Winter Berry Crumble with Oats (Printable Version)

Golden-topped mixed winter berries with crunchy oat and almond crumble topping

# What You Need:

→ Berry Filling

01 - 1.3 pounds mixed frozen winter berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, redcurrants)
02 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

→ Oat Crumble Topping

06 - 1 cup rolled oats
07 - 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
09 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
10 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - Pinch of salt

# How-To:

01 - Set oven to 350°F and position rack in center.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine berries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Gently toss until evenly coated and transfer to an 8-inch baking dish.
03 - In a separate bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, almonds, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold butter and work into dry ingredients with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Evenly scatter oat crumble over berry filling.
05 - Bake for 35 minutes until topping is golden brown and berry filling is bubbling around edges.
06 - Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Best enjoyed warm with vanilla ice cream or custard.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The crumble topping stays perfectly crunchy even the next day, thanks to the almonds and that proper rubbing-in technique with cold butter
  • Frozen berries work just as beautifully as fresh ones, meaning you can make this year-round without hunting down expensive out-of-season fruit
02 -
  • The butter absolutely must be cold, not softened or room temperature, or you'll end up with a flat, sandy topping instead of those gorgeous crunchy crumbles
  • Don't be alarmed if the berry mixture seems quite thick before baking, the cornstarch needs that heat to activate and thicken the juices properly
03 -
  • For extra golden spots, sprinkle a tablespoon of coarse sugar over the crumble topping right before baking, it creates this beautiful crackly, caramelised crust
  • If using fresh summer berries, reduce the sugar to about 60g since they're naturally sweeter than frozen winter ones

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