Blueberry Crumble

I love blueberry smoothies and blueberry muffins, but if you’re looking for a simple summery dessert, this blueberry crumble recipe fits the bill. You can whip it up in a matter of minutes and aside from the blueberries and butter, you probably have everything else you need sitting in the pantry right now. 

Old-Fashioned Blueberry Crumble Recipe

A made-from-scratch filling. Canned blueberry filling can be cloyingly sweet and gloppy, with a meager amount of blueberries. This recipe is made with lots of fresh blueberries and sweetened with just the right amount of sugar to let that natural berry flavor shine through.

Perfect balance of textures. The crisp and crumbly topping complements the jammy blueberry filling—and with ice cream or whipped cream on top, you get some creaminess in the mix too!

Works for any occasion (or no occasion at all). This blueberry crumble works for a summer BBQ or picnic since it feeds a crowd, but it’s also the kind of weeknight dessert easy enough to make on the fly because you bought a flat of blueberries at the farmers’ market and you need to use them up!

Ingredient Notes

• Blueberries: While fresh blueberries are fantastic, you can absolutely use frozen blueberries when fresh aren’t in season. You don’t even need to thaw them first!
• Granulated sugar: Sugar enhances the flavor of the blueberries and it works with the cornstarch to thicken the juices, too. The filling is not heavily sweetened because the topping adds sweetness, too.
• Cornstarch: Used for thickening the filling, cornstarch can be replaced with arrowroot powder, if you prefer.
• Butter: The easy topping begins with melted butter. I usually use unsalted butter for baking.
• Sugar, flour, baking soda salt: The topping mixture is almost like a cookie dough (but it’s easier to make than cookies!). Sugar and flour add texture, structure, and sweetness; baking powder is a leavening agent to help the topping puff up a little bit. A pinch of salt keeps the topping from tasting flat.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg: Warm spices are essential for a good-tasting crumble. If you don’t happen to have nutmeg, you can increase the amount of cinnamon.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla is a baker’s friend because it enhances the flavor of almost any baked good. Use real vanilla, not imitation vanilla. If you want to switch things up, almond extract would also work well!
• Turbinado sugar: I like to sprinkle the topping with this coarse sugar. It’s optional, but I recommend it. It adds sparkle, crunch, and additional sweetness to the topping. However, it’s absolutely not necessary if you don’t happen to have it hand.

How to Make a Blueberry Crumble

Prepare. Start by preheating your oven to 350ºF and coating a baking dish with nonstick spray or butter. Make sure you go all the way up the sides so it’s easy to clean the dish. The filling will bubble up and tends to stick to the edges.

Make the filling. Add the blueberries to the baking dish and stir them with the sugar and cornstarch until they are pretty well-coated.

Make the topping. Mix the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl; once they’re well-combined, stir in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Assemble. Spoon the topping over the blueberries as evenly as you can. You can use your fingers if you prefer. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the top if you’re using it.

Bake. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 55 to 65 minutes. The baking time will be on the longer end if you use frozen blueberries. When the blueberry crumble is done, the top will be golden brown and the blueberries will be bubbling up on the edges. Unlike a cake, blueberry crumble is not super fussy about baking time; however, I find that it’s better to bake it a few extra minutes rather than the other way around to make sure the topping gets crisp.

Serve. Let the crumble cool for several minutes before serving it. Blueberry crumble should be served warm or at room temperature, not piping hot. The cooling time allows the blueberry filling to thicken a bit (plus you won’t burn your mouth on the hot juice!). Scoop the dessert into bowls. Don’t expect to get nice square edges; this is a casual dessert that’s served in a more rustic style.

Recipe Variations

• Make it a combo fruit filling. Substitute apples or peaches for part of the blueberries to make a mixed fruit crumble. I often do this with fruit crisps (try my apple blueberry crisp or peach blueberry crisp) and it’s delicious! Blueberries are also match well with strawberries, as these blueberry strawberry muffins will attest.
• Add ginger to the filling. Fold a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger root into the blueberries for warm flavor.
• Brighten it up with lemon. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice and finely grated lemon zest can be added to the filling to enhance the flavor of the blueberries, especially if the blueberries are a little overripe, frozen, or not super fresh.
• Use different spices in the topping. Swap out the cinnamon and nutmeg for cardamom, which is a delightful pairing with blueberries!
• Make it gluten-free. Simply use a gluten-free flour blend in place of regular flour in the topping to make this recipe suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.

How to Serve Blueberry Crumble

Whipped cream. A dollop of homemade whipped cream adds a creamy, fluffy contrast to the warm blueberry filling.

Vanilla ice cream. For a classic combination, serve this blueberry crumble with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream. I like the kind with flecks of vanilla bean or, if I’m feeling really ambitious, homemade vanilla ice cream!

Crème anglaise. If you’re not familiar, crème anglaise is a smooth custard, kind of like ice cream, but not frozen. You can buy it already made or make your own. It makes for a fancy addition to this rustic crumble recipe!

Refrigerate: Although it’s not absolutely necessary, I find that it’s best to store leftover blueberry crumble in the refrigerator because it keeps its shape better. Wrap the leftovers in the baking dish or store smaller portions in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Freeze: This blueberry crumble can be frozen both before or after baking. To freeze unbaked blueberry crumble, wrap the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake according to the original recipe instructions. You can divide the recipe in half, using two smaller baking dishes. Bake one to eat right away, and freeze the other crumble to bake later. If you’re simply freezing leftovers, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.

Reheat: To reheat, warm individual servings in the microwave or place the whole dish back into a 350ºF oven. The exact time needed will depend on the amount of leftovers you’re reheating.

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare 9 × 13 inch baking dish by spraying it lightly with nonstick cooking spray or greasing with butter (see note).

• Measure blueberries into the prepared baking dish, add ¼ cup sugar, and cornstarch, and stir to coat.

  8 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• In a medium sized bowl, blend together melted butter, ¾ cup sugar, and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; mix well.

  ½ cup unsalted butter, melted, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon salt

• Spoon mixture evenly onto the blueberries, or scatter it on with your fingers. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top, if desired.

  ¼ cup turbinado or coarse sugar, optional

• Bake for 55 to 65 minutes (baking time depends on whether you use fresh or frozen blueberries). Filling should be bubbling around the edges and top will be lightly browned.

• Serve warm or at room temperature. The filling will thicken as it cools. Top each serving with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.

• Baking dish: We recommend a glass baking dish for this recipe. A glass or ceramic dish distributes the heat more evenly and is non-reactive. Aluminum pans may discolor and give the crisp an off flavor.
• Variations: You could substitute 4 cups of sliced or diced apple or peaches for 4 cups of the blueberries to make a mixed fruit crumble. If desired, add a teaspoon of grated ginger root, or a teaspoon of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest to the filling. Ground cardamom can be substituted for the cinnamon and nutmeg, or in addition to them. 
• Nutrition: The information is for the crumble only, and doesn’t include the turbinado sugar or toppings.

Serving: 1square, Calories: 279kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 75mg, Potassium: 109mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 32g, Vitamin A: 348IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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