This Mini Skillet Mixed Berry Crisp features your choice of juicy berries bubbling under a crunchy, buttery topping. Use a butter substitute for a dairy-free dessert that's made for two!
Why this recipe works
- You can use any combination of fresh or frozen berries, like blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and/or raspberries, or use a different type of fruit altogether
- Rolled oats and sliced almonds add texture and crunch to the topping
- Use butter or a butter substitute for a dairy-free and vegan berry crisp
It's a warm evening in August, and I want dessert.
Not just any dessert, mind you. I want the dessert that speaks to me of summer and all the summer berries that are ripe just now. A blueberry pie sounds good, but I don't feel like making pie crust, so maybe I'll go for a mixed berry cobbler.
Except, I don't want to get out the mixer to make a batter topping. Nor do I want to grate frozen butter for a sweet biscuit topping (like shortcake).
No, I want the laziest berry cobbler there is: a Mixed Berry Crisp (aka Mixed Berry Crumble).
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Crisps are easier than cobblers
So you might be asking what's the difference between a cobbler and a crisp?
According to Bon Appetit, cobblers have been around since the mid-19th century. They started out as a single crust fruit pie, then a double crust fruit pie. Cobblers evolved into the dessert we know today as having either a shortcake biscuit topping or a cake batter topping.
A fruit crisp has the same cooked fruit at the bottom with a streusel crumb topping made of flour, sugar, and butter rubbed together. Fruit crisps started appearing in the U.S. around the early 20th century.
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What you need
The ingredients for a mixed berry crisp recipe are simple. Use a mixture of any fresh or frozen berries you prefer, like blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and/or raspberries (triple berry crisps are quite popular!). Sugar and orange juice add sweetness and moisture to the filling, and cornstarch helps to thicken the filling so it isn't too runny.
The topping contains flour, brown sugar, salt, and butter or a dairy-free butter substitute. Rolled oats and almonds are added for texture and crunch, and give the crisp its...uhm...crispness.
How to make a berry crisp
A berry crisp recipe is so fast, the longest part will be waiting for the oven to heat.
Oh wait, here I'm actually making a Mini Skillet Mixed Berry Crisp using a 6½-inch cast iron skillet, like I did for my Mini Skillet Hot Fudge Pudding Cake. Since it bakes in the toaster oven, the kitchen stays cool. Score!
Step 1: Make the fruit filling
If you're using frozen, thawed berries, strain them with a fine mesh strainer before adding in the sugar. Toss the berries with the granulated sugar (photo 1).
Whisk the orange juice and cornstarch until smooth, then add to the berries and stir gently (photo 2).
Pour the berry mixture into the 6½-inch skillet (photo 3). Set aside.
Step 2: Make the topping
Combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Rub in the butter substitute with a fork until the mixture is clumpy (photo 4).
Toss in the rolled oats and almonds, gently mixing them in with your hands (photo 5).
Step 3: Bake the crisp
Crumble the topping onto the berry mixture. Bake at 325˚F for 10 to 12 minutes or until the topping in browned and fruit is bubbling (photo 6). You can reduce the heat to 300°F if the topping is browning too fast.
Let the crisp cool 2 to 3 minutes, and serve warm.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
I'm using the terms "berry crisp" and "berry crumble" interchangeably, but strictly speaking there is a minor difference between the two: a crisp has rolled oats in the topping and a crumble has a streusel crumb topping (that is, no rolled oats). However, I'm not going to quibble about it - I won't tell if you won't!
Berry crisps are best the same day they're made. That's why making a mini berry crisp is better for smaller groups - no leftovers! If you are baking for a larger crowd, just double the recipe and use a 10¼ inch cast iron skillet or a 9- x 9-inch baking pan.
You can make the berry crisp beforehand, however the topping won't be quite as crisp the longer it sits. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Berry crisps will keep in the freezer, well wrapped, for up to 1 month. Reheat at 350 °F
for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.
Berries release a lot of liquid when they're heated, so if you don't use a thickening agent, such as cornstarch or Instant ClearJel (like with this apple pie), you can end up with a soupy filling. This is especially true if you're starting with frozen berries. It's best to thaw and strain the berries before starting to make the filling.
