Blackberry Crumble

Blackberries have always been my favorite of all the berries. I love how complex their flavor is – firm and juicy and predominantly sweet with a slight “pop” of tartness and very subtle floral notes, such as rose. They have some of the highest antioxidant counts, thanks to the anthocyanins that give them their dark purple color. I thought this blackberry crumble recipe was a perfect way to showcase a fruit that I love so much. And adding teff flour to the crumble topping is an easy way to further boost the nutrients, including more fiber and antioxidants, in this perfectly sweet (but not too sweet) dessert.

This recipe was created in partnership with Maskal Teff.

Gather Up The Ingredients 

Here are the basic baking ingredients I use to make this delicious dessert. 

• Blackberries: Other types of berries can be used, such as raspberries or blueberries, but this recipe was optimized for making a crumble with blackberries. Either fresh juicy berries or frozen blackberries can be used. Refer to the recipe card to see amounts and notes, as some changes are required if making this dessert with frozen berries.  
• Old-fashioned oats: Oats are commonly added to crumble toppings to help create structure and texture. I love using them because they make this dessert taste just right and also come with many nutritional benefits, such as being high in beta glucans, an important type of soluble fiber that has been linked to lowering cholesterol. 
• Teff flour: Teff flour is made from teff, the world’s tiniest grain, smaller even than a poppyseed. When milled, it turns into a nutty, versatile flour that can be used as a gluten-free substitute for all-purpose flour. Read more about why I incorporated teff into this recipe in the teff flour section below. 
• All-purpose flour: I also call for a little all-purpose flour in the berry filling and crumble topping in order to get the just-right consistency and thickness in both parts of the recipe. 
• Brown sugar: I choose to use brown sugar as the sweetener in this recipe because the light molasses taste is a great match. Plus, I was able to reduce it quite a bit compared to most crumble recipes, calling for just ¼ cup in the crumble topping and filling. Granulated sugar also can work in a pinch.  
• Butter: Butter is necessary in order to get the topping to be the just right texture and consistency for crumbling overtop of the berry filling. Unlike oil, softened but non-melted butter has the right amount of saturated fat to make the topping ingredients hold together and form little clusters when baked. Use salted or unsalted butter, but if using salted butter, just omit the additional fine salt in the crumble topping – there’s no need for it then. For dairy free, coconut butter can be used in place of the butter, though it does impart a mild coconut flavor. 
• Lemon: A bit of grated lemon zest and fresh lemon juice are a perfect flavor complement to blackberries. They help enhance the natural sweetness of the berries and make all the flavors of this dessert pop forward on the tongue. 
• Other pantry ingredients: Also needed are ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, baking powder, salt, and vanilla extract. 

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Blackberries are a delicious, complex berry that offers many nutritional benefits, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals like potassium. But the types and amounts of antioxidants in blackberries might be one of their most impressive features. Blackberries are a rich source of anthocyanins, a powerful type of antioxidant that also gives these berries their dark purple color. Anthocyanins have been shown to protect the brain from oxidative stress and may even reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Also, nutrients in blackberries, including different types of fibers, have also been shown to have beneficial health outcomes against cancers of the GI tract, like colon cancer.

Boost The Nutrients Even More With Teff Flour

Ever since sharing this recipe for Morning Glory muffins made with teff flour, the whole team here at The Real Food Dietitians and I have been experimenting with new recipes to use this wonderful gluten-free flour. In this recipe, I call for Maskal Ivory Teff Flour (buy it here on Amazon), which is not only gluten free, but also free of other allergens, including milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts. It’s also a good source of complex carbohydrates, protein, and fiber; high in iron; and a significant source of antioxidants, including polyphenols, flavonoids, and vitamin C.

Teff flour can replace many other gluten free flours in baking, and in some cases, be a one-for-one gluten free flour substitute. In addition to this dessert crumble, I’ve used it in coffee cake, pancakes, waffles, muffin batters, and other unyeasted baked goods, and also these chicken tenders and pesto meatballs. 

Make It Gluten Free

Whereas teff flour and oats are naturally gluten free, wheat flour is not. So to make this dessert entirely gluten-free, swap in a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour where all-purpose flour is called for in both the berry filling and the crumble topping. Also, be sure to use oats that are not processed in a facility where wheat ingredients are in order to avoid cross contamination.

How To Make Blackberry Crumble

This fruit crumble comes together in two basic steps. Here are a few of my tips for making it just right. 

1. Make the crumble topping: Combine the oats, teff flour, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, lemon zest, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir to combine, then add the softened room temperature butter. I like to use my hands to incorporate the butter until I get a nice crumbly consistency. If using a food processor or blender, the crumble mixture would get too blended and smooth. I know it’s just right when I can pinch a bit of the topping between my fingers and it sticks together. 
2. Mix the filling: In a separate mixing bowl, I combine the blackberries, flour, brown sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. I toss it together until the blackberries are coated with the flour and brown sugar mixture. 
3. Assemble the dessert: This is a simple layered dessert. I start by spreading the fruit filling across the bottom of a greased 9-inch square baking dish. Then I use my fingers to distribute crumble mixture over the blackberry mixture until all the berries are covered. 
4. Bake and cool: Finally, bake the dessert in a 350-degree preheated oven, uncovered, until the topping is golden brown. If the topping is getting too browned too quickly, either move the dessert to a lower rack in the oven or cover it, very loosely, with foil, until at least 30 minutes baking time is reached. Though it’s tempting to dig in right away, it is important to let the dessert cool so the natural pectin in the filling can gel up a bit and prevent it from being too runny. Cooling also means this recipe does need to have added thickeners like cornstarch or arrowroot powder.  

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.

My Favorite Ways To Serve

This delicious summer dessert is the perfect ending to a fresh summer dinner or grill out. I like to serve it warm out of the oven topped with scoops of vanilla ice cream that melt and ooze right into berry filling, and round it out with a bit of calcium, too. It doesn’t need much else, but a sprig of fresh mint or a little extra grated lemon zest on top are also nice little touches.

Storage Instructions

I must admit, this crumble never lasts long in my home. So I simply place pieces of the dessert in an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to 2 days. For a bit longer storage, cover the dessert and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

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The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.

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