This is an epically simple, epically delicious summer dessert. I make a big batch of these pecan shortbread crumbles and keep them in a tupperware in the freezer to sprinkle over ice cream or berries for an absolutely delicious, quick, impressive dessert in a pinch.
You can use any nut you like in the shortbread crumble, but I love pecans here. You can also use absolutely any fruit, but blackberries are kind of unexpected, and soak up that bourbon-vanilla “marinade” so nicely. Yum.
Store bought ice cream makes the whole dessert tie together simply and perfectly on a hot summer night!
I’m not going to provide a serving size, because this recipe really serves as many as you need it to! You can use a smaller amount of berries with big scoops of ice cream to serve a larger crowd, or use a lot of berries for each serving if just serving a few. You’ll definitely have leftover crumble, keep it in the freezer, you’ll be so happy to have it!
Juicy Marinated Berries with Ice Cream and Pecan Shortbread Crumble
Equipment
- 2 large bowls
- 1 rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
Boozy Bourbon Blackberries
- 1 pound blackberries
- 1 tbsp sugar
- tbsp bourbon
Pecan Shortbread Crumble
- ½ cup (60 g) pecans (whole, halves, or pieces all work) (whole, halves, or pieces all work)
- 1¼ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
- Heaping 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp cardamom or cinnamon Optional
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
For serving
- Vanilla or salted caramel ice cream (or whipped cream!)
Substitutions
- Blackberries—> any fruit! Peaches, strawberries, etc!
- Sugar—> honey, coconut sugar, brown sugar.
- Bourbon—> omit, or use any whiskey or rye!
- Pecans—> absolutely any nut or seed works.
- AP flour—> any alternative flour will work here, since we don’t need any really science-y things to happen here. Almond flour will work, but will be much more crumbly.
- Sugar in the crumble—> we need a granulated sugar here (honey and maple syrup won’t work). Brown or coconut will.
- Unsalted butter—> vegan butter alternatives will work here! Coconut oil might, but I haven’t tested it.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss 1 pound blackberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 tablespoon bourbon together in a medium bowl and refrigerate until ready to eat, at least 30 minutes but up to 24 hours.
- Finely chop 1/2 cup pecans and use a fork to stir them into a large bowl with 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or cardamom.
- Stir 1/2 cup of cubed butter into the nut mixture until pea-sized clumps form. It’s ok if there are still parts that are very sandy and loose. Get in there with your fingers, it’s easier.
- Spread crumble over the parchment-lined baking sheet and bake, stirring halfway through, until light golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove immediately if it starts to brown around the edges, we are NOT looking for browning here! Transfer the parchment paper to a cool countertop or cooling rack to let it cool.
- Scoop the fruit into bowls. Scoop ice cream over top and sprinkle crumble over everything.
- Keep leftover crumble in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Boozy Bourbon Blackberries
- 1 pound blackberries
- 1 tbsp sugar
- tbsp bourbon
Pecan Shortbread Crumble
- ½ cup (60 g) pecans (whole, halves, or pieces all work) (whole, halves, or pieces all work)
- 1¼ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
- Heaping 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp cardamom or cinnamon Optional
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
For serving
- Vanilla or salted caramel ice cream (or whipped cream!)
Substitutions
- Blackberries—> any fruit! Peaches, strawberries, etc!
- Sugar—> honey, coconut sugar, brown sugar.
- Bourbon—> omit, or use any whiskey or rye!
- Pecans—> absolutely any nut or seed works.
- AP flour—> any alternative flour will work here, since we don’t need any really science-y things to happen here. Almond flour will work, but will be much more crumbly.
- Sugar in the crumble—> we need a granulated sugar here (honey and maple syrup won’t work). Brown or coconut will.
- Unsalted butter—> vegan butter alternatives will work here! Coconut oil might, but I haven’t tested it.
