A sweet, fruity apple and blueberry crumble featuring a straightforward 5‑minute oat crumble topping. Serve it warm with ice cream, whipped cream or custard for a crowd-pleasing, family-friendly dessert.
This version skips any rubbing-in for the topping: melted butter is poured over the flour, oats and sugar to create a golden, crunchy oat topping that pairs beautifully with tart apples and juicy blueberries.
✔️ Why should you try it?
- The sweet-tart blend of apples and blueberries with a crunchy oat topping makes a classic, irresistible pairing.
- Easy to make — no pastry or fiddly assembly required, so it’s a great option for beginner bakers.
- Freezer-friendly: assemble or freeze leftovers and reheat in the oven for a quick dessert any time.
“It was divine! Many crumbles go soggy after a day, but this one stayed crisp after reheating and was even better the next day.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
– Stef
“Such a lovely crumble — the flavour combination is spot on.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
– Natalie
🥘 Ingredients
Blueberries — 300 g of juicy, plump blueberries (fresh or frozen).
Apples — about 750 g tart eating apples such as Granny Smith; Bramley or other cooking apples also work well.
Caster sugar — a tablespoon to sweeten the fruit filling.
Cinnamon — 1 teaspoon for warmth and aroma.
Flour — 1 tablespoon of plain flour to thicken the fruit juices in the filling, plus 125 g plain flour for the topping.
Oats — 125 g rolled oats for texture and nutty flavour in the crumble topping.
Brown sugar — 150 g light brown sugar brings a caramel note; granulated or caster sugar can be substituted.
Butter — 125 g unsalted butter, melted, poured over the dry topping to bind it into golden clumps.
🔪 How to make apple blueberry crumble
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and step-by-step instructions is shown below.
Top Tips
- Let the melted butter cool for a minute before mixing it with the dry ingredients to avoid melting the sugar too much.
- Make the crumble topping ahead and freeze it in a sealed bag so you can top fruit and bake straight from frozen.
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats rather than quick oats for a firmer, crunchier topping.
- Allow the baked crumble to rest at least 15 minutes before serving so the filling sets slightly and is easier to portion.
🍴 Serving suggestions
This crumble is excellent with vanilla ice cream, clotted cream or warm custard. For a breakfast-style treat, serve leftovers with natural yogurt or crème fraîche.
📖 Variations
- Swap or mix berries — raspberries, blackberries or strawberries work well.
- Use frozen blueberries if fresh aren’t available; they produce a juicier filling but still taste great.
- Add pears, peaches or plums alongside the apples for seasonal variety.
- Stir a handful of chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans into the crumble topping for extra crunch.
- Grate in a little nutmeg or add mixed spice for a warmer, autumnal flavour.
- Bake in individual ramekins for single servings — this recipe makes 6–8 small portions depending on size.
🥡 Storage
Make ahead — assemble the fruit in the baking dish and top with the prepared oat mixture up to two days in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Store — keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to two days. Reheat in the oven for best texture or warm in the microwave if preferred.
Freeze — this crumble freezes well for up to three months. You can bake it from frozen; add a few minutes to the cooking time and bake until the centre is bubbling and the topping is golden.
❓ FAQs
Tart eating apples like Granny Smith or cooking apples such as Bramley are ideal; their acidity balances the sweetness of the topping and prevents the filling from becoming overly sweet.
A dry, floury topping usually means not enough butter. Add a little more melted butter, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture forms clumps and will brown in the oven.
They are very similar. ‘Crumble’ is the common British term; ‘crisp’ is used more in North America. Both have a crunchy topping, and many recipes use oats in the topping regardless of the name.
😋 Related recipes
More fruity desserts to try:
- Plum and Apple Crumble
- Blackberry Crumble
- Strawberry Crumble
- Rhubarb and Ginger Crumble
- Stewed Apples
- Apple and Blackberry Turnovers
- Chocolate Orange Pots
- Strawberry Cobbler
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Recipe
Easy Apple and Blueberry Crumble
Equipment
- Kitchen scales
- Measuring spoons
- Chopping board and knife
- Pie dish (about 2 litres capacity)
Ingredients (Metric)
- 750 g Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 300 g blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp plain flour (for the filling)
For the crumble topping
- 125 g plain flour
- 125 g rolled oats
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 125 g unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan / 350 °F / Gas 4).
- Peel, core and slice the apples and place them in a large pie dish (about 2 litres capacity).
- Add the blueberries, caster sugar, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of plain flour. Toss gently to coat the fruit evenly.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the plain flour, oats and brown sugar. Pour over the melted butter and mix until clumps form and the mixture is crumbly.
- Spoon the crumble topping evenly over the fruit and bake for 45–50 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden and crisp.
- Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving to let the filling set. Serve warm with ice cream, custard or cream.
Notes
Variations: try different berries, add stone fruit, or mix in chopped nuts for extra texture. For individual portions, divide into 6–8 ramekins.
Storage: the baked crumble keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven to refresh the topping. Freeze assembled or baked portions for up to 3 months.
Nutrition: the nutritional information given is approximate and will vary depending on ingredient brands and portion sizes.
Nutritional Information (Approximate)
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