Top 15 blackberry recipe ideas
If you have a late-summer or autumn glut, you'll want to check out these blackberry recipes, including vibrant desserts, salads, snacks and drinks.
One of the first signs of autumn, this sweet but pleasantly sharp fruit can lend itself to comforting puddings and stews, or light and refreshing salads and ice lollies. If you're wondering what to do with blackberries, we have some ideas for you.
If you have any leftovers, the berries can easily be frozen or made into jams, pickles or compotes to preserve them.
Make the most of local gardens and hedgerows for foraging with our tips on how to pick and cook blackberries. As well as their delicious flavour, these juicy berries also have a range of benefits, which you can read about in our guide: health benefits of blackberries.
For more ideas on what to do with this seasonal fruit, see our blackberry recipes.
Out best ever blackberry ideas:
1. Blackberry cake
Make the most of your foraged berries in a showstopping layer cake, complete with piped cream topping. This beautiful bake combines blackberries with citrussy orange zest and marmalade in the sponge, topping and drizzle. Or serve our brilliantly boozy blackberry baba with spiced cream for a grown-up centrepiece. Looking for a simpler bake? Try our easy blackberry and apple loaf cake or whip up a batch of fluffy blackberry muffins and enjoy as a mid-morning snack.
Blackberry & orange cake
Blackberry & apple loaf
Blackberry meringue cake
Blackberry victoria sponge
Blackberry baba with spiced cream
Blackberry muffins
Check out our collection of autumn cake recipes for more brilliant bakes.
2. Blackberry cocktails
We can’t think of a better use for blackberries than a homemade tipple. Mix up a rich and fruity liqueur with red wine and vodka or a vibrant blackberry gin. We’re all for toasting the end of summer with a kir royale or two. Or try a classic bramble cocktail with crème de mure and gin.
Blackberry gin
Bramble cocktails
Blackberry mint julep
Blackberry gin fizz
Blackberry crème de mûre
Blackberry vodka
Kir royale
Browse our autumn drinks recipes for more seasonal sips.
3. Frozen blackberry treats
With blackberries appearing while the weather is still quite summery, we’re seeing them showcased more and more in cooling treats.
Blackberry & lemon fool
Blackberry & apple frozen yogurt cake
Cider & blackberry ice pops
Mango, lime & blackberry bombe
4. Autumnal salads
Add a punch to salads with a handful of jewel-like blackberries – they pair perfectly with creamy and salty cheeses like feta or goat’s cheese and add a refreshing hit to cold game.
Blackberry, beetroot & goat’s cheese salad
Pigeon & hedgerow salad
Sautéed liver & apple salad with blackberry dressing
Tuck into more hearty autumn salad recipes.
5. Blackberry crumble
As the chilly nights draw in, we can't think of anything more comforting than a steaming bowl of crumble soaked in custard. Blackberries work especially well in this pud combined with other autumnal fruits such as apples, pears and plums. Go for a traditional crumble mix or jazz it up with warming spices such as cinnamon and star anise. We also love augmenting the crumble topping with nuts, seeds and dried fruit for extra texture.
Apple & blackberry crumble
Pear & blackberry crumble with bay leaf custard
Spiced plum & blackberry crumble
Blackberry & hazelnut crumble flapjack
Treat yourselves to more comforting crumble recipes.
6. Blackberry compote
Whether you want to drizzle it on a creamy rice pudding, layer it between French toast or top it on warm apple scones, blackberry compote makes for the perfect autumnal treat.
Spiced rice pudding with blackberry compote
Blackberry compote
Apple scones with blackberry compote
Poor knights of Windsor with blackberry compote
7. Blackberry traybakes
We can’t get enough of super-simple traybakes for showcasing our favourite seasonal fruit. Perfect for making with kids, our fruity blackberry and almond cake slices are delicious for afternoon tea or serve with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Also try our variations with coconut, apples and marshmallow.
Jammy blackberry & almond crumble
Blackberry & coconut squares
Blackberry & apple mallow traybake
Blackcurrant coconut slices
Blackberry bakewell squares
8. Blackberry cheesecake
Ideal for feeding a crowd, this cheesecake with hazelnuts and blackberries is made in the slow cooker. The creamy filling pairs perfectly with the tart berry topping. Got no time? Our berry cheesecake in a glass makes a quick cheat.
Slow cooker muscovado cheesecake with hazelnuts & blackberries
Lemon cheesecake with baked plums & blackberries
Berry cheesecake in a glass
9. Blackberry jam
We’ll never get tired of the aroma of bubbling, freshly picked fruit. Our blackberry jam can be boiled down into jars in minutes, so there’s no excuse for letting a single berry go to waste.
Blackberry jam
Apple & blackberry jam
Blackberry jelly
Jumbleberry jam
10. Blackberry tarts
Nothing signals the start of autumn like a pie or tart bursting with juicy blackberries. Our rustic harvest fruit tart makes the ideal seasonal pudding if you're having friends over for dinner.
Rustic harvest fruit tart
Pear & blackberry crostata
Farmhouse blackberry & apple pie
11. Blackberry doughnuts
Looking for a fun weekend baking project? These fluffy doughnuts are well worth the effort and utterly delicious filled with tangy blackberry jam. Transform this fruity bake into a decadent dessert by serving with a fragrant homemade bay leaf custard.
12. Blackberry pavlovas
Try something a little different for dessert with these dainty pavlovas. We've incorporated whole berries into an aromatic bay-infused compote, served over decadent dark chocolate meringue and blackberry rippled cream. Allow the vibrant scarlet juices to spill out over the swirling chocolate meringues and you'll have a plate that is both beautiful to look at and devour.
Mini dark chocolate, blackberry & bay pavlovas
13. Blackberry baked oats
Chilly mornings are made so much better with a warming bowl of baked oats. This healthy version combines heart-healthy oats with warming spices, crunchy pecans and fruity pockets of blackberries and apples. And if that's not enough to get you out of bed, it's also high in fibre and delivers one of your five-a-day!
14. Blackberry marshmallows
Homemade, luxury marshmallows are taking the food world by storm, but our favourite has to be these pillowy soft bramble marshmallows. Easy to make, we love the contrast between the sharp fruits and sweet mallows, plus they make a great gift, too.
Bramble marshmallows
How to make marshmallows video
15. Blackberry smoothies
Blackberries have one of the highest antioxidants levels of all fruit, providing the perfect start to your morning. Ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg give this blackberry & beetroot smoothie a warm kick. Or, get ahead by whipping up some blackberry smoothie cubes.
Blackberry & beetroot smoothie
Frozen blackberry smoothie
Breakfast smoothie
Smoothie cubes
Looking for more autumnal inspiration? You might enjoy...
Autumn baking projects for kids
Top 10 autumn recipes
Easy sloe gin cocktail recipes
Top 10 ways to serve figs
Top 20 pumpkin recipes
Autumn storecupboard essentials
Have you got ingenious ideas for using up blackberries? Let us know below...
