A simple fruit dessert featuring fresh blackberries and a crunchy crumble topping. It takes little work to assemble and can be on the table in an hour. Frozen berries are also good, so make this dessert year-round.
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My apple blackberry crumble inspired this recipe, but I added oats to the topping. That makes it crunchier and less floury.
Excellent served with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of sweet whipped cream.
We're fans of blackberry desserts and can vouch for this easy blackberry crisp, with its crunchy topping and juicy blackberries in the filling. A great recipe for Summer months when fresh fruit abounds and we can get hold of sweet blackberries.
Fruit crisp vs. crumble
The difference is in the addition of oats or not to the buttery topping.
Crisp: the top layer contains oats and thus is crunchier, like the cherry crisp recipe.
Crumble: the topping has no oats and's more floury, like the blueberry crumble.
Whether you call it a crumble or a crisp, we all know what dessert we're talking about. But that is also up for discussion. So let's wing it, shall we?
With so many recipes online and a wide variety of languages, the names are used interchangeably.
Ingredients
- Blackberries: fresh berries are always our first choice, but frozen can be used when not in season.
- Citrus: both lemon zest and lemon juice are used. If you want sweetness, you can use orange zest. It pairs very well (blackberry muffin loaf, anyone?).
- Flour: all-purpose or cake flour, both work.
- Oats: they give crunch to the top layer. I use old-fashioned rolled oats (traditional oats) because they have more texture, but you can use instant or quick-cooking oats.
- Sugar: the recipe uses both granulated white sugar and brown sugar. You can use only one type if that's all you have.
- Unsalted butter.
See the recipe card at the end of this post for quantities.
How to make a blackberry crisp
Preparing the berries: if using fresh fruit, wash them; no need to dry them. If using frozen blackberries, use them straight from the freezer.
For the topping: combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and add melted butter.
Mix with a spoon, spatula, or fork until moistened and clumpy. It will be floury.
For the fruit layer: spread blackberries in the baking dish, sprinkle with cornstarch or flour, citrus zest, and drizzle lemon juice.
Sprinkle the reserved crumble on top of the fruit. It will not cover it completely, and that is fine.
Vintage Kitchen tip: for a crunchier topping, place the crumble in the freezer while you prepare the blackberry layer.
Baking
- What dish to use: fruit desserts like this are served directly from the pan, so choose a nice baking dish you like to showcase on the table. For me, porcelain or ceramic baking dishes are the best (I'm using my favorite Emile Henry small ceramic rectangular dish). Still, a glass baking dish or a cast-iron skillet can be used for this dessert. Different materials conduct heat differently, so keep that in mind.
- When is a fruit crisp done? The top will turn golden brown, and the juices will bubble up. Bake it at the temperature specified in the recipe card.
Variations
- Nuts: add chopped nuts to the crumble mixture for a crunchier topping. I like to add sliced almonds or chopped pecans sometimes.
- Gluten-free: use GF flours and ground nuts mix instead of flour and oats. We have a gluten-free cherry crisp recipe here.
- Flavorings: add a touch of ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, or almond extract (a few drops) to the blackberry mixture.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. Use a thermometer inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that the temperature is right. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Thickeners: I'm used to cornstarch, but flour can be used to thicken the fruit juices that form during baking. The amounts are given in the recipe card.
- Citrus: lemon is the most common, but you might find the lemon zest too sharp. Use orange zest with lemon juice. It's a great combination with blackberries.
- Storing: leftovers should be refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap, or in an airtight container.
- Freezing: this blackberry crisp recipe can be frozen for a month at different stages, always well wrapped. I use plastic wrap and foil.
Before baking: Don't defrost but bake directly from the freezer.
After it's baked: warm in a medium oven (350°F/180°C) before eating or let it come to room temperature.
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Easy Blackberry Crisp with Oats
Ingredients
For the fruit layer:
- 2 pounds fresh or frozen blackberries
- 3 tablespoons flour or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest, optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the crisp topping:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Have ready an 11x8-inch ceramic baking dish.
For the blackberries:
- Wash them if using fresh ones. Use directly from the freezer if using frozen berries.
- Scatter in the baking dish.
- Drizzle with the juice (and zest if using), brown sugar, cornstarch or flour.
- Mix lightly in the dish with a spoon. Reserve.
For the crisp topping:
- Combine the flour, oats, and white sugar in a large bowl.
- Pour in the melted butter and stir to combine. No need to beat. It will be floury.
- You can add lemon or orange zest to the crumble if you want to.
- Top the blackberries with this mixture. It will cover the surface irregularly, and the edges will not have much. That's fine.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, until dry, golden, and the fruit is bubbly.
- Let cool on a wire rack until warm, and eat with some whipped cream or big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Store leftovers (covered) in the refrigerator for a few days and warm before eating.
Notes
Before baking: Don't defrost but bake directly from the freezer.
After it's baked: warm in a medium oven (350°F/180°C) before eating or let it come to room temperature.
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