I’m delighted to present to you ‘What to make with Blackberries‘ a collection of Blackberry recipes. You’ll find Blackberry Desserts; Jams, Jellies & Preserves; Cakes & Bakes; Drinks & Cocktails and even a savoury recipe all using blackberries. There is bound to be a blackberry recipe you want to make.
When I see blackberries ripen in the hedgerow around our farm, I’m out there picking them right away without a thought of what to make.
It’s only when I get home that I think about what I’m going to do with my haul. This is the ideal resource to find the perfect recipe.
What are Blackberries?
Blackberries are the fruit of a usually prickly bush which is part of the rose family. Each individual blackberry, when ripe, is made up of 20-50 single seeds known as drupelets that are small, juice-filled, and a deep purplish-black when ripe.
Are Brambles the same as Blackberries?
In Scotland blackberries are known as brambles, the terms can be used interchangeably. Sometimes the long, prickly arching stems are referred to as the brambles and the fruit the blackberries. Whatever you call them, they are absolutely delicious!
Where can I find Blackberries?
Foraged Blackberries
Wild blackberries grow in all kinds of places. You will find them growing over ruined buildings, at the edges of woodlands, in parks, and in hedgerows. I even have them invading my garden!
Cultivated Blackberries
You can buy cultivated blackberries at markets, in supermarkets and green grocer’s shops. You can also grow the cultivated varieties in your garden. One of the advantages of cultivated blackberries is that you can get thornless varieties.
How to pick Blackberries
If you’ve never picked wild blackberries or brambles, then here are a few tips to help you with your foraging and avoid disappointment.
- Blackberries are at their best towards the latter half of summer, peaking in August and early September.
- You will find blackberries in woods, hedges, roadside verges, and possibly even your garden.
- Do not trespass on private property, always ask if you see blackberries in an area that looks private.
- Don’t pick blackberries close to a busy road as the berries will be covered in pollution from exhaust fumes.
- Pick only berries that are fully black and shiny. Mature berries are plump yet firm, a deep black colour, and pull free from the plant without a yank. Berries do not ripen after being picked.
- Once you pick each berry check the core (see photo above) it should be white and not discoloured. If it is brown then the berry is past its best and should go into the compost.
- Pick blackberries during the cooler parts of the day. Once picked, place berries in the shade and refrigerate as soon as possible
- Once you get your berries home, pour them out into trays or baking trays in a single layer and remove any soft or unripe berries and random leaves.
- Don’t wash the berries until you are ready to use them or freeze them. Washing makes them more prone to spoiling.
What to make with Blackberries – 30 Delicious Recipes
Let’s make Blackberry Desserts
I love dessert and the sweet and sharp taste of blackberries makes an ideal vehicle for lots of different dessert recipes. The apple is the natural seasonal partner for blackberries but blackberries also combine beautifully with mint, cinnamon, and lemon.
Blackberry & Apple Crumble
Blackberries, apples, and sugar, topped with a crumble mixture of butter rubbed into flour, rolled oats and more sugar. The perfect comfort food when served with custard.
Blackberry & Apple Trifle
A classic Scottish trifle made with layers of cake, delicious blackberry and apple compote, topped with custard and whipped cream, a real feast of a dessert.
Blackberry & Apple Hand Pies
Individual fruit pies made easy by using ready-made puff pastry. These little pies make a delicious dessert served warm or take them on a picnic for the perfect end to your meal.
Blackberry Parfait
Blackberry parfait is a delicious dessert, perfect for serving at a Summer dinner party when these soft berries are at their best.
Blackberry Sorbet
A light and fresh sorbet is just about perfect to serve as a simple dessert or simply to cool you down on a hot August day.
Blackberry Coconut Chocolate Nobble Cheesecake
This cheesecake contains three different coconut ingredients to create a delicious dessert.
Easy Blackberry & Apple Sorbet with a hint of Thyme
This sorbet is an adaption of a classic blackberry & apple compote, the thyme adds another dimension to the sorbet.
Double Blackberry Chocolate Galette
This rustic blackberry tart has a hidden layer of chocolate blackberry jam to give added depth and sweetness, doesn’t that sound amazing?
Let’s make Blackberry Jams, Jellies, and preserves
Blackberries are ideal to use to make all kinds of preserves. I’ve included recipes that use the whole blackberry with the seeds and also some with no seeds.
To make blackberry preserves with seeds, I would recommend using cultivated blackberries as there are fewer seeds and they are less hard.
Blackberry & Apple Jelly
Blackberry & Apple Jelly is a classic country jelly that is still popular because it’s just so good! I’ve been making it for many years and it is perfect to use foraged blackberries.
Spiced Blackberry Jam
Spiced Blackberry Jam has an intense and deliciously spicy flavour. The dark berries combine beautifully with the spices and create something a little different. You can leave the berries whole or crush and sieve them to make a seedless jam.
Blackberry Curd
You may be familiar with Lemon Curd, well this Blackberry Curd is made with a similar technique. Definitely different and well worth making.
Easy Blackberry & Apple Jam
Easy Blackberry and Apple Jam by Fab Food 4 All. A delicious recipe using the classic combination of apples and blackberries, it tastes all the better for foraging for your own blackberries.
Let’s make Blackberry Cakes & Bakes
Add juicy blackberries to your cakes and bakes for great flavour and a touch of dramatic colour too.
