This easy recipe for homemade Berry Crisp with Steel Cut Oats may not be traditional but I couldn't stop eating it when I first made it. The mixed berry filling with the crunchiest topping is so amazing on its own but add ice cream - OMG!
Why this Homemade Berry Crisp Recipe is the Best: What I love the most is the nutty flavor & extra crunchy topping that steel cut oats adds. It's sweet, tart, toasty, chewy, & a healthier twist on the classic summer dessert.
Ok ok, I know that old-fashioned crisp recipes use rolled oats. But when you have a craving & all you have is steel cut oats in your pantry, you experiment & I am glad I did.
The crust crackles as you break through it reminding me of the fun of a creme brulee. Each bite is chewy like a warm oatmeal cookies. Now come on, how can you resist that?
This was inspired by my recipe for Easy Blueberry Cobbler which is a bit more traditional. Both are great Southern desserts to serve after a batch of my Fried Chicken Tenders. Ok, now we bake!
Ingredients
Like all good crisp, crumble, & cobbler recipes, the ingredients are simple. The fresh fruit is combined with sugar & a thickening agent. The rest is pantry items to make the topping.
Here are the ingredients needed to make a fresh berry crisp.
- Fresh Berries - I am using blueberries & raspberries but any combination including strawberries, blackberries, & olallieberries will work.
- Lemon Juice - a touch of citrus to balance & brighten the filling.
- All-Purpose Flour - for the topping & added to berries to create a thick juicy sauce - you can use Bob's Redmill 1:1 Gluten-Free Blend as a substitute.
- Granulated White Sugar - to sweeten the tart berries.
- Steel Cut Oats - use instant so it does cook down; I am using Trader Joe's but Quaker or any brand will do.
- Salted Butter - room temperature.
- Brown Sugar - for richer sweetness that has some caramel/toffee notes that makes the oats irresistible.
See the recipe card for quantities & substitutions/variations.
How to Make Berry Crisp
Here's one of the best parts of this recipe - it is SO QUICK TO MAKE! Great for a last minute sugar craving. In 5 minutes it's ready to go into the oven to bake. Plus, easy clean up!
Here are the easy steps for making berry crisp with steel cut oats.
- Make the Mixed Berry Filling
- Add the Crisp Topping
- Bake in the Oven
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Make the Mixed Berry Filling
If you have the time, plan ahead and set the butter out early. It takes about 30-45 minutes for it to soften at room temperature. Or try one of these tricks to soften butter quickly.
To begin, spray an 8x8 glass baking dish with nonstick spray. I love my inexpensive pyrex dish with a lid for easily storing leftovers. Next, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Wash & dry the berries. Extra moisture means too much liquid and a runny filling versus thick & dreamy.
In the baking dish add the berries, lemon juice, flour, & a touch of sugar.
Stir everything to combine so all the berries have a dusting of flour & the sugar is evenly distributed.
There should NOT be any liquid in the pan. If so, sprinkle in a bit more flour & stir - juice content of berries may vary.
2 - Add the Crisp Topping
The butter needs to be softened before adding the the dry ingredients. When crumbling the ingredients together by hand that soft butter is the anchor holding it all together.
In a bowl add the ingredients for the crisp topping. Using your hands smash, mush, & stir eveyrthing together.
Crumble bits of the topping over the berry filling. Try and get an even layer of small clumps so it looks similar to what I share in the photo above.
3 - Bake in the Oven
Once the oven is preheated to 375°F, place the baking pan in the oven on a rack in the center. Let it bake for 30-35 minutes.
When the berries are bubbling and the top is golden brown, it is ready. Remove it from the oven and let is set up and cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
If you want it hot or warm, scoop out a piece right after it cools a bit. This hearty dessert is great all on its own.
What to Serve with Berry Crisp : For a la mode, top with vanilla ice cream. The hot & cold comfort food combination is out of this world. Or add a dollop of whipped cream.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here is my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, funny stories or bloopers, and more.
- #1 tip - plan ahead and set the butter out to come to room temperature.
- If using frozen berries, I recommend defrosting them and draining the excess liquid so it's not water/mushy.
- Any berry combination works, just make sure they are similar in size; cut large blackberries & slice strawberries.
- Did you know that Washington is the top berry producing state in the USA?
- Be warned, this may be a little sticky in your teeth - not to be eaten just before going to the dentist, doh.
- If you are a fan of oatmeal cookies, you will love this.
- Don't use a pie crust for this, make my Easy Apricot Galette if you want a flaky topping on your dessert.
FAQ
Thankfully all the ingredients are safe to store on your counter for up to 2 days. After that, store in the refrigerator for a total of 5 days.
If the berries were wet from washing without proper drying could be one reason. The juices from berries can vary so sometimes a bit more flour may be needed.
If that wasn't the issue, sometimes adding sugar to the berries first so they can macerate & release some of their juices (drain before adding to the baking dish) is a good trick.
Also, if frozen berries were used they release a lot of juices when baking. I always suggest defrosting & draining before using them.
Berry Crisp with Steel Cut Oats
Equipment
- 8x8 Glass Baking Dish
Ingredients
Berry Filling
- 4 cups fresh berries any combo blueberry, raspberry, blackberries, sliced strawberries etc
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Crisp Topping
- 1.5 cup uncooked steel-cut oats instant
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- If your butter is not already room temperature, set it out to do so.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare an 8x8 glass baking dish with nonstick spray.
- To the baking dish add the wash & dried berries, sugar, flour, & lemon juice. Stir to combine. If there are juices from the berries in the pan, add a bit more flour. Stir to combine - this ensures you don't have a soggy bottom for this crisp later.4 cups fresh berries, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- In a small bowl or dish, combine the crisp topping ingredients. With your hands crumble & mix them together. Small crumble chunks should form.1.5 cup uncooked steel-cut oats, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup salted butter, ½ cup brown sugar
- Crumble the oatmeal topping over the berries. Drop small dollops in an even layer to cover all the corners and edges evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Once the berries are bubbling and the topping is golden brown, it is ready to remove from the oven.
- Let the berry crisp cool and set for 10-15 minutes. To serve while warm, scoop into individual bowls. Add whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an a la mode dessert.
Notes
- Steel-Cut Oats - quick cooking can be replaced by regular but may take longer to cook & won't be as chewy.
- Flour - use gluten-free flour, Bob's Redmill 1:1 baking flour is the best substitute using the same exact measurements.
- Berries - frozen instead of fresh, defrost & drain first.
- Store on the counter for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To reheat, microwave a single serving for 20-30 seconds.
Nutrition
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