This is the easiest blackberry crumble pie recipe you could make. A simple pie with a crisp topping, everybody just loves this easy and delicious dessert!
This blackberry crumble pie is not only incredibly delicious but also the easiest recipe pie I know. A basic crumb crust pie with a blackberry layer in between, this recipe is perfect for juicy blackberries and almost any other kind of fresh berry or fruit.
This recipe uses one easy dough for both the crust and crumble—my favorite pie crust! No rolling is needed; just press it into the dish with your fingers. There’s no need to grease the dish, and the filling is simply fresh blackberries—nothing else.
Should you have more blackberries in your garden (they grow like weeds), try more of our recipes: Rhubarb and Blackberry Loaf Cake, Blackberry Lemon Bread, Sponge Blackberry Cake, or make this savory Blackberry Sauce.
Featured comment:
Connie: I made this yesterday with 350g of blackberries and a fresh peach and a half on top. It was the best pie/tart I’ve ever made! We all loved it! I also worried about not putting anything on the fruit, but you don’t need it! I will make this again and again and I can’t wait to try other combinations!
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Recipe ingredients
Blackberries are some of the last berries we can pick every year. The season starts with strawberries and red currants, goes on with gooseberries, raspberries, and blueberries, and kind of ends with these juicy berries. They are large, dark, glossy, and so delicious. Alternatively, you can make this crumble pie with any other berries you have.
Ingredients for the dough: Unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
Variations: I also made this crumble pie with blueberries and gooseberries, with a berry mixture, with apples and plums, nectarines or peaches (even canned ones in winter, and cut into smaller pieces), cherries, and so on.
Equipment: I recommend a loose-bottom tart pan (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab); it is so easy to use; the pies come so easily out of the form and look perfect every time.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make a blackberry crumble pie?
Pie dough
This is the easiest method to make a pie crust. Most pie crusts I make require to spend some time in the fridge before rolling and baking, but not this particular crumb crust pie.
Step #1: Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract with the mixer until light and fluffy.
Step #2: Add flour and salt; mix with a spoon first and then with your hands to form the crumbs.
Step #3: Place about ¾ of this dough into the baking dish.
Step #4: Press with the fingers to form the crust.
Step #5: Bake the bottom crust without any berries in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until golden.
Step #6: Place the fresh berries on the crust.
Step #7: Scatter the remaining dough to form crumbs on top of the pie.
Step #8: Bake the blackberry crumble pie for another 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Tips
I recommend using a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) in baking; it guarantees the best results.
To avoid a soggy crust, blind-bake it before adding the berries. Simply pre-bake the crust for a short time to set it before filling.
If the crust puffs up a bit while baking (before adding the berries), simply press it down before placing the berries on top. Occasionally, it might puff up, but most of the time, it stays in place and looks perfect.
Make ahead and store
Prepare the blackberry crumble pie in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Sprinkle it on the pie just before baking.
Leftovers: If you've got a slice or two left, just cover them up with plastic wrap or stash them in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days – they'll still be just as tasty!
Freeze leftovers tightly wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 months.
How to serve?
This is the kind of pie recipe you can make on a moment's whim, with ingredients you always have in the house and with any kind of fruit or berry that is plentiful at the moment.
You can serve the blackberry pie with crumble topping pie lukewarm or at room temperature.
The blackberry crumble pie can be served as it is or with a dollop of whipped cream, a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, strained yogurt, or crème fraiche. If you choose crème fraiche, mix it with one or two teaspoons of brown sugar; it is so good!
More pie recipes
Recipe
Blackberry Crumble Pie
Equipment
- Loose-bottomed pie form 12 inches/ 30 cm
Ingredients
- 250 g soft unsalted butter 1 cup, Note 1
- 150 g granulated sugar ¾ cup
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 375 g all-purpose flour 3 cups + 2 tablespoons
- 1 pinch of salt
- 350 g fresh blackberries 12.5 oz, Notes 2,3
- whipped cream strained yogurt, ice cream, or crème fraiche to serve, optional
Instructions
- Soften butter: Make sure you take the butter out of the fridge a few hours before baking; the butter must be soft.250 g soft unsalted butter/ 1 cup
- Preheat the oven to 360°F/ 180°C.
- Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract with the mixer until light and fluffy.150 g granulated sugar/ ¾ cup + ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Mix the flour and the salt, add them to the butter mixture, mix with a spoon first, and then with your hands to form the crumbs.375 g all-purpose flour/ 3 cups + 2 tablespoons + 1 pinch of salt
- Bake crumb: Press ¾ of the crumb dough in the pie dish (the bottom of my pie dish has a diameter of 23 cm/ 9 inches), forming a dough edge as well. Bake the crumb crust in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden.If the crumb crust puffs up a little, press it down again with the back of a spoon before you add the berries. But it usually doesn't happen; the pie crust looks just perfect most of the time.
- Prepare berries: While the crumb crust is in the oven, prepare the berries or the fruit. If using berries, wash them briefly and let them dry well on kitchen paper. Pat them dry on top as well. If using fruit, slice or chop the fruit.350 g fresh blackberries/ 12.5 oz
- Top the pie: Take the crumb crust out of the oven. Place the berries or the chopped fruit on top in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining dough on top to form a crumble topping.
- Bake the pie for further 20-25 minutes until the crumble topping is nicely browned.
- Cool: Let the blackberry pie cool down in the form for about 20 minutes, then you can remove it. Removing the pie out of the form works best when using a pie dish with removable bottom.
- Serve the pie lukewarm or at room temperature either as it is or with a dollop of whipped cream, strained yogurt, or crème Fraiche mixed with one or two teaspoons of brown sugar.
