Delicious Blackberry Crumb Squares, that can be made with fresh or frozen blackberries. These blackberry crumb squares are a great snack or dessert.
These delicious Blackberry Crumb Squares as such a versatile sweet treat for when you’re craving blackberry goodness. You can make these with either fresh or frozen blackberries, which is always great for when fresh blackberries aren’t in season or on sale. Enjoy the squares as they are for a snack or warm them up and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a lovely dessert.
And as a bonus, you can even enjoy this one warm from the oven and serve it “cobbler” style (spoon out for a warm, fruit dessert). This is one of my favourite way to bake with berries. Try it with raspberries or blueberries, too. Enjoy!
Cook’s Notes
While you can make these squares with either fresh or frozen blackberries, do note that there is a significant difference in baking time between the two. Using frozen (cold) berries, really slows down the baking, so frozen berries will need up to an extra 20 minutes in the oven over fresh berries. All the details are in the recipe card.
Change this one up by using raspberries or blueberries instead. Either fresh or frozen. Follow the same baking time recommendations as for blackberries.
As noted above, you can skip the whole “squares” thing and just spoon this one out warm from the oven to enjoy it as a cobbler. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a great warm, fruit dessert.
These squares keep well made ahead. I like to keep them in the fridge and warm from there. They also freeze well.
I have made these with both fresh and frozen berries. While the frozen berries are usually more economical, I find the fresh berry squares are crispier and keep longer, so if you find a sale on fresh blackberries, that would be my choice. You will need 3 of the small plastic containers.
Get the Recipe: Blackberry Crumb Squares
Ingredients
Crust and Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (150 g) white sugar
- 1/8 tsp (0.13 tsp) salt
- 3/4 cup (170.25 g) cold butter, cut into 12 pieces
Filling:
- 2 large (2 large) eggs
- 1 cup (200 g) white sugar
- 1/2 cup (115 ml) sour cream
- 6 Tbsp (88.72 g) all-purpose flour
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp (4.93 ml) vanilla
- 4 cups (576 ml) fresh or frozen blackberries, about 1 lb.
Garnish:
- Icing/Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 7 x 11-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. (Alternately, you can use a 9x9-inch baking pan).
- Add the flour, sugar and salt to a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. With the processor running, add the butter cubes and then switch to pulse and pulse until the mixture is crumb-y, with just small pieces of butter visible. Remove 3/4 cup of the mixture and set aside. Pour the remaining mixture into your prepared pan and press down lightly and evenly.
- Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven, leaving oven on. Allow to cool 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling by whisking together the eggs, sugar, sour cream, flour, salt and vanilla in a medium bowl. Once crust has cooled 10 minutes, pour filling overtop of the crust. Scatter the blackberries evenly overtop. Top with the reserved crumb mixture, scattering it here and there, but allowing some of the blackberries to peek out.
- Bake in preheated oven until set and lightly golden. For fresh blackberries, this can be as little as 35-40 minutes. For frozen blackberries, this can be as much as 55-60 minutes. Also, if you are using a 9x9-inch pan, the squares will be slightly thinner, so may cook a little more quickly.
- Remove from oven. You can enjoy "cobbler style" right from the oven or allow to cool completely then cut into squares. Store in the fridge once cooled, but tastes best at room temperature or warmed lightly. These also freeze well.
More Blackberry Recipes from Seasons and Suppers
I have many bags of fresh frozen blackberries in the freezer and wanted to try something new. Five stars from my hubby (he loved it) and three stars from me (too sweet for personal preference). I always follow a recipe as written the first time but I didn’t add the topping sugar after cooking. In a 9×9 pan with frozen berries, it took about 1 hr and 15 min. I’d recommend the 11 x 7 pan as written and would probably cook at 375 to brown more quickly if I was to make it again. I think a larger surface area and higher heat would have been better for squares. Loved the easy food processor method for the crumb. Thanks for the recipe.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much :)
Do you use unsalted or salted butter?
You can go either way here, Tarra. If you use salted, keep the salt as is. If you want to use unsalted butter, maybe add a pinch more salt.
Absolutely delicious, my hubby loved these and so did the grandchildren, they didn’t last long. Thank you
So glad to hear, Dawn :) Thanks!
Made these this afternoon – very pleased to find the metric toggle. Had to force myself to wait until they had cooled down then had to have three pieces to make sure they were ok!!! Absolutely gorgeous. Used frozen blackberries and they took an hour and five minutes to bake. Where the juice oozed out, it went all jammy. I’ll be rolling out of the door when this lockdown has finished. Can’t recommend them highly enough.
Thanks for the recipe Jennifer.
So glad you enjoyed it, Jan and yes, we’ll all be rolling out the door :) Thanks!
I made these in a foil rectangular pan and froze them. I defrosted them for ladies night and everyone went nuts over them. So many asked for the recipe. thanks for a delicious recipe. I might try this with blueberries sometime.
So glad to hear, Anne! Thanks so much :)
Gorgeous squares, I love all those pretty blackberries!
Thanks Laura!
Blackberries are the ultimate summer berry. This looks absolutely amazing and am dying to try it!
Thanks Cindy :)
I love blackberries Jennifer! They don’t get as much attention as blueberries and strawberries, but I find them equally as delicious! Gotta get these on my baking list!
I do too, Mary Ann! Thanks :)
I love berries in anything so these sweet squares are calling my name right now! They look delicious Jennifer!
Thanks Dawn :)
I love anything having to do with blackberries! This looks scrumptious! The perfect dessert!
Thanks Annie :)
I crave blackberry goodness more often than it is reasonable, lol! Love this easy, scrumptious recipe and will definitely put it to work soon with all the fresh berries coming out!
Lol! Me, too :) Thanks Milena!
I actually have a couple pints of fresh blackberries in my refrigerator right now, so this recipe is calling my name!! I’m obsessed with crumb desserts, and these little squares are giving me all the summer feels!! Cant wait to try them! Cheers!
Thanks Cheyanne :)
I think I’d go for the hot ‘cobbler style’ straight from the oven, yum!
It is great that way, for sure :)
I’m ready for blackberries and these lovely little squares! I spend a good part of the day shooing all the birds off our blackberry bushes. The berries are big and red and as soon as one turns black, the birds gobble them up! Anyway – these look like the perfect way to enjoy the summers best blackberries. Happy weekend!
Thanks Tricia and happy weekend to you, too :)
I love how easy and versatile this recipe is. A perfect summer dessert!
Thanks Chris :)