Mixed Berry Crisp with Oat-Pecan Topping
A crumble that leans on the fruit instead of the topping, baked until the juices bubble thick at the edges.
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Written
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 375°F and butter a 9-inch baking dish.
-
Toss the berries with the granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and juice, and a pinch of salt, then spread them in the dish.
-
Rub the oats, flour, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and salt together, working in the cold butter with your fingers until the mixture clumps into pea-to-marble-sized pieces.
-
Scatter the topping evenly over the berries without pressing it down.
-
Bake until the topping is deep golden and the fruit is bubbling thickly at the edges, 35-40 minutes.
-
Let it rest 15 minutes before serving, so the juices thicken instead of running.
Notes
Cold butter is what keeps the topping in loose, craggy clumps instead of a paste — if it starts to soften while you’re rubbing it in, stick the bowl in the fridge for five minutes before you finish. The cornstarch does the same job for the fruit, holding the juice at a spoonable thickness instead of a puddle.
Frozen berries work straight from the bag; just add five minutes to the bake and expect a little more juice pooling underneath. Good warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream going soft against the crust.