Easy and Fresh Summer Blackberry Crisp Recipe

A blackberry crisp is one of the easiest and most delicious dessert recipes! This recipe is made with a simple crumble topping and features a hint of lemon zest.

Not-too-sweet, you will love how quickly this fresh blackberry recipe is. I think it will quickly become a family favorite.

There is nothing more nostalgic than a blackberry crisp on a warm summer’s evening! This dessert reminds me so much of my childhood summers, days by the lake and all those times when I would sneak a bite of leftovers in the morning for breakfast!

Ready to get cooking? Let’s go!

Running short on time? This recipe is beyond quick and easy!

A classic blackberry crisp is so easy to make and is a great dessert for when I am running short on time, when I am not quite sure what I want to make, or when I have limited ingredients, but need a dessert – STAT!

Blackberry desserts always remind me of easy summer evenings after picking berries all day and this dessert is one of my favorites! If I am being honest, while I’m making this, I’ll always sneak extra bites of the crunch oat topping because it’s just so good! 

The tartness of the berries and lemon combined with the sweetness of the buttery crisp topping makes for the perfect pairing. I love topping this recipe with big scoop of vanilla ice cream, yes, but at the end of the day, just pouring heavy cream over the top really makes this fresh blackberry crisp so much better!

I love this recipe because it can also be used with other fresh berries! Doing a mix of summer berries would be amazing as well! 

What is the difference between and Crisp and A Cobbler? 

Fruit desserts can be very similar, and with so many varieties, can be easily confused. Crisp, cobbler, and crumble are often times used interchangeably, but are so different! Albeit, the base of each is similar but it’s the topping that makes each of these uniquely their own!

The crisp, invented in the 1900s, contains oats, butter, sugar, and some spices. Another hallmark of crisps vs cobblers is that a crisp isn’t layered as thickly as a cobbler.

I personally love a crisp, because it’s not as heavy as a cobbler, and in my opinion, they’re a bit quicker and easier to bring together.

The topping of a crisp adds a little bit more texture to the dish, and just feels a bit more like summer time! A blackberry crumble is another go-to for summer – just omit the oats!

A crumble topping is just as good – here is my go to streusel recipe!

If you’d like to try blackberry cobbler, be sure to check out my recipe! I use a quick biscuit style dough that is SO delish! You might also love my favorite peach crisp recipe!

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine the dry ingredients (oats, brown sugar, white sugar, ground cinnamon, and 1/2 cup flour) in a bowl. Work in butter with a pastry cutter or fork until mixture is moistened and crumbly.
• Spread blackberries into a baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup flour and toss well to coat. Zest the rind of one lemon and mix in. I sometimes like to add in a little lemon juice, too, for an extra kick. Or if you’re really wanting to add a little more sweetness, a little bit of vanilla extract can go along way in the crisp filling. Sprinkle oat mixture over top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
• When the crisp cools, top with your favorite vanilla ice cream or heavy cream and serve!

Note: For this recipe, you can use frozen berries, but fresh berries are best!

I hope you give this delicious dessert a try and add it to your list of favorite desserts! If you love berry desserts, try The Best Blackberry Cobbler Recipe or Blueberry & Lemon Scone Recipe this summer!