Whole Grain Blackberry Crisp for Summer

There’s nothing better than a good fruit crisp when that fruit is in season, and this blackberry crisp is a great use of summer fruit. We pick blueberries wild starting at some point in August – they’re a little small this year, but still there – and while I prefer fresh berries for this recipe, frozen are just as good.

The fruit is lightly sweetened with a little honey, and the crumble topping uses demerara sugar for extra crunch (see substitutions below). A little nutmeg pairs well with the blackberries. Whole grain spelt flour and rolled oats add a nice nutty flavour to the topping. The recipe is dairy-free as written, made with coconut oil, but butter can be used instead if you prefer.

If you’ve only managed to forage a few blackberries and don’t have enough for a full crisp, use another fruit like plums or apples to make up the amount needed. Also try this honey blackberry lemonade if you just have a few but want something fun to make.

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Ingredients You’ll Need and Why

While the recipe is written with a type of raw sugar and whole grain flour, these are easy changes and the substitutions are outlined below. These are my notes from recipe testing. Find the full recipe card below with complete measurements and instructions.

• Blackberries: use fresh or frozen, depending on what you have on hand. If using frozen be sure to use a runny honey or sub maple syrup, because it will harden and be tricky to mix in with frozen berries. Don’t thaw if frozen.
• Oats: use rolled oats, not quick or steel cut. Quick cook oats can be subbed in a pinch but steel cut aren’t appropriate for this recipe.
• Flour: pictured is whole grain spelt flour. Substitute light spelt or another ancient grain like einkorn or khorasan, or use standard whole wheat or white flour.
• Sugar: pictured is demerara, which makes the topping a little more crisp, as raw sugar also will. You can use any granulated sugar, including coconut and date sugar (note that with date sugar it will be a little more dry). Brown sugar is an okay substitute but it does make the topping a little soft and more likely to sink into the blackberries as it bakes.
• Starch: use corn starch, or double the amount of arrowroot powder. This thickens the blackberry filling and creates a jam-like texture. Without it, the crisp will be very runny.
• Coconut oil: use refined coconut oil to avoid any slight coconut flavour if you don’t like it. Replace the oil with butter or a good vegan butter (stick or block, not spreadable) if preferred. If using butter, omit the milk from the topping.
• Honey: sub maple syrup if preferred.
• Milk: any non-dairy milk can be used, or dairy milk if preferred. In a pinch water is also fine. A splash of milk improves the texture of the topping and imitates the water present in butter, since coconut oil doesn’t contain any water.
• Vanilla: a hint of vanilla extract improves the flavour of both the topping and the filling. You don’t notice that it’s there, really, but it does taste much better with.
• Nutmeg: if you don’t like nutmeg, try cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, or lemon zest. All are very good with blackberries.

How to Make Blackberry Crisp

While it does save dishes to mix the blackberries right in the baking dish, it’s also not really big enough to do so and you’ll end up with uneven coverage. It’s better to mix in a bowl and then transfer to the baking dish. If using frozen berries, go ahead and use the same bowl for the topping.

Step 1: mix the blackberries, starch, honey, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Mix very well to coat the berries evenly. If using frozen blackberries, it’s best to choose runny honey or use maple syrup or even sugar, as creamed honey thickens too much when it comes into contact with the frozen fruit. Transfer to a baking dish.

Step 2: mix the topping ingredients. The texture should be crumbly but hold together when pressed in your hand. Keep in mind that reducing the sugar will result in a dry crisp that’s generally quite bland.

Related: Blackberry Muffins

Step 3: top the blackberries with an even layer of the oat mixture. Make sure to take it right to the edge of the baking dish.

Step 4: bake until lightly golden and bubbling, about 40 minutes. I always bake crisps and crumbles on a baking sheet to avoid any fruit juices potentially bubbling over and burning to the bottom of the oven.

Expert Tips for the Best Crisp

• Bake until bubbling: if the blackberry mixture doesn’t boil, the starch won’t thicken fully and it will have an unpleasant mouthfeel and slight starchy flavour. Crisps should always bubble around the edges before coming out of the oven.
• Use rolled oats: quick cook oats cook much more quickly than rolled oats – it’s right there in the name – and make for a much softer texture than rolled. Rolled oats might be called large flake or old-fashioned oats.
• Cool before serving: give your blackberry crisp about 15 minutes to rest before serving. This makes it cool enough to eat, but also lets the fruit base set enough to be just the right consistency.
• Serve with: vanilla ice cream is classic, but this honey lemon ice cream is also great with this crisp. Try whipped cream or coconut whipped cream. We also like a spoonful of lemon curd on the side with blackberry desserts.

More Summer Dessert Recipes

• Plum Crisp – use this topping if you need a gluten-free alternative
• Lemon Blueberry Popsicles – try these with blackberries!
• Apricot Galette – with a spelt and rye flour pastry
• Chocolate Raspberry Cake – a decadent egg-free layer cake