Blueberry Strawberry Crisp

When I need a quick dessert for a gathering a crisp is my go-to recipe. This Blueberry Strawberry Crisp is patriotic inspired. With its red strawberries, blue blueberries, and white whipped cream on top it’s perfect for summer celebrations. But is certainly worth eating year-round!  

My Mom’s cobblers are things of legend. She doesn’t make them often, but when she does we all gather together and enjoy them. I only occasionally make her cobbler recipe. Partly because I’m about the only person in my house who likes baked fruit desserts (tragic, I know). And partly because they are fairly time consuming.

While many cobbler recipes have a biscuit or cake type crust, my Mom’s recipe uses pie crust. (Technically this may not make them cobblers. The name cobbler comes because the top is supposed to look ‘cobbled’ together. My Mom’s cobblers definitely don’t look like that.) Because that particular dessert is so good I insist on making the pie crusts from scratch. It also takes a full hour in the oven to bake. None of these things equal a ‘quick’ dessert.

So when I want a quick baked fruit dessert I go for a crisp. I believe some people also call them crumbles. Whatever you call it, it hits the spot when you need a quick dessert. And people find them fairly impressive. I always get people asking for a recipe when I bring them to an event. And then they get really excited when they find out how easy it is to make.

The greatest thing about this dessert is that it is really fool-proof. No batter, no dough, nothing to rise, everything is literally dumped into a dish and popped into the oven.

The topping is fairly versatile. I tend to use flour, brown sugar (but you could use granulated sugar), some spices, oatmeal, and vanilla. Then once those are mixed together you add in the butter.

I did something a little different with my oats this time. Rather than using quick cooking oats or rolled oats I used ground oats from some baby cereal that I had. I’ve also seen people add in sliced almonds for some crunch. Whatever you have on hand and strikes your fancy.

Fruit on the bottom, crumb mixture on top. It all goes in to the oven and gets hot and bubbly. It’s delicious just as it is, but also pairs well with some whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The vanilla ice cream is perfect for when the pie is hot out of the oven. I prefer whipped topping when I’m eating it later. Or go crazy and put both on your plate with the crisp. The more the merrier, right?

Blueberry Strawberry Crisp

Ingredients

• 3 cups blueberries and halved strawberries (combined)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup ground oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup butter
• whipping cream or vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 2 quart glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• Pour fruit into baking dish.
• Add sugar and stir to coat.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
• Add vanilla.
• Cut in butter using a party blender or 2 butter knives. (If using two knives, cut through mixture in opposite directions.) Combine until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
• Sprinkle mixture over fruit.
• Bake for 35 minutes.
• Serve with whipped cream or ice cream (optional).

 

Looking for more berry recipes? Try my Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake and Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake.