There are a lot of things I’ve been behind the trends with, and I’m ok with that. Skinny jeans (it took me a good two years to feel comfortable wearing them, which is funny now because they can actually be very flattering), a top knot (my mom got me one of those cool bunmaker things and if I’m wearing my hair in a bun, you can guess with 100% accuracy that I haven’t washed it) and the whole mason jar thing.
There’s something endearing about being served a drink in a jar. It feels rustic and trendy, while uniquely showcasing the beverage inside.
(Lemon thyme spritzer from Cody’s in La Jolla)
Now a dessert in a mason jar… that’s a whole new level, friends.
When we celebrated Mother’s Day, madre, nana, Liv and I went to Ventana for our favorite Sunday brunch. While I tend to get the same things for the meal portion (jalapeño cornbread, grilled salmon, salad, eggs), I always like to switch it up for dessert. They usually have a fantastic trifle, chocolate mousse, fondue (Livi goes crazy for chocolate-covered strawberries), and little tarts, cookies and brûlées to choose from. Then, on Sunday, I saw something totally new: berry crumble in a jar. I definitely snatched up one of those bad boys.
Berry Crumble Dessert in a Mason Jar
Immediately, I knew that it would be an awesome dessert to make at home, especially when we have dinner company. The best part about the crumble is that there are TWO layers of crumbly goodness: one on top, and one as a lovely surprise in the middle. You can also make it in advance, so all you have to do the night of the party is bake then top with ice cream.
I decided to surprise the Pilot with a random Tuesday night dessert to go with our wine.
Hope you love it, too!
Mixed Berry Crumble in a Jar

Scale
Ingredients
- 1/2 C old-fashioned oats (gluten-free friends, use gluten-free oats)
- 1/2 C almond meal
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar or Sucanat
- 2 tablespoons butter (or vegan butter substitute), cold and chopped into small pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries
- 1 t sugar (can use a small amount Stevia or Xylitol instead)
- juice of half a lemon + 1/2 t lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 and spray two mason jars with nonstick spray. (I used the pint-sized jars, but if you use larger or small, adjust the recipe accordingly. This is one of those beautiful things where you don’t have to be super precisel; you can easily use ratios you prefer.)
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, almond meal, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and sea salt. Using a fork, smash in the butter until the butter is crumbled into the mixture. Set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the berries, sugar, lemon juice and zest.
- Layer 1/4 of the berry mixture into each jar, top with 1/4 of the crumble mixture. Add the rest of the berry mixture to each jar and top with the remaining crumble.
- (I can’t wait to try this with the Very Cherry Berry Blend from Trader Joe’s. We had frozen strawberries on hand, and they were rather lovely, but the pieces were large)
- Bake at 350 for 35 minutes, until browned, bubbly and glorious.
- Enjoy as is, or top with a scoop of ice cream and a sprig of fresh mint!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
This recipe can easily be doubled.. tripled… if you have extra crumble mixture, freeze it and enjoy with ice cream, on a smoothie or with oatmeal!
What’s your favorite thing to enjoy from a mason jar?
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