Apple blueberry crumble is made with juicy blueberries, sweet-tart apples, and a buttery crumble topping. Easily switch out the apple filling for more variations. This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and vegan.
Blueberries and apples are a great flavor pairing, which is why this combination works so well together.
This recipe is a fusion between my dairy-free apple crisp and blueberry peach cobbler. Like pie, it has a jammy fruit filling with a buttery oat crumble topping. Plus, it's really easy to make and a dessert the whole family will love.
Ingredients
- Blueberries - use fresh blueberries if they're in season. Otherwise, frozen also work with this recipe, just thaw them first.
- Apples - when it comes to desserts, tart granny smith apples work well to balance out the other sweet flavors, but you can use any kind of apples such as gala apples, golden apples, pink lady, etc. Use this apple guide as a reference to help you decide.
- Coconut sugar - a small amount is used to coat the blueberries and apples for the filling.
- Ground cinnamon - provides a warm, sweet, earthy flavor.
- Lemon juice - for brightness and some acidity to cut through the sweetness.
- Brown sugar - sweetener for the topping.
- Rolled oats - add a nice textural element to the topping. Use certified gluten-free oats if necessary.
- Room temperature butter - use either vegan butter or regular unsalted butter if not dairy-free. This is what creates that beautiful crumb.
- All-purpose flour - for the crunchy topping and to thicken the filling. Use gluten-free flour if needed.
- Kosher salt - just a pinch to balance the flavors.
How to Make Blueberry Apple Crumble
Step 1. Prepare the fruit filling. Peel, core, and cut the apple into thin slices (roughly ¼-inch thick). Add the sliced apples to a large bowl along with the blueberries, coconut sugar, ground cinnamon, lemon juice, and flour.
Step 2. Transfer the apple mixture to your baking dish or skillet and spread it into a somewhat even layer.
Step 3. In a medium bowl, prepare the dry ingredients. Combine the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and salt. Add in the softened butter, squeezing it through the mixture with your hands until you have a crumbly texture.
Step 4. Spoon the oat crumble topping over the filling. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Allow it to cool down for a few minutes before digging in. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this apple blueberry crumble using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No butter? - use refined coconut oil for no coconut taste.
- No blueberries? – you can also use cherries, cranberries, raspberries, or pears.
- No coconut sugar? - sub white sugar, cane sugar, or maple syrup instead.
- Add chopped nuts - a handful of chopped pistachios, almonds, walnuts, or pecans would add a nice nuttiness.
Equipment
For this recipe, you'll need a cutting board, vegetable peeler, chef knife, dry measuring cups, measuring spoons, and a 9-inch pie pan or 10-inch skillet to hold the crumble.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crumbles are more widely associated with the UK, whereas crisps are a popular dessert in the United States. Both use a combination of flour, sugar, and butter for the crumbly streusel-like topping. Crisps also use oats in the topping, but you'll find some crumble recipes do too (like this one).
Let it cool completely and then cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. To prevent the topping from getting soggy in this time frame, I recommend not transferring it to an airtight container and just keeping it in the dish you cooked it in.
Yes. For a baked crumble, allow it to cool completely, and then cover it tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Place it inside a freezer-safe bag where it'll keep for up to 3 months.
For an unbaked crumble, freeze the filling and the crumble in separate airtight containers. When ready to bake, let them thaw for a few minutes, then transfer to a baking dish and add an additional 5-10 minutes of cook time if needed.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
Easy Apple and Blueberry Crumble
Ingredients
Blueberry Apple Filling
- 5 apples of choice about 5.5 - 6 cups
- 1 ½ cups blueberries fresh or frozen (thaw first)
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or another granulated
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour use gluten-free if needed
Oat Crumble Topping
- ⅔ cup old fashioned rolled oats use gluten-free if needed
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour use gluten-free if needed
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons room temperature butter dairy-free or regular
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt reduce to ⅛ if using another type
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the fruit filling. Peel, core, and cut the apple into thin slices (roughly ¼-inch thick). Add the sliced apples to a large bowl along with the blueberries, coconut sugar, ground cinnamon, lemon juice, and flour.
- Transfer the apple mixture to your baking dish or skillet and spread it into a somewhat even layer.
- In a medium bowl, prepare the dry ingredients. Combine the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and salt. Add in the softened butter, squeezing it through the mixture with your hands until you have a crumbly texture.
- Spoon the oat crumble topping over the filling. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Allow it to cool down for a few minutes before digging in. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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