This berry crisp recipe is a crowd-pleasing summer treat. Bursting with a trio of juicy berries and topped with a golden, crumbly graham cracker oat crust, this crisp is simple to make and effortless to adapt.
Our recipe features strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, though you can easily customize this dessert and turn it into your favorite summer fruit recipe with anything in season. Think blackberries, marionberries and even stone fruit. Use frozen fruit, and you can serve a taste of summer any time of year.
Like most crisps, cobblers and crumbles, the fruit is pretty interchangeable; the topping is what’s different. A cobbler recipe has a biscuit-like topping, whereas a crisp has a streusel-like topping.
For the ultimate indulgence, serve the berry crisp warm, straight from the oven, accompanied by a dollop of whipped cream, Greek yogurt or a scoop of homemade ice cream. If you’re making the crisp ahead of time, prepare the fruit filling and topping, and assemble the crisp just before baking.
Berry Crisp Ingredients
- Berries: For this crisp, use a mix of fresh raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. Good-quality frozen berries work great, too. There is no need to thaw frozen berries first. For strawberries, make sure they’re sliced.
- Sugars: Berries are flavorful on their own, but a bit of granulated sugar adds a touch of sweetness and helps the fruit release its juices. Brown sugar is tossed in to add a more caramel-y flavor to the crisp.
- All-purpose flour: A smidge of flour helps thicken the berry filling and hold the crisp mixture together once baked.
- Oil and butter: Canola oil and butter add richness and bind the crisp ingredients together. Unsalted butter is fine since most graham crackers already contain some salt. You could swap in shortening or coconut oil, but it will alter the flavor.
- Crushed graham crackers: When paired with the oats, graham crackers give the crisp a sweet, biscuit-like texture. A food processor or blender can easily turn graham crackers into crumbs. Alternatively, you can put them in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them until they crumble completely.
- Quick-cooking oats: Oats are the key to creating the perfect crisp topping. Look for old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats in the cereal or baking aisle.
- Ground cinnamon: A dash of ground cinnamon infuses each bite with a delightful warmth and depth of flavor.
- Sliced almonds: The addition of sliced almonds into the topping gives it a bit of crunch and nutty flavor.
Directions
Step 1: Make the berry filling
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine the berries, sugar and 2 tablespoons flour. Transfer the mixture to an 11×7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Step 2: Make the crisp
In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, oats, brown sugar, almonds, cinnamon and remaining flour. Stir in the oil, butter and water until moistened.
Sprinkle the mixture over the berries.
Step 3: Bake and serve
Bake the crisp until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: Place a baking sheet on a separate rack under the crisp to catch any drips or oozes.
Berry Crisp Variations
- Top with chocolate: Sprinkle chocolate chips over the crumble layer before baking for a gooey, chocolaty topping as it bakes.
- Squeeze some citrus: A little lemon zest grated into the berries or a splash of orange or lemon juice will add a bright, citrusy flavor.
- Enhance with herbs: Add a small amount of finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme to the berry mixture for a savory twist that pairs well with the sweetness.
- Make it fruitier: Combine berries with diced apples or chopped rhubarb for a sweet and tart flavor combination that adds a bit of texture variety.
How to Store Berry Crisp
Allow the crisp to completely cool to room temperature, then cover the pan with storage wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Store the berry crisp in the fridge for up to four days.
Can you freeze berry crisp?
You can make this berry crisp ahead of time and freeze it for up to one month. When ready to serve, fully defrost it in the fridge before popping it back into the oven at 350° to reheat it.
Berry Crisp Tips
Can you use frozen berries for a fruit crisp?
Yes, you can use frozen berries for a fruit crisp. Good-quality frozen fruit has all the nutrients of fresh fruit, and you don’t need to thaw it first. Just mix the frozen berries with the dry ingredients according to the recipe. That way, you’ll get a fresh berry crisp even in the cold winter months.
How do you make berry crisp gluten-free?
When converting recipes to a gluten-free version, you need to change the flour in the crisp and the filling. Use your favorite gluten-free flour mix for the crisp, cup for cup. For the filling, simply mix the fruit without the flour. Or substitute another thickener option like 1/3 cup rice flour, a tablespoon or two of cornstarch or arrowroot powder, or a couple teaspoons of tapioca flour.
How do you thicken the filling in berry crisp?
If the fruit mix is especially juicy, add a tablespoon of cornstarch. Like a pie thickener, the starch will soak up the excess liquid and consolidate it. No cornstarch? Use a tablespoon of all-purpose flour.