Notes
- Measurements: Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it ensures the best results (Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
- Blackberries: Use as many berries as needed to have a rather thick layer of berries in the pie form; it is OK if you have a bit more or less than the required quantity.
- Other berries: You can use other sorts of berries as well, for instance, gooseberries, blueberries, currants, and raspberries. Fruit can be used instead: pitted sweet or sour cherries, chopped or sliced apples, nectarines, peaches, apricots, grapes, mango, etc.
Colleen says
Does this freeze well?
Adina says
Yes. Wrap it well and it should be fine for about 3 month.
Connie says
I made this yesterday with 350g of blackberries and a fresh peach and a half on top. It was the best pie/tart I’ve ever made! We all loved it! I also worried about not putting anything on the fruit, but you don’t need it! I will make this again and again and I can’t wait to try other combinations!
Adina says
I am so happy to read your comment, Connie. Thank you so much for the feedback.
Laurie Lasala-Tuttle says
Thanks so much for this recipe, Adina! I made the blackberry crumble pie today and it is delicious, even more so, served with vanilla ice cream:) Your directions were easy to follow, and the photos complimented the recipe quite well.
Adina says
Hi Laurie. Thank you so much for the feedback, I am happy you liked the pie. 🙂
Bev says
Would you defrost pitted sweet cherries first or put them in frozen?
Adina says
Hi Bev. I would defrost them in a sieve and pat them a little dry with kitchen paper.
Jeanette T says
Adina, I’m a little embarrassed to ask this question but here goes. Three of my daughters co-workers want me to make them a blackberry pie with a crumble top for Thanksgiving. You & I know that blackberries are a summer berry so I was going to use canned blackberry filling. How do you think the canned stuff would fair in your recipe? Would it be too sweet?
I’m going to use fresh blueberries for me personally because your recipe sounds perfect with fresh fruit. Thanks
Adina says
Hi Jeanette, no need to be embarrassed. I suppose canned blackberry filling should work, but I can't say for sure because I never used that. This recipe is developed for fresh fruit and that's what works best, the baking time might need to be adjusted if using something else. Blueberries are great in this recipe. I've also baked this pie with canned and drained fruit (not thickened) like peaches.
Jeanette T says
@Adina, thanks so much
Dianna says
So you do not mix the berries with sugar before placing in the pie shell? I don't know that the berries found locally in the stores are that sweet and we aren't fortunate enough to have wild berries around.
Adina says
Hi Dianna. I don't add sugar to the berries, the crumble is sweet enough.
Grandma B says
@Adina, Living in the PNW our summers are sometimes hit or miss when it comes to warmth. Luckily our woods are loaded with tiny wild blackberries and I always manage to freeze enough berries for at least 2 or 3 winter time pies. That said, to call the berries “tart” would be generous. They are incredibly sour though with enough sugar they make a spectacular pie. A pie that is requested by family members for every gathering. (Don’t get me started on the fact that those who routinely request it also refuse my invitations to “come pick berries with me!”) I would like to simplify things and make this recipe but the lack of sugar makes me think it would be a waste of time, energy and resources. Is there a solution?
Adina says
Hi. You can toss the berries with a little sugar if you need the pie to be sweeter. But you are topping the berries with crumbles as well and they contain sugar. Happy berry picking and baking.
Jennifer McCray says
Do you think adding a touch of brown sugar to the top layer of crumbles would ruin it ?
Adina says
It should be fine. Maybe not too much though, not that it gets too sweet.
Leah says
Great, simple, recipe! Delicious outcome!!
Adina says
Thank you, Leah. So happy to read this! 🙂
sheenam | thetwincookingproject says
oh my! this looks so delicious! definitely trying your recipe. Love the crumb topping.
Allie says
Hi Adina - I so get it. I know just what you mean about moving on from summer and being ok, because you had a great summer. We did too, for the first time in many years. We were able to secure a grant that allows us to hire in some help for Hudson, which allowed the rest of us to do some of the things we haven't done in many years, like boating, etc. Things H can't do but that we love. So I know just what you mean, I am ok moving on, because we have some wonderful memories to draw from. I love your blackberry pie with crumble topping. It is so beautiful and simple, even elegant! I would love this warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I have never seen a pie pan like yours with the removable bottom and fluted edges. I have a tart pan with removable bottom, but is a different shape and definitely not a pie pan. Lovely recipe, thank you.
Adina says
Hi Allie, I am glad you had a nice summer too and that things have gotten easier with Hudson. I should have thought things would be easier regarding care in the US as well, in Germany you are automatically entitled to all kind of help when you have a child with dissabilities, that makes it so much easier for the parents. But it is great that you finally found a way.
Kelly | Foodtasia says
This looks so delicious! Love the crumb topping! And it looks so easy to make. I was eyeing some lovely blackberries in the market - now I know how to use them!
Sissi says
Beautiful pie, Adina! And I love the crumb base! I wish I had neighbours with blackberry bushes... Here blackberries are so expensive, I never use them in pastry...
Anca says
The pie looks very good. I've made a quiche last week and it was so hard to take it out of the baking tray. When my husband saw how upset I was that my quiche didn't look perfect after I got it out, he went online and bought 2 pie trays with loose bottom, so I don't have this problem again. These are amazing, I can't wait to bake another pie or quiche this week, to "test" them.
Why didn't you use baking beans, so the pie doesn't puff up?
Adina says
Your husband is great, is not often that men think of such things. 🙂 I don't really need the beans for this particular crust, I have mentioned the puffing, but it happens very rarely actually, the pie crust is usually just perfect.
angiesrecipes says
Can't resist anything with streusel topping! This looks fantastic.
mjskitchen says
This pie screams blackberry - my favorite berry! So simple and so good! Gorgeous pie Adina!