A fruit crisp is the perfect summer dessert. A great make-ahead, either fully cooked or ready to be baked. And you can use up all that summer fruit you bought at the farmers' market!
Check out this crisp topping post for an alternate approach to the crunchy oat mixture that layers on to the fruit.
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Why you’ll love this recipe!
In my house, summer starts when we bake our first fresh fruit crisp. I'll make a crisp in the fall or winter or spring - with apples and dried fruit or off-season fruit. But in the summer, they are nothing short of fantastic.
I used to justify making crisps as a way to avoid making pie dough. I've overcome my fear of pie dough but still love to make these simple baked fruit desserts. Mix up the filling, make some topping (extra if you're smart) and all that's left is the baking. It's just quicker than pie making. Not better or worse, just quicker.
This fruit crisp recipe is also ideal for a last minute summer gathering when you want a gorgeous dessert without spending too much time in the kitchen.
Ingredients you’ll need
Fruit crisps are basically pie filling covered in a crunchy topping, usually consisting of oatmeal, sugar, and butter with the possible addition of nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg or whatever spice tickles your taste buds.
Crisp topping is easy to assemble, can be made in large batches and kept on hand for your next overzealous purchase of yummy summer fruit.
Crisp topping
- Oats: I'm referring to regular oats, not quick cooking. They cook up nicely with good texture. Quick cooking will get mushy.
- Butter: I use unsalted but salted could work here as well but you might want to leave out the added salt in the recipe, in that case.
- Brown sugar: Dark or light will both work. For an alternative sweetener, see my other crisp topping recipe.
- Cinnamon: Flavor this as you prefer - I also suggest possible additions of cardamom or nutmeg. This doesn't change the topping's cooking process, just adds nice flavor to highlight the fruit you use.
Fruit filling
- Fruit: I call for fresh fruit but frozen will also work. Sometimes frozen will have a little more liquid but I have used both separately and combined with good results.
- Flour: Helps the filling thicken as it cooks. You could also use some cornstarch.
- Lemon juice and zest: No lemons? Try limes! I use meyer lemons which are slightly less tart.
- Sugar: Adjust to your taste buds and the sweetness of the fruit. I like to let the fruit shine as much as possible when it's fresh by not over-sweetening it.
How to make this recipe
Crisp topping
1. You can prepare the topping in a stand mixer or by hand. I generally just dig in with my hands. Put all the topping ingredients in a bowl, put on a disposable kitchen glove (or not) and mix it all together until the butter combines with the other ingredients. You should end up with little pebble-shaped pieces.
Crisp filling
2. The photo below shows the fruit filling in a bowl. BUT my pro-tip is: put all filling ingredients directly into the 8X8 pan or 9X13 pan to save yourself a bowl! Mix well.
Another option is to make individual portions in ramekins in which case I would mix the filling in a big bowl and spoon it into the ramekins.
3. Top the fruit filling with the oat mixture.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes. It will bubble vigorously when nearly done. Let the crisp cool for a bit before serving. Just like a pie, the filling will firm up, making it easier to serve.
Check out my fruit crisp recipe story for a visual guide to making this recipe.
Expert Tips and FAQs
- Make extra topping and freeze it for later. It's always a happy site to find it in the freezer and realize you are a step closer to getting a great dessert on the table.
- Have fun with the fruit combinations. A fruit crisp recipe is the perfect way to finish off different bits of fruit you have waiting in the fruit basket or drawer.
- Try adding some nuts to the topping - it adds another layer of flavor and crunch!
- Another flavor addition could be vanilla extract or a splash of your favorite liqueur.
- If you use nectarines or peaches, you can remove the skin but I don't. If you want to, just make an X at the bottom of the piece of fruit, submerge for 10 seconds in boiling water. Drop it in some ice water to cool it down and then the skin comes off easily.
Not much! The topping on a fruit crisp is well, crispier and crunchier as it includes oats and sometimes nuts. A crumble, on the other hand, has a streusel-style topping without oats or nuts.
