Mixed Berry Crisp
This cast iron mixed berry crisp is the perfect quick dessert! You can easily sub out the fruit for whatever you have on hand for a delicious after-dinner treat!
Easy Mixed Berry Crisp Recipe
I am a HUGE fan of dessert. Occasionally I have to force myself to not default to having dessert every night, but most nights, I have to finish my evening with a little dessert.
I love this mixed berry skillet because it's just sweet enough to satisfy my summer dessert craving, but doesn't weigh me down or fill me with too much sugar!
Fresh mixed berries are the epitome of summer and they bake up so well in this easy dessert recipe. And with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, it's even more dreamy.
This recipe is similar to my Mixed Berry Cobbler because it uses a similar filling, but with a crunchy oat topping that's more like my Apple Crisp.
August 2022 update: I originally shared this recipe on A Savory Feast as a cast-iron skillet dessert, but I updated the recipe and photos this summer to show it can be made in a casserole dish. You can do either!
August 2024 update: I'm back with another update. I took new photos of this recipe to show you more of the step-by-step process.
Why you'll love this recipe
This mixed berry crisp is the perfect dessert for summertime. I think you'll love it because...
- You can use your favorite juicy berries. Cherries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries — take your pick!
- Made with simple ingredients, it's light, crisp and not too sugary at all. The berries do all the work!
- It bakes up in under an hour. Yay for not being hands-on in the hot kitchen all day!
- Everyone loves it — it's perfect for summer get-togethers.
It's a great recipe for Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day or any other summer gathering you have on your docket.
What’s The Difference Between A Cobbler And Crisp?
A fruit cobbler is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of biscuits or dough on top. You can make all kinds of cobblers all year long. This peach cobbler is one of my summertime faves.
A fruit crisp has a similar fruit filling, but has a crunchy topping. This peach raspberry crisp has a brown sugar and oat topping and is a great example of a classic crisp.
There’s also the berry crumble, which has another type of crumb topping, usually a streusel topping made without oats.
Ingredients
To make this mixed berry crisp, here's what you'll need to grab at the supermarket.
For the berry filling:
- strawberries
- blueberries
- raspberries
- all-purpose flour
- vanilla extract
- sugar — Sugar is totally optional. If you’d rather, you can use alternative sweeteners as well like coconut sugar or maple syrup.
For the crumble topping:
- unsalted butter — It's fine to use vegan butter as a substitute.
- all-purpose flour — Almond flour can also work.
- brown sugar
- rolled oats
Berries for a mixed berry crisp
Fresh or frozen berries can be used. If you can get your berries from the farmers market, it will be even better! If you do use frozen fruit, don't thaw it first — cook it from frozen.
You can use just about any type of berry in this recipe. You can also add other fruit like peaches or apples. I recommend choosing 3-4 types of fruit to give it a true "mixed" berry feel.
A few types of berries to consider:
- cherries (pitted)
- strawberries
- blueberries
- raspberries
- blackberries
- boysenberries
- gooseberries
The best type of oats for a crisp
It’s important to use the right kind of oats with this fall apple crisp recipe with an oat topping.
Old-fashioned oats, AKA rolled oats, are flat and flakey oats that have been rolled. They absorb more water and are the absolute best in most baking recipes like this apple crisp or these blueberry oatmeal muffins.
Steel-cut oats will also work. With steel-cut oats, the crisp’s texture will be quite a bit chewier than regular oats.
You will want to stay away from instant oats and quick-cooking oats. These do not lend the same structure to baked goods as regular oats do.
In general, oats add a wholesome element to your apple crisp. They are whole grain and a good source of fiber.
How to Make a Mixed Berry Crisp
Here's how to make this mixed berry crumble, step by step!
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
In a bowl or right in the baking dish, add berries, sugar, flour and vanilla. Toss to coat. Add it to the baking dish and bake for 12 minutes, until mixture is hot and bubbly.
Meanwhile, make the crisp topping with the dry ingredients. Add flour, brown sugar and oats to a medium bowl. Melt ½ cup butter.
Pour butter over flour, brown sugar and oats and stir to combine using a fork. Break up larger chunks into small, course crumbs of oat mixture.
Pour mixture over berries. Bake for 35 minutes until berries are soft and bubbly and the topping is golden brown and crisp.
Let the crisp cool, then serve with ice cream or whipped cream!
Tips For Success
I love making this fall apple crisp recipe in my 8×8-inch ceramic baking dish because you get thicker layers of apples and crisp topping.
You can use a 9×13-inch ceramic baking dish too, but it will be a little thinner. This can be great though if you need to squeeze out a couple more servings.
Feel free to use a metal or glass baking dish if you prefer. A cast-iron skillet will also work well — I do this sometimes!
My favorite thing to serve any dessert with is vanilla ice cream. It has such a nostalgic feeling to me! But my second favorite is a big scoop of homemade whipped cream.
FAQ
I like to make this in an 8x8-inch baking dish or 9x13-inch dish. It can be glass or ceramic. I've also made this in a cast iron skillet. The cast iron gets hotter, so it can get the bottom a little more crispy and caramelized, so it may not need as much time.
This is a mixed berry crisp, so you can use whatever you have! In total, you will need about 4 cups of berries. I use sliced strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, but blackberries are also great. You can even throw in peaches or (pitted) cherries.
Absolutely. However, they don't need to thaw. Mix them up frozen and bake right away.
More Summer Desserts
Mixed Berry Crisp
Equipment
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 cups strawberries hulled and sliced
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup raspberries
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons sugar optional
Crisp Topping
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup rolled oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray a square 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl (or right in the baking dish), add berries, sugar, flour and vanilla. Toss to coat. Bake for 12 minutes, until mixture is hot and bubbly. Meanwhile, make the topping.
- Add flour, brown sugar and oats to a medium bowl.
- Melt ½ cup butter. Pour butter over flour, brown sugar and oats and stir to combine using a fork. Break up larger chunks into small, course crumbs of oat mixture.
- Pour mixture over berries. Bake for 35 minutes until berries are soft and bubbly and the topping is brown and crisp.
- Let the crisp cool, then serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
