a Denby black and white plate with apples on a platter and a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top

This apple blueberry crumble recipe is one of my favourite desserts to make any time of year. In the Winter we pair it with hot custard, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream with a glut of apples from the tree.

And it's no surprise that this classic British pudding recipe has been popular ever since people had to ration their ingredients during World War II.

Why I hear you ask? Because a fruit crumble is great for using up older fruits not looking their best in the fruit bowl and mixing buttery crumble, then bake. You might find it's similar to a delicious apple crisp.

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✔️ Why You'll Love This Easy Dessert
🛒 Ingredient Notes
📋 Instructions
👩‍🍳 Substitutions
⚖️ Variations
🔪 Equipment
❄️ Storage
💡Pro Tips
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
❓ FAQ
➕ More Fruit Crumble Recipes
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

✔️ Why You'll Love This Easy Dessert

Here are just a few reasons why we think this simple apple and oat crumble topping recipe will be a family favourite for life:

Full of antioxidants and fiber
Perfect to enjoy any time of year
An easy recipe that uses simple ingredients
No need to rub the butter into the dry ingredients
No peeling required (it's more nutritious that way!)
Much quicker to make than a shortcrust pastry fruit pie
A great way to use up fresh fruit that's going soft and reduce food waste

🛒 Ingredient Notes

Please see the printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, exact quantities, and detailed instructions at the bottom of the post.

labelled apple blueberry crumble ingredients

Fresh apples - for best results, I use tart granny smith apples or Gala apples in my sweet treats for a balanced flavour. These are cut into chunks or apple slices. Note: I mostly only core them with the skins left on as they offer more nutritious and it takes less time to prepare

Blueberries - I use frozen as they tend to be much cheaper in the grocery store than fresh blueberries and much juicier

Granulated white sugar - to add sweetness while it melts in the fruit filling

Lemon (optional) - I add lemon zest and lemon juice to boost the flavour, which is out of this world! You can also mix with the apple's thin slices in a separate bowl first to prevent them from turning brown while prepping

Ground cinnamon (optional) - I add to the whole crumble (half in the flour mixture and half in the apple filling)

Plain flour (All Purpose Flour) - for a crispy cookie crumb for the top of the crumble

Unsalted butter - melted and stirred into the for flavour and

Jumbo rolled oats - for extra fibre and texture on top of the fruit mixture

Soft light brown sugar - for a sweet golden brown topping

Vanilla extract (optional) - for a more luxurious crumble topping flavour

Salt (optional) - to bring out the flavours overall

📋 Instructions

person mixing apple and blueberries in a large stainless steel mixing bowl with sugar and spices

1. First, preheat your oven to 160c fan, 180c, gas mark 4 or 350F.

Then combine all of the fruit filling ingredients into a large bowl and mix thoroughly.

mixed apple and berries in a large white and blue enamel baking dish

2. Now spoon it into your desired baking dish.

Or to create single servings now, you can portion into individual pie plates.

person mixing apple crumble topping with oats in a stainless steel mixing bowl

3. In a medium bowl, combine all of the crumble topping dry ingredients together.

Then pour in the vanilla extra and melted butter and mix again until it forms pebbles.

apple crisp oat crumble topping spread on the top of mixed fruit in baking dish

4. Now spoon over and spread the oaty crumble mix on top.

Place in a preheated oven and bake for 35-45 minutes until golden.

Then place it on a wire rack to allow it to cool slightly before serving it with custard or ice cream.

Tip: to minimise the chances of the crumble topping sticking to the sides of the pan, you can coat the dish with cooking spray before filling.

spoonful of apple blueberry crumble missing from a freshly baked crumble dessert on wooden kitchen worktop

👩‍🍳 Substitutions

Depending on your dietary needs, here are a few simple swaps you can make to this easy apple blueberry dessert:

Fresh apple - swap for any kind of apples you have, but if you prefer a sweeter crumble, you can use Pink Lady, Jazz or red apples at an extra cost. Or why not try pear?
Blueberries - you can swap for other fresh berries fruits such as: raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, rhubarb, banana, plums, ready-made Christmas mincemeat, and more. Or simply omit and use more apples for a classic apple crumble recipe
AP Flour (Plain) - use for gluten free plain flour if needed. Alternatively, why not try coconut flour or almond flour and halve the butter quantity?
Butter - for a dairy-free crumble, you can use vegan butter or coconut oil for the crumble topping. Alternatively, you could be more traditional and use a mix of butter and lard
Sugars - swap for sugar free powdered sweeteners if preferred, or opt for more natural sugars like coconut sugar, maple syrup, or honey

You might also like my pear and blueberry version of this recipe here.

