As summer is fading into fall, there are still beautiful blackberries gracing the hills and roadsides here on Whidbey Island. I still have them ripening up in my garden…. and am still battling the chipmunks to see who can get the most! The chipmunks and squirrels are so busy gathering whatever they can for their winter stash. They are so cute and fun to watch, but such a detriment of my garden and berry patch! They even are eating the leaves off of my Brussel sprout plants! But…. I digress. To make use of the last of the summer berries, it seemed fitting to make a Blackberry Crumble Pie.

Blackberry Crumble Pie sitting on dark counter

Slice of Blackberry Crumble Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream

A Crumble Pie is a fun cross between pie and cobbler, and when you can’t decide on which to bake, why not both in combination? This Blackberry Crumble Pie is has a flaky, buttery crust at its base and is filled with juicy blackberry filling, which has a hint of cinnamon and a touch of lemon to add freshness. The whole thing is topped off with a crumble topping that adds a nice crunch to each bite. It is the perfect pie to celebrate the last of the summer berry season. Be sure to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to add to the loveliness.

Another use of these late summer treasures, would be an Old Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler. This recipe is unique in the sense that the batter goes on the bottom of the pan, and as it is cooking, oozes its way up through the berries, to the top. Quite lovely. https://northwestfrench.com/old-fashioned-blackberry-cobbler-recipe-easy-traditional/

You can use fresh or frozen berries to make this gem. If you don’t have access to quality berries (fresh or frozen), I recommend ordering from Northwest Wild Foods. They are a great local company that has quality products from right here in the PNW. Here is their link (if you click through and order, I will get a small commission, at no extra charge to you). https://nwwildfoods.com?sca_ref=9552109.f8susya3ZW8K

Ingredients

Pie Crust (enough for bottom crust of 9" pie plate)

1¼ Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Lard
1/4 Cup Butter, very cold
1-2 tsp Water, very cold

Blackberry Pie Filling

6 Cups Blackberries, fresh or frozen
1⅛ Cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 Cup Corn Starch
1/3 Cup Water
1/2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 Tbsp Lemon Zest
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt

Crumble Topping

3 Tbsp Butter, melted
1/2 Cup Flour
1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt

Instructions

Blackberry Filling

Combine the Blackberries, Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice, Cinnamon, Sugar, and Salt in a large saucepan.
Combine the Corn Starch and Water in small bowl. Set aside.
Stir on low-medium heat until the blackberries release their juices, about 7-8 minutes. Once the mixture has reached this juicy state, turn heat up to medium and let it come to a boil, taking care to stir regularly, making sure the fruit doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Once boiling, add the Water/Cornstarch mixture. Stir in completely. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy.
Remove from heat. Set aside to cool.

Pastry Crust

Combine the Flour, Sugar, and Salt in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
Add the Lard and Very Cold Butter. I like to "shave" the butter into the bowl with a knife, so it is in thin, small pieces. Taking a spoon, press the Lard and Butter around the bowl and separate into coated pieces. At this point, you can use a pastry blender, or simply use your fingers, to "cut" the fat into the flour mixture. Continue until there is an appearance of coarse sand, with a few "pea-sized" bits.
Add Very Cold Water, one teaspoon at a time. Combine with your hands until it comes together and forms into a shaggy dough. The dough should hold together when pressed with your hands, but shouldn't be wet or sticky. At this point, you can form it into a ball.
Turn out onto a section of flour-covered parchment paper. Roll to roughly a 12"-13" circle large enough to fill your pie plate, with a bit of dough flipping over the edges.
Transfer to pie plate. Roll the excess dough underneath itself and then flute the edges with your fingers. Place in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the pie.

Crumble Topping

Melt the Butter, and let it cool room temperature.
Add Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Cinnamon, and Salt to the Butter. Combine to form a coarse crumb.
As crumb mixture sits, it will stiffen up and easily crumble with your fingers. Pop it in the fridge for a few minutes if it is too soft.

Assembling

Take your pie crust out of the fridge and spoon your cooled blackberry filling into the crust.
Crumble the topping over the berries.
Bake at 425℉ for 15 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce heat to 375℉ and continue baking for another 40-45 minutes, until the filling is bubbling. If crust is browning too quickly, you can loosely cover it with foil.
Cool completely before serving, as the filling will continue to thicken as it cools.

Blackberry Crumble Pie – A Tasty Combination of Blackberry Pie & Cobbler