Mixed Berry Crisp (Fresh or Frozen Berries)

Made with fresh or frozen berries and a maple-sweetened oat crumble, this berry crisp bakes up jammy and golden with no refined sugar. It comes together in 10-minutes of hands-on time and works year-round!

My Favorite Triple Berry Crisp with a Maple Oat Crumble

Berry crisp is hands down my favorite summer dessert, and the reason this version has been on my blog since 2015 is because it’s so simple and so EASY! The maple oat crumble bakes up crisp and golden, the berries turn jammy and bubbling, and the whole thing is naturally gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free; which means I can serve it to just about anyone without thinking twice. It really is the kind of dessert I make on autopilot all summer long, then keep making well into fall and winter with a bag of frozen mixed berries.

The one thing worth knowing is that the berry filling is going to release a lot of juice as it bakes, which is exactly what you want for that jammy, spoonable texture. A tablespoon of cornstarch tossed into the berries baking helps thickens the juices just enough without changing the flavor. Letting the crisp rest for 15-minutes after it comes out of the oven is the other piece of the puzzle, since the filling keeps setting up as it cools.

This recipe is endlessly adaptable, which is part of why I love it! Any combination of berries works as long as you stick to roughly 8 cups total, and I have made it with everything from strawberry-rhubarb to foraged wineberries over the years. And when I want a fall version with the same vibes, my healthier old-fashioned apple crisp carries the same maple oat crumble into apple season. And if you have leftover crisp, my slow cooker apples make a great companion fruit topping for yogurt or oatmeal too. YUM!

Robyn’s Testing Tips for Triple Berry Crisp

• I like to thaw frozen berries fully and drain off the extra liquid before they go in the dish; when I tested with frozen berries straight from the freezer, the crisp came out a bit more watery even with the cornstarch.
• Don’t skip the lemon juice, since when I tested without it the berries tasted muted and the colors came out a little dull; the acid is what makes the berry flavor pop and keeps the filling vibrant!
• I make my own oat flour by blending whole rolled oats in a high-speed blender until finely ground, which is cheaper than store-bought and works just as well; use certified gluten free oats if that matters to you.
• This is one of the few desserts I happily eat for breakfast the next morning, so when I make it ahead I scoop leftovers over Greek yogurt and call it a meal!

4.94 stars (15 ratings)

Mixed Berry Crisp (Fresh or Frozen Berries)

Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs

Servings: 10

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 50 minutes mins

Cooling & Resting Time: 15 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

This easy berry crisp uses fresh or frozen berries under a maple-sweetened oat topping, naturally gluten and dairy free for a year-round dessert.

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Ingredients

For the base:

• 4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen defrosted
• 2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen defrosted
• 2 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen defrosted
• 1 lemon, juiced
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the topping:

• 1 cup flour (or oat flour for gluten-free, see notes)
• 1 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
• ⅓ cup melted butter (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
• ½ cup pure maple syrup

Equipment

• Large Baking Dish

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Add the blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, lemon juice, cornstarch, and ¼ cup maple syrup to a 9×9 or similar oven-proof baking dish.
• In a medium bowl combine the oat flour, rolled oats, salt, cinnamon, and pecans (if using).
• Pour in the melted coconut oil (or butter) and ½ cup maple syrup. Stir together until well combined. If the mixture seems a little wet let it sit for a minute or two to thicken up.
• Using your hands or a large spoon, layer the oat mixture over the berry mixture.
• Bake, uncovered until the berries are bubbling and the topping is browned, about 45-50 minutes.
You may want to place a sheet pan lined with foil under the baking dish to catch spills in case the berries bubble over the side of the dish while baking.
• Let cool at least 15 minutes for the berry layer to thicken. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Notes

• Flour: Use oat flour here to keep this berry crisp gluten-free, or regular all-purpose flour if you prefer.
• Gluten-Free: For gluten-free, be sure to buy oats, oat flour and cornstarch specifically labeled gluten-free.
• Dairy-Free: I use melted coconut oil when I want to keep this recipe dairy-free, and butter otherwise.
• Nut-Free: Omit the pecans.

Course: Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 10), Calories: 305kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 64mg, Potassium: 294mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 107IU, Vitamin C: 24mg, Calcium: 63mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition disclaimer

Did you make this recipe?If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

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