Peach and Blackberry Meringue Slice
Peach and Blackberry Meringue Slice is a soft traybake style cake filled with pieces of seasonal fruit and topped with a thin layer of crisp meringue. The contrasting flavours and textures make it a really delicious cake.
Quick and Easy Fig, Blackberry and Almond Tart
Quick & Easy Fig, Blackberry & Almond Tart is a super simple dessert that combines big fruit flavours with frangipane on a puff pastry base.
Blackberry & Pear Cupcakes
These sweet little cupcakes are filled with Blackberry and Pear Jam, then topped with Mascarpone & White Chocolate Frosting, topped with a blackberry and drizzled with a seasonal fruit coulis – oh my!
Blackberry Brownies
You can’t beat gorgeous chocolate brownies but I’ve never thought of adding blackberries. The two flavours work so well together that they areally are a must try.
Maple Cinnamon Glaze Plum & Blackberry Sticky Buns
I do love a sticky bun and these ones include many of my favourite flavours with plenty of sticky glaze too.
Blackberry & Ginger Cake
What a delicious Autumn cake! It is filled with mixed spice and ginger and fresh blackberries and decorated with blackberries and fresh figs.
Blackberry & Lime Cupcakes
I love how lime is used to really enhance the flavour of the blackberries in thes Blackberry & Lime Cupcakes.
Blackberry & Apple Spelt Soda Bread
Choclette suggests this soda bread is served with soup. I like the idea of serving a semi-sweet bread with soup, I think that would work really well with something like Beetroot & Black Cumin Soup.
Blackberry Upside Down Cake
Doesn’t that Blackberry Upside Down Cake look amazing? The rich reds of the blackberries are really stunning in this simple dessert.
Let’s make Blackberry Drinks and Cocktails
Blackberries on their own and blackberries combined with different fruits and flavours make the most delicious drinks. Here are a few for you to try.
Blackberry & Vanilla Cordial
Make Blackberry and Vanilla Cordial with fresh or frozen blackberries. It makes a refreshing drink with still or sparkling water or add dry wine, prosecco, and make your own cocktails.
Hedgerow Vodka
Hedgerow Vodka has to be the easiest of drinks to make, you just need a little patience. Blackberries, rosehips, hawthorn berries and sloes are gathered from the hedgerow, then combined with vodka and sugar. The finished liqueur has a rich spicy flavour, not too sweet and with a bit of an edge.
Purple Stag Blackberry Cocktail
Purple Stag Cocktail by Tinned Tomatoes is a glorious cocktail featuring blackberries, berry tea, and blackcurrant jam!
Blackberry Smoothie
This Blackberry Smoothie makes a delightful start to the day or an anytime healthy and filling snack.
Let’s make a savoury recipe with Blackberries
There aren’t many savoury recipes using blackberries and I think that is something I’ll need to remedy when the blackberry season comes around again.
Camilla Hawkins says
Oh my, what a delicious selection of blackberry recipes. I want to try each and every one of them! Thank you for adding my preserves:-)
Janice Pattie says
Thanks, Camilla. Let’s hope we have a good crop of blackberries and can get cracking on some of these recipes.
Choclette says
Perfect, just what’s needed in time for blackberry season. I’ve picked the odd tart one, but I reckon it won’t be long now before I can go foraging for a proper haul. So many gorgeous ideas here.
Janice Pattie says
Ours are not nearly ready, but it looks like a big crop. Thanks for letting me include your recipe.
Kavey says
Love your picking tips, really useful to pass on. Great selection of tastiness too!
Janice Pattie says
Thank you, Kavey. I’m often asked how you know whether blackberries ar ripe and if they are good to eat, so I thought I would include that in the post.
Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist says
This is brilliant. What an amazing collection of recipes. No excuse for not getting out and foraging… there’s inspiration for everyone here.
Thanks for including my recipes too xxxx
Janice Pattie says
Thank you, yes it’s lovely to have so many recipes in one place. Great to have your gluten free recipes to share, thanks.
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Wow! si many great recipes to choose from here I feel honoured to have some included. Its looking like a bumper crop this year what with the mixture of warmth and rain so I shall certainly be maing some of them.
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Jacqui, yes I’m hoping for a good crop so I can try some of these recipes too.
Christina Conte says
Now I want to jump on a plane to come back to the UK! No blackberries in LA (except for paying a fortune in a store for less than fresh berries) 🙁 I love this comprehensive list of recipes, the photos make me want to just start baking and cooking!
Janice Pattie says
I know, I torment you with rhubarb and blackberries. Definitely, time for you to come over again to get a fix of these yummy fruits.
Claire Thomas says
Every single one of these sounds delicious. But I must admit, the chutney really caught my eye. I am hoping to find more blackberries at work this year – we are off the main road, no public throughfair so I was lucky last year!
Helen @ family-friends-food.com says
What a terrific selection of recipes. I’ve had half an eye on the hedgerows for a while but we aren’t quite there yet… I’ll keep this bookmarked for when the first delicious blackberries appear!
Janice Pattie says
Thank you, Helen. I’m the same, keeping hedgerow watch ?
Sisley says
What an amazing range of recipes! I love blackberries so I will definitely be making a few of them.
Janice Pattie says
Thanks, Sisley. Let me know what you make.
Elizabeth says
What a gorgeous recipe collection! I have such fond memories of picking blackberries where I grew up in Canada (except for the wasp stings!). My mum used to make the best jam with them.
Janice Pattie says
Thank you. I’m glad it brough back good memories for you it was a big part of my childhood too.