Pro Tip: Fruit crisp variations
A fruit crisp should really be called any-fruit-you-want crisp, because the fruit you use is entirely customizable to what you have on hand. Here are some ideas for more fruit crisp recipes:
- Peach Crisp: Use 1 cup fresh or frozen peaches, chopped into ½-inch cubes. If the peaches are hard, cook them first. Whisk together the orange juice and cornstarch. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter or your favorite butter substitute in the cast iron skillet. Sauté the peaches until slightly softened. Add the sugar and orange juice mixture and cook until the liquid has thickened and reduced. For the topping, add ½ teaspoon cinnamon with the flour if desired. Top the fruit with the topping and bake as directed.
- Peach-Bourbon Crisp: Make the Peach Crisp as above, replacing 2 tablespoons of the orange juice with bourbon.
- Apple Crisp or Apple-Bourbon Crisp: Replace the peaches above with chopped, peeled apples.
Enjoying berries at their best
The berry crisp pictured has juicy blueberries and blackberries bubbling under a crunchy, buttery topping. It's utterly delicious, and it's easier than making a berry pie (and that's saying a lot, coming from me!).
This is sized to be a berry crisp for two. However, my husband doesn’t like warm fruit desserts (crazy, right?!?). Since this is comfort food for me, I'm not going to confirm nor deny that I ate the whole thing myself.
One word of warning though - if you do make this berry crisp with blueberries and blackberries, your smile can turn blue. Literally. I brush my teeth after eating it, but it's well worth it!
Whether you're making a cobbler, crisp, or crumble, this warmed fruit dessert practically begs for a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Use homemade vanilla ice cream or store bought, regular or dairy-free. With a dairy-free butter substitute and an appropriate ice cream, you can have a vegan berry crumble.
So if you want a fast, satisfying dessert for two, whip up a quick and easy berry crisp. They're perfect for long summer evenings, or anytime really!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
Related Recipes
There are many ways to enjoy a treat if you're on a special diet. Here are some ideas that are all dairy-free, and I have many more. Have a go!
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Recipe
Mini Skillet Mixed Berry Crisp (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen (thawed), see Recipe Notes
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the topping
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
- Pinch kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons dairy-free butter substitute, or unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 2 tablespoons rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons almonds, sliced, optional, see Recipe Notes
- vanilla ice cream, homemade or store-bought, regular or dairy-free, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 °F. With a 6½-inch skillet, you can use the toaster oven. If you're using frozen, thawed berries, strain them with a fine mesh strainer before adding in the sugar
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, toss the berries with the granulated sugar. In a small bowl, whisk the orange juice and cornstarch until smooth, then add to the berries and stir gently.
- Pour the berry mixture into the 6½-inch skillet. Set aside.
- Make the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Rub in the butter substitute or butter with a fork until the mixture is clumpy. Toss in the rolled oats and almonds, gently mixing them in with your hands.
- Crumble the topping onto the berry mixture.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the topping in browned and fruit is bubbling. Reduce the heat to 300 °F if the topping is browning too fast.
- Let the crisp cool 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.
- Berry crisps are best the same day. You can make the berry crisp beforehand, however the topping won't be quite as crisp though. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Berry crisps will keep in the freezer, well wrapped, for up to 1 month. Reheat at 350 °F for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.
Notes
- Peach Crisp: Use 1 cup fresh or frozen peaches., chopped into ½-inch cubes. If the peaches are hard, cook them first. Whisk together the orange juice and cornstarch. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter or your favorite butter substitute in the cast iron skillet. Sauté the peaches until slightly softened. Add the sugar and orange juice mixture and cook until the liquid has thickened and reduced. For the topping, add ½ teaspoon cinnamon with the flour if desired. Top the fruit with the topping and bake as directed.
- Peach-Bourbon Crisp: make the Peach Crisp as above, replacing 2 tablespoons of the orange juice with bourbon.
- Apple Crisp or Apple-Bourbon Crisp: Replace the peaches above with chopped, peeled apples.
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