Berry crumble is a simple, gluten-free dessert, made with fresh fruit and a crumbly oat topping. Two recipes for berry crumble are here for you – peach-blueberry and mixed berries.
Peach-Blueberry Crumble
Have you ever wondered the difference between a fruit crumble and a fruit crisp? A crisp is “short dough”, made with butter and flour, while a crumble uses oatmeal in place of the flour. Since we eat mostly gluten free, a crumble suits us perfectly when we have a craving for pie and just a bit of extra fruit. A crumble is also much easier and faster to make than a pie.
I’d like to say the our one peach tree yields tons of fruit, but truthfully, between the squirrels and the birds, we’re lucky if we get a half dozen a week during the season. It’s the same with our blackberry brambles, even though I cover them with netting, I just get a couple of handfuls a week, not counting the ones I eat when while I’m watering. Yesterday I picked 5 ripe peaches and small bowl of blackberries.
I used all the berries in my fridge and in the end, decided to make two versions of berry crumble.
I made Peach-Blueberry and Mixed Berry Crumble. Not quite enough for a pie, but just the perfect amount to fit in a few small ramekins. The basic recipe for the fruit mixture is pretty easy, sweeten the fruit and add a touch of lemon juice for a bright flavor. Some recipes call for thickening the fruit slightly with flour, but since I wanted these to be wheat free, I used almond flour for one and a bit of cornstarch for the other. I substituted honey for the sugar in the Peach-Blueberry fruit mixture, since I prefer less sweet desserts.
Taste your fruit mixture and decide for yourself, depending on the ripeness of the fruit, whether to add more honey or sugar. I usually add some type of nut for crunch. This time I added sliced almonds, but walnuts or pecans would taste just as good. Don’t worry about exact amounts, and try different combinations of fruit and spices. Top with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.
Here’s the recipe for the topping you’ll need for your berry crumble:
- For crumble (makes enough for one pie or 12 small ramekins.
- 2 cups rolled oats regular, not steel-cut. Make sure oats are certified gluten free if it's a concern.
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 sticks cold butter cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse oats, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon.
- Add butter and pulse on and off until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Mix in sliced almonds by hand.
- Makes enough crumble mixture to top one pie or approximately 12 ramekins.
- Top ramekins or pie with crumble, bake at 350 degrees F. for 40-45 or until top is crisp and golden brown and filling is bubbly.
For the Peach-Blueberry crumble, I used about 2 pounds of peaches, which is about 5-6, and a heaping cup of blueberries. The Mixed Berry Crumbles were made with four cups of raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.
Mixed Berry Crumble
I hope you enjoy your berry crumble!
- Peach-Blueberry
- 2 pounds firm ripe peaches, about 5 or 6, peeled and sliced
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 heaping cup of blueberries
- Mixed Berry
- 4 cups assorted berries washed
- 1/3 cup organic sugar or more to taste
- Zest and juice of one lemon
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Peach-Blueberry
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Peel peaches, by immersing them in boiling water for one minute, then plunging them into cold water. The skins will come off easily.
- Chop or slice peaches into large chunks.
- Toss peaches with honey, almond flour, lemon zest and juice.
- Add blueberries.
- Let sit for a few minutes. Fill ramekins. Top with crumble mixture. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40-45 minutes, or until crumble is golden brown and filling is bubbly.
- Makes 6 ramekins
- Mixed Berry
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix berries with sugar, corn starch, zest and juice in a large bowl to combine. Let sit for a few minutes until juices begin to run.
- Fill ramekins. Top with crumble mixture. Place on baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes or until crumble is golden brown and filling is hot and bubbly.
- Makes 6 ramekins
Mr. & Mrs. P says
What a lovely crumble!!! Well take ours warm with ice cream please!!!
Cynthia says
That’s how I had mine!….er, should I say, my two!
Jovina Coughlin says
Looks very appetizing.
Cynthia says
the best part Jovina, is that they are so much easier and faster than a regular pie!
Amy says
This looks divine!
Thank you for sharing!
Cynthia says
Thank you Amy!