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Emelia Jackson’s blueberry cookies with a crumble topping you can put on anything

Already mastered the classic chocolate chip cookie? Step things up a notch with this fresh seasonal bake.

Emelia Jackson

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Emelia Jackson’s blueberry crumble cookies.
Emelia Jackson’s blueberry crumble cookies.PHOTO: Armelle Habib STYLING: Lee Blaylock

These cookies are a fun riff on the classic chocolate chip cookie. Starting with a similar base recipe, we replace the chocolate chips with fresh (or frozen!) blueberries for a seasonal cookie.

They’re finished with a crumble topping for added extra texture and interest. It’s a simple technique you can apply to all sorts of bakes – I’ve shared some of my favourite ideas below. Be sure to read through to the end for more pro-tips.

Technique of the month: Crumble topping

Crumble – a simple combination of flour, butter and sugar, rubbed together and crisped atop your favourite bakes – is such an easy way to step things up a notch. Take this crumble and use it wherever your heart desires: layered over seasonal fruit and baked for an easy crumble, sprinkled on top of muffins and cakes before baking for a textural crunch, baked off as is and used to garnish yoghurt, ice-cream or smoothies or even to use between cake layers. You can add anything you like to the crumble, too – oats, coconut and spices are all good places to start.

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Ingredients

  • 210g plain flour

  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

  • ½ tsp baking powder

  • ¼ tsp sea salt flakes

  • 160g unsalted butter, softened

  • 125g brown sugar

  • 100g caster sugar

  • 1 egg, at room temperature

  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste

  • zest of 1 lemon

  • 170g (1 punnet) fresh blueberries

Crumble topping

  • 110g plain flour

  • 50g caster sugar

  • 45g brown sugar

  • 70g unsalted butter, softened

  • pinch of salt

Method

  1. Step 1

    Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder in a bowl. Give these dry ingredients a good whisk and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter, both sugars, egg, vanilla and lemon zest.

  3. Step 3

    Add in all of the dry ingredients and mix together until just combined before gently stirring through the blueberries.

  4. Step 4

    For the crumble topping, combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl and using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour and sugars.

  5. Step 5

    To bake, preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional). Line a baking tray with baking paper (or use a silicone baking mat) and place 6 x 50g balls of dough on each tray. These will spread so give them space to do their thing. Bake for 10 minutes then place a little of the crumble topping on top of each cookie. Return to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes or until they are caramelised around the edges while still soft and blonde towards the centre.

  6. Step 6

    Allow to cool on the trays for 15 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack.

Tips

  • Make sure you cream the butter and sugar in the cookie for long enough – this will lighten the dough and make it easier to incorporate those delicate fresh blueberries.
  • To bring the egg up to room temperature quickly before using it, submerge in a cup of warm tap water for 2-3 minutes. Taking the chill off the egg will ensure you don’t curdle the butter and sugar base.
  • Simply rubbing the crumble topping together with your fingertips will see different-sized pieces of butter incorporated throughout. This will result in some crunchier pieces of crumble and some pieces that are sandier – a textural delight!
  • To get perfectly round cookies, take a large ring cutter or cup and run it around each cookie while it is still hot from the oven.

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