This oatmeal topping is also great for muffins or quick breads as an added touch on top. Or make a fruit pie and use this as the streusel topping instead of a second piece of pie dough!
The fruit combinations for this fruit crisp recipe are endless. I usually use whatever I have that is either about to get too soft or is in abundance. Use one kind of fruit or mix and match. Some of my favorite combinations include:
>nectarines and blackberries and raspberries
>all berries
>apricot, strawberry and peach
>strawberry and rhubarb
>for the fall - add some dried fruit to apples such as apple and cranberry, apple and raisin or apple and dried cherries
How to serve a baked fruit crisp
If you are like us, you'll want a scoop of ice cream and/or a dollop of whipped cream on your fruit crisp. A slightly cooled crisp will hold those toppings more comfortably.
If you're feeling really ambitious, break out the mixer and make some no-churn ice cream. Jenni from the blog Pastry Chef Online taught me this super easy method of ice cream making. If I can do it, you can too!
We love this fruit crisp recipe so much that even when the crisp summer nights are actually hot summer evenings, we'll still bake a crisp. The payoff is worth the hot oven. Besides, heat makes your fruit ripen that much quicker. You’ll need to use that fresh fruit up before it is overripe ...
Supplies for making a fruit crisp
The most important tools for making a good fruit crisp are a sturdy mixing bowl to make the topping, a nice rectangular baking dish, square baking dish or individual ramekins for the crisp itself. And in my opinion, a good ice cream scoop for that ice cream topper!
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The Best Fruit Crisp Recipe
Ingredients
Topping
- 4 tablespoons butter ½ stick, cubed
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup rolled oats can also use nuts chopped fine or a combination
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg or cardamom optional
Filling
- 6 cups fresh fruit chopped if necessary (perfect for 8X8 crisp – use 8 cups for 9 X 13 pan)
- 2 tablespoons flour or 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- Zest of ½ medium lemon
- Juice of ½ medium lemon
- ¼ cup sugar – adjust depending on natural sweetness of fruit
Instructions
- Using your fingers or the paddle attachment of a mixer to combine the butter, brown sugar, oats, flour, salt, and cinnamon so that each piece is coated and you have a coarse, crumbly mixture.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put all filling ingredients - fruit, flour, lemon juice, zest and sugar - directly into the 8X8 pan or 9X13. Then top with the oat mixture.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes. Depending on the fruit you use, the time can vary a bit – I always check at 30 minutes. When the filling is bubbling vigorously, it is ready. Take it out and let it cool a bit before serving. We always enjoy it with vanilla ice cream melting over the top. Whipped cream is excellent as well. Or just eat it as it is – it is like a bite of summer for dessert.
Notes
- This makes enough topping for one 8X8 crisp but I like to double this recipe, even triple or quadruple and have enough topping for another crisp or two.
- Have fun with the fruit combinations. This is a great recipe to help you finish off different bits of fruit you have waiting in the fruit basket or drawer.
- Try adding some nuts to the topping - it adds another layer of flavor and crunch!
- Another flavor addition could be vanilla extract or a splash of your favorite liqueur.
- If you use nectarines or peaches, you can remove the skin but I don't. If you want to, just make an X at the bottom of the piece of fruit, submerge for 10 seconds in boiling water. Drop it in some ice water to cool it down and then the skin comes off easily.
Nutrition
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ellen
If I was to make this crisp in individual ramekins, how long should I bake it for? Thank you.
Beth Lee
Hi Ellen - So my ramekins are about 3" across - just for reference. I would take a look at them at 20 minutes and see how they are doing. They are done when they are bubbling pretty vigorously. I would say the longest it would take is 30 minutes and it will probably be 20 - 25. Thanks for asking - I'll be sure to add some information about ramekin cooking time to the post. And let me know how they turn out!
Laura
Fruit crisps are my ultimate favorite dessert! Leftovers make for a yummy breakfast, too! LOL!
Beth Lee
Ummm ... EXACTLY! I mean pie is breakfast right? So why wouldn't a crisp be breakfast too!