This Blackberry Crisp recipe is the perfect simple summer dessert. It’s got a buttery oat topping and juicy blackberry filling that goes amazing with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of whipped cream.
Usually I bake this crisp in a single large baking dish because it makes things super quick and easy. But for something like a dinner party, you can also bake in individual ramekins. If you are looking for more crisp recipes, you will also love this Caramel Apple Crisp, Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, and Berry Crisp with oat crumble topping.
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Best Blackberry Crisp Recipe
What better way to celebrate summer fruits than with easy and delicious berry crisps? This recipe for Blackberry Crisp has a buttery oat and brown sugar topping that pairs perfectly with the tart and sweet blackberry filling. The addition of fresh lemon juice keeps the berry filling balanced and not overly sweet.
I love to serve this recipe for Blackberry Crisp family-style either in a baking dish or large cast iron skillet. But if you want to make individual portions you can bake them in small ceramic or glass ramekins - just keep in mind they will take less time to bake.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Blackberries - frozen blackberries work great for this recipe since they will be cooked with their juices in the oven. Do not thaw them ahead of time. If you have a fresh blackberry surplus and want to use them instead you will need about 8 cups. Gently wash in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Cornstarch - this helps to thicken the berry mixture and keep the crisp topping from getting too soggy. If you don’t have cornstarch you could use flour instead.
- Sugar - this recipe calls for regular granulated sugar for the fruit filling. You could substitute a little honey if you’d like.
- Lemon Juice - fresh lemon juice balances out the flavors, but it also helps to set the natural pectins in the blackberries which keeps the filling nice and thick.
- Butter - room temperature butter works great for making the crisp topping. If you use salted butter just reduce the additional salt slightly.
- Flour - all-purpose flour works great.
- Brown Sugar - I prefer light brown sugar for this recipe but you can use dark brown sugar if you prefer the flavor.
- Spices - I like to use a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg for this Blackberry Crisp recipe. You could substitute other baking spices such as cardamom or cloves.
- Salt - sea salt works great.
- Oats - be sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking oats because they will give the crumb topping a slightly chewy texture. Avoid steel-cut oats!
How to Make the Best Blackberry Crisp
- Make the blackberry mixture. In a large mixing bowl combine the blackberries, cornstarch, sugar, and lemon juice. Toss to evenly coat the blackberries. Transfer the blackberry mixture to a 9" x 9" baking dish, or a 10" cast iron skillet.
- Make the oat crumble topping. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the softened butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and oats. Mix on low speed until the mixture forms about ½" chunks.
- Add the crumb topping. Using your fingers, sprinkle the oat topping evenly over the blackberry mixture.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the mixture is bubbly.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and serve warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Choose the best blackberries you can find: Perhaps a little obvious, but still worth noting! To ensure a flavorful and juicy blackberry crisp, select either fresh blackberries or frozen depending on which have a better flavor at that moment.
- Taste while you cook. Blackberries can vary in sweetness, so taste a few before proceeding. If they are tart, consider adding a bit more sugar to the filling to balance the flavors.
- Don't skip the lemon juice. Lemon really balances out and brightens the flavors of fruit so don't forget to add it. Just like with the sugar, you may want to add a bit more depending on how sweet the berries are so be sure to taste the filling and adjust accordingly.
- Season the berrie. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg over the blackberry filling to add a subtle hint of flavor.
- Serve with ice cream. The coolness and creaminess of the ice cream will contrast with the warm crisp and create the most dreamy combination of flavors and textures.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can store it at room temperature, but it's best to store in the fridge. This helps prevent the topping from getting soggy. You can store it at room temperature covered with aluminum foil for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
The best way to keep your crumb topping from getting soggy is to add cornstarch to the blackberry mixture. This helps absorb some of the extra moisture, allowing the topping to stay nice and crisp.
While both cobblers and crisps involve baked fruit filling, the difference is in the topping. Crisps usually have an oat crumble topping while cobblers have a topping that more resembles sweet biscuits.
If you want to make your Blackberry Crisp without oats, you can try substituting an equal amount of almond flour.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Room Temperature: cover any leftover Blackberry Crisp with aluminum foil and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: you can also cover and refrigerate your crisp for up to 5 days.
- To reheat: you can microwave a small portion or reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
- Freezing: if you want to freeze, I recommend freezing the oat topping and fruit mixture separately in airtight containers for up to 2 months. When you want to bake your crisp, pull from the freezer and transfer to a baking dish before baking as directed.
Blackberry Crisp Recipe
Ingredients
Blackberry Mixture
- 6 cups Frozen Blackberries or about 8 cups fresh blackberries
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- ⅓ cup Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Oat Crumble Topping
- 8 Tablespoons Butter room temperature
- ½ cup All-Purpose Flour
- ⅔ cup Light Brown Sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¾ cup Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
Instructions
For the Blackberry Mixture
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the frozen blackberries and sprinkle the cornstarch and sugar over the top. Add the lemon juice and then toss to evenly coat the blackberries.
- Transfer the blackberry mixture to a 9" x 9" baking dish, or a 10" cast iron skillet.
For the Oat Topping
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the softened butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and oats. Mix on low speed until the mixture forms about ½" chunks.
- Using your fingers, sprinkle the oat topping evenly over the blackberry mixture.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the mixture is bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More of the Best Summer Dessert Recipes
- Strawberry Shortcake
- American Flag Brownies
- Lemon Oreos
- Creamy Lemon Bars
- Blackberry Pie
- Best Fruit Pizza
- Lemon Bars
- Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake
- Strawberry Cream Pie
- Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Cake
- Lemon Raspberry Parfait
- More Desserts
- More Summer Recipes
This easy Blackberry Crisp recipe is the perfect summertime dessert. It's made with a crisp buttery oat topping and filled with juicy blackberries.
Katie
Very yummy! The crust turned out crumbly, crisp, and delicious. I personally would have liked the berries to be a little sweeter, so next time I’ll just add more sugar to my berries. However, I do think topping the crisp with vanilla ice cream made the dessert much sweeter overall!
Jill Baird
Thanks for the feedback! So glad it came out okay! Vanilla ice cream on top of warm crisp sounds incredible!