Blackberry Apple Crisp Recipe

This Blackberry Apple Crisp is a delicious and nutritious dessert that combines blackberries, apples, and spices in a luscious medley finished with a brown sugar oat topping that is perfect any time of the year.

We love that this dessert is vegan, dairy free and can even be made gluten free. You can make it as healthy or as indulgent as you want simply by your choice of ingredients. Enjoy it alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of homemade whipped cream or all on its own. It is an amazing dessert that will have everyone asking for second servings.

Wild blackberries and apples from our orchard are always plentiful in late Summer. We enjoy harvesting as much as we can and creating all sorts of meals and treats from these fruits. Blackberries are chock full of antioxidants and other nutrients making them an excellent berry choice. Apple are rich in vitamins and high in fiber, so they are also very beneficial to our daily diet.

What apples are best to use for Crisps and Crumbles?

When you are baking with apples it’s always best to choose from the crisp, tart varieties such as Granny Smith, Honey Crisp or Golden Delicious. Sweeter apples have a higher sugar content which can be overpowering in baked goods. They will also likely turn mushy during the baking process which can lead to your dessert being runny and loose.

Tart, crisp apples allow for your baked goods to be sweetened without the sugar content becoming too much. They will also hold their texture and shape when baked, rather than falling apart and becoming more like applesauce.

Try our Blackberry Barbeque Sauce, No bake Blackberry Cheesecake bars , blackberry Cheesecake ice cream and other blackberry recipes.

What’s the difference between a Crisp and a Crumble?

The difference between these two dessert styles is in the topping. Crisps are made with an oat or nut topping while crumbles have a streusel like topping consisting of flour, butter and sugar. Other than that, they are very similar in taste, appearance and filling options.

Both can be made with a variety of fruits and combinations of fruits for wholesome, healthy desserts.

It’s a very inexpensive dessert if you’re using ‘Put By’ ingredients. Bring the summer harvest back to the family table for a delicious winter dessert. All your hard work harvesting, freezing, jamming and canning will reward you now. This recipe is incredibly fast to make if you use frozen berries and pre-cut frozen apples.

Do you cover Crisps when baking?  

It is not necessary to cover a crisp when baking. You want the topping to be crisp, crunchy and golden brown for a pleasant balance to your fruit filling. Once your crisp is bubbling along the edges and the topping has browned, you know its done baking.

Do I peel my apples for my Apple Crisp?

Peeling your apples when baking really comes down to preference. There is no need to peel them beforehand, and leaving the skins will allow more fiber, texture and color into your dessert. However, if you want a smooth, creamy dessert with very little texture you may want to peel them.

How can I make my Blackberry Apple Crisp healthier?

This Blackberry Apple Crisp is naturally vegan and dairy free making it an excellent choice for many. You can make it gluten free by selecting gluten free oats for your topping, and a gluten free thickener such as arrowroot, cornstarch or tapioca flour.

Using a sugar substitute helps make this into an even healthier dessert recipe. We have a few sugar substitutes linked in the recipe card for you if you need some ideas. If you are wanting to use natural sugars all throughout, you could opt for Pure Maple Syrup or Raw Organic Unfiltered Honey.

Can I freeze my Blackberry Apple Crisp?

Crisps are wonderful make ahead and freeze desserts. Once the crisp is done baking allow it to cool completely then cover it tightly with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, and store in an airtight freezer safe container. Your crisp can be stored in the freezer for three months without compromising the flavor or texture.

When you are ready to enjoy, remove it from the freezer and transfer it to your fridge allowing it to thaw. Once it is thawed warm it in your oven at 350 degrees F until it is warmed through and slightly bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Blackberry Apple Crisp Recipe

1. The oats we used are just what we had on hand. In this case we used steel cut oats. You can use any oats your prefer including quick oats for a more delicate topping texture.
2. We are using coconut oil for a healthy fat. You can also use a good quality avocado oil.
3. You may use fresh blackberries or frozen for this easy recipe. If you use frozen measure them before they completely defrost. Also thawed frozen berries have a lot of juice and will require you to drain the excess liquid, and possibly add more thickener.
4. It’s done when the juices bubble and run a bit over the edges. Put a baking pan under the crisp to keep your oven clean.

Your Nutrition Card if using a sugar free sweetener: The calorie count in the Printable recipe card is correct if using brown sugar in this recipe.

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