Blackberry Crisp
This blackberry crisp is made with frozen blackberries and topped with oatmeal crumble. It’s warm, easy to make, and perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Easy Recipe for Blackberry Crisp
In case you’re new here, I kind of have a thing for blackberries. In fact, they’re my absolute favorite fruit.
They’re front and center in my blackberry crumble pie and show up in this apple blackberry crumble. I’ve even used them in a blackberry goat cheese salad!
Luckily, I’m able to find pretty decent fresh blackberries year round. But occasionally they’re really tart. That’s why I like using frozen blackberries in some of my recipes like this blackberry crisp.
When you use frozen blackberries that means you can make this dessert year round. The taste and texture stays consistent, so you know exactly what to expect. That’s what makes this crisp recipe one of my favorites.
If you want a blackberry recipe that’s super simple, try my blackberry crumble bars. Technically I cheated a bit and used jam for the filling, but they still have amazing blackberry flavor!
How to Make Blackberry Crisp
First things first, preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Then I work backwards by making the crumble topping first.
In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, both sugars, cinnamon, salt, and cold, cubed butter. I like to use clean hands to do this because it’s the best way to mix the ingredients.
After you get the oat topping combined, place it in the fridge.
In a separate large bowl, combine the frozen blackberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and cinnamon. Make sure to work quickly so the blackberries don’t thaw.
Transfer the filling to the prepared pan then sprinkle the crumble topping over the blackberries.
Bake for 45–55 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Let the crisp cool for 15–20 minutes before serving.
Can I use fresh blackberries?
Yes! This recipe works with fresh or frozen berries. Taste the fresh blackberries before adding sugar and adjust as needed.
Why is my blackberry crisp soupy?
This is the nature of working with some types of fruit. Blackberries happen to be one of the fruits that release a lot of liquid as they cook. This happens whether you use fresh or frozen berries.
I don’t see this as a bad thing, though. I love to use the syrupy part as a drizzle for vanilla ice cream!
Can I make it ahead of time?
The crumble topping can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Don’t make the filling until you’re ready to assemble the crisp and bake it!
How to Store Leftovers
Store any leftovers covered tightly in the fridge. They’ll stay good for 3–4 days. The longer it’s stored, the more the texture will diminish.
To reheat, I usually warm it in the oven so the topping stays crispy, but the microwave works in a pinch too.
More Dessert Recipes
What You’ll Need
For the Crumble Topping:
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
For the Filling:
- 32 ounces frozen blackberries, do not thaw
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
To Make the Crumble Topping:
- In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt.1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats½ cup all-purpose flour½ cup brown sugar¼ cup granulated sugar½ teaspoon ground cinnamon¼ teaspoon salt
- Add the cold, cubed butter and use clean hands or a pastry cutter to work it in until the mixture is crumbly and holds together when pressed.6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Place the topping in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.
To Make the Filling:
- In a large bowl, toss the frozen blackberries with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and cinnamon until evenly coated.32 ounces frozen blackberries1 cup granulated sugar4 tablespoons cornstarch1 tablespoon lemon juice1 teaspoon vanilla extract½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Remove the chilled crumble topping from the fridge and sprinkle it evenly over the blackberry filling.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally with vanilla ice cream.
Suggested Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
All the juice from the blackberries covers the topping when cooked, would recommend thawing the berries first to drain some juice
Hi, Maddie!
Thanks for sharing your experience! Frozen blackberries can release quite a bit of juice depending on the brand and how much ice is on them. Thawing and draining off some of the excess liquid may help some. I’d still leave some of the juice so the filling doesn’t turn out dry. Have a great evening! 🙂