2 scoops of vanilla ice cream on a serving of freshly baked apple berry crumble surrounded by granny smith apples

⚖️ Variations

Here are some different ways you can personalise this apple bluberry crisp for the highest star rating recipe to suit your tastebuds!

Nutty - add chopped nuts to the crumble topping so they toast until crunchy. This is great for pecans, sliced almonds, and walnut pieces. They will also add some healthy fats and protein to the dessert.
Luxurious - use more aromatic spices such as nutmeg, allspice, ginger, crushed cardamom seeds, etc
Kid friendly - swap oats for chocolate chip cookies and crush them in a food bag with a rolling pin

close up of a gold spoon in baked apple and blueberry crisp

🔪 Equipment

Please note that as an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links.

*This could be a round pie dish, square baking dish, etc

❄️ Storage

Storing - we prefer eating blueberry and apple crumble freshly baked out of the oven. But once cooled, it can be stored while covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Or, scoop it into an airtight container.

Freezing - cool to room temperature and again, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Reheating - If you want to eat the next day, defrost in the fridge if required and microwave until piping hot, or on the hob or stove.

💡Pro Tips

To minimise the chances of the crumble topping sticking to the sides of the pan, you can coat the dish with cooking spray before filling.
For a more even crumble topping, allow the melted butter to cool slightly before mixing it with the dry crumble ingredients
Use tart apples such as Granny Smith, Gala, or Bramley cooking apples to balance out the sweetness
Add some nuts like pecans, walnuts, and almonds to the crumble topping for extra crunch. This will also add some healthy fats and protein
Feel free to add dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries, and chopped apricots to the apple mixture. Or stir in Christmas mincemeat for a festive taste
You can make up the crumble topping ahead of time with leftover bits of flour, butter, and sugar. Then store it in the freezer ready to use when needed

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

Here are a few side ideas that work well with fruity crumbles, depending on the time of year!

Ice cream - when the weather is warm, we love hot apple and blueberry crumble with honeycomb or vanilla ice cream that melts on top like a creamy sauce

Cream - a good dollop of clotted cream or drizzle of cold single cream is great for drizzling on top for the most indulgent dessert. It also works great with whipped cream or spray cream from a can

Custard - most of the time, we eat crumble with hot custard, or sometimes cold. It's the most nostalgic way that takes us back to our school dinner memories

Yogurt - for a breakfast twist, you can enjoy it with a serving of full-fat Greek yogurt, natural yogurt, or crème fraiche for a lighter option

❓ FAQ

Can I prep apple and blueberry crumble the night before?

Absolutely! You can assemble the crumble up to 24 hours in advance, cover it, and refrigerate it. Remove the cover and bake as usual whenever you're ready.

Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh ones?

Yes, you can use frozen blueberries for this recipe. There's no need to defrost them, just toss them with the apples and proceed with the recipe. Frozen blueberries are great because they are available all year round and they don't need to be washed or chopped.

What apples are best for crumble?

I prefer to use tart flavoured apples like Bramley or Granny Smith, to contrast with the sweet blueberries and cookie crumble topping. However, you can use variety. But for an even sweeter apple crumble, you can use pink lady or red apples.

Can I bake it in an air fryer?

Yes, you can bake apple blueberry crumble in an air fryer in a dish that fits in your machine. Then bake the fruit filling first at 180c for 10 minutes. Then evenly spread the crumble topping on top and bake for a final 15 minutes.

➕ More Fruit Crumble Recipes

Here are a few more delicious recipes similar to this blueberry apple crumble:

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