Fresh blackberry crisp made with just-picked blackberries from the farm ~ the best summer dessert, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, of course!
I absolutely love fresh summer berries, and local ones are the best — bright, juicy and full of flavor. A nearby farm lets you pick your own blackberries, and these were the biggest, plumpest berries I’ve seen. They practically begged to be baked into dessert.
What’s the difference between a crisp and a cobbler?
Last year I used these blackberries in a blackberry-peach cobbler; this time I chose a crisp. Both are wonderful, but they differ in their toppings: cobblers use a biscuit-like dough while crisps have a streusel-style topping. I was craving buttery, crunchy streusel, so a crisp won out this summer.
For the filling I simply tossed the blackberries with a bit of sugar — adjust the amount depending on how tart your berries are — and a lemon juice and cornstarch slurry to help thicken the juices. I also add a touch of vanilla and a little lemon zest for brightness. The fruit then goes into a baking dish and waits for the topping.
The streusel is easy: flour, brown and granulated sugars, a pinch of salt, warm spices (cinnamon and a bit of nutmeg), old-fashioned oats, and butter. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. For the crispiest result, cover the berries with half the topping, bake, then sprinkle the remaining topping on and return it to the oven so the top turns golden and crisp without becoming soggy.
Summer blackberries are ideal for a crisp. My partner claims he doesn’t like blackberries — until he tried this. He kept going back for more with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, and I had to playfully stop him from taking thirds. Serve this warm with ice cream or whipped cream for the ultimate summer treat.
Fresh Blackberry Crisp
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Pinch kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 8 tablespoons slightly softened unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 6 cups fresh blackberries, washed
- 2 tablespoons sugar (or more, if really tart, up to ⅓ cup)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Zest from half lemon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Make the topping: In a medium bowl combine flour, both sugars, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the butter pieces and rub with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and holds together when pinched. Stir in the oats. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare the fruit: In a small dish combine lemon juice and cornstarch until dissolved. Gently toss blackberries with the sugar, lemon-cornstarch slurry, lemon zest and vanilla. Pour the fruit into a 9″ x 13″ or similar baking dish.
- Top the fruit evenly with half of the topping (keep the rest refrigerated) and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining topping and bake another 25 minutes, until the topping is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly. Let cool 20 to 30 minutes and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Notes
Adapted with inspiration from Fine Cooking. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and reheat gently before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
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