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This mixed berry crisp is packed with an assortment of sweet fresh or frozen berries and topped with a buttery oat crumble. A bit of orange zest in the filling puts this delicious summery crisp right over the top. 15 minutes to assemble, 45 minutes to bake, and you’ve got a delicious dessert ready in an hour!
One thing that no one tells you about becoming a parent is just how many berries kids can eat. I seriously can’t keep up with the number of fresh berries my girls can put away in the span of a week.
So we obviously get really happy around here when summer-ripe berries start popping up at the market. They really do beat anything you can buy in Ohio in the dead of winter—plus, the prices are so much better.
When I can get a good mix of berries, I love turning them into this crisp. You all know how much I love cheesecake recipes and a good chocolate chip cookie recipe, but you might not know how much I love a good crisp recipe.
Sweet fruit topped with a buttery oat-packed crumble? So. Good.
You can use any mix of berries you love or have on hand for this recipe, and it takes only an hour to make from start to finish.
And even better? You can use frozen berries when fresh ones aren’t in season. Who said you can’t enjoy a summer dessert any time of year?
What readers are saying
“Great recipe! Easily made vegan and gluten free by using a plant based butter and GF baking mix.” -Len
“I’ve made this once and am about to, again because it was simple and delicious!! The orange zest just really added a great pop of flavor and accentuated all the berry yumminess!” -Rachel
“Just made this and am going to need an excuse to eat it as many times/day as possible because it is GOOD! Going to be my go-to crisp recipe now.” -Steph
Jamie’s testing notes and tips
- Use any mix of berries you have on hand. I typically like to use blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries. But you can add or omit any you want. Sweet cherries would also be perfect in here!
- Orange zest adds complexity to the filling. I know it might seem a bit unusual, but it’s the secret to this berry crisp recipe. Orange and berries pair perfectly together, and a bit of zest helps brighten the fruit. Make sure you only use the orange part of the zest and avoid the bitter white pith.
- The baked crisp is always best on the day it’s baked, but you can prep the topping ahead of time. Once the topping is mixed together, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to assemble and bake the crisp! Scroll down to “make-ahead and storage tips” below for more details.
A note from Jamie
2026 update: I originally shared a version of this recipe back in 2014. I have tweaked the recipe a few years later for more consistent results, and have since updated the post to include more tips for making the perfect berry crisp. It continues to be a favorite at our house after all these years—I hope your family enjoys it, too!
What’s the difference between crisp, crumble, and cobbler?
All three desserts involve fruit filling and some sort of pastry topping. The difference in the pastry topping is what differentiates the three.
- Cobblers have a drop biscuit topping (like this blackberry cobbler), a pie crust-like topping, or even a cake-like topping (like my easy peach cobbler).
- Crisps have a streusel topping that has oats in it, making the topping…well, crispy! Strawberry rhubarb crisp is a great example.
- Crumbles are similar to crisps but traditionally don’t have any oats in the streusel topping, like in my berry crumble bars. Although often the lines get a little bit blurred between crisps and crumbles and sometimes the names are used interchangeably.
Ingredient notes
⬇️ For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below!
- Assorted berries: You’ll need 6 cups of fresh assorted berries or 32 ounces of frozen mixed berries. If you are using strawberries, be sure to remove the tops. If they are large, cut them in half or quarter them so they are closer in size to the other berries you are using.
- Sugar: I like to use granulated sugar in the filling and brown sugar in the streusel topping. If you’re out of brown sugar, whip up a 2-ingredient brown sugar substitute to use instead.
- All-purpose flour: You’ll need this for the filling and the topping. Readers have successfully used a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking mix to make this gluten free.
- Orange zest: You can skip this if you like, but I love the depth and complexity it adds to the filling.
- Baking powder, baking soda, and salt: For the topping.
- Oats: I typically use quick-cooking oats in this recipe. If you only have rolled oats, just keep in mind that the topping will have a bit more of a chewy texture to it. Do not use instant oats.
- Melted butter: Unsalted, please. If you only have salted butter, you can omit the salt in the topping.
How to make my berry crisp recipe
Gently stir together the berries with the sugar, flour, and orange zest. Be gentle so that you don’t break down some of the more fragile fruits, such as raspberries. Add the filling to a 2-quart baking dish and set it aside.
To make the crisp topping, stir the dry ingredients together and then drizzle in the butter. Use a fork to stir the butter in; you want all of the dry ingredients to be moistened and crumbs should start to form.
Sprinkle this evenly over the fruit, then bake for 45-50 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling all around the edges of the dish.
I do recommend letting the crisp cool for at least a few minutes before digging in. The filling will thicken as it cools.
Top with a scoop of no-churn vanilla ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream and enjoy!
Using frozen berries
Look, I know that fresh berries aren’t always the easiest to find depending on where you live. Here in Ohio, fresh berries are pretty hit or miss in the winter.
Thankfully, fresh or frozen berries work well in this recipe. When using frozen berries, let them thaw first. If they have given off a lot of juice, strain off most of the liquid before making the filling.
I still prefer this recipe made with fresh berries, but sometimes I just don’t want to wait until fresh berries are on sale to have homemade berry crisp!
Make-ahead and storage tips
This berry crisp recipe is best the same day it is made, as that is when the topping has the best crunchy texture.
But the topping? That’s totally something you can make ahead.
Mix the crisp topping together as directed, then transfer the crumbs to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you’re freezing it, you may want to lay the crumbs out on a line sheet tray, then place that in the freezer to harden before moving them to the container so they don’t freeze together as much.
When you’re ready to bake, stir together the filling and then sprinkle the pre-made streusel over the top and bake as directed.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Of course the crisp is best when it’s warm, so I like to pop leftovers into the microwave for about 30 seconds before digging in.
Berry Crisp
Equipment
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 6 cups fresh assorted berries see notes
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- Zest of 1 orange
For the topping:
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup quick-cooking oats
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Pinch fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the berries with the ⅓ cup sugar, ⅓ cup flour, and orange zest. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Set aside.6 cups fresh assorted berries, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, Zest of 1 orange
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Drizzle in the melted butter and stir until the dry ingredients are moistened and crumbs form. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the top of the berry filling.⅔ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 1 Pinch fine sea salt, ⅔ cup quick-cooking oats, ⅔ cup light brown sugar, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Notes
Ingredients
- Use any mix of fresh or frozen berries you like best. Sweet cherries can be included in the mix.
- If using fresh berries, make sure the berries are similar in size. Strawberries should be hulled; large strawberries may need to be halved or quartered. Cherries should be pitted and may need to be halved.
- To substitute frozen berries, use 32 ounces frozen mixed berries, thawed. If the thawed berries have given off a lot of juice, strain off most of that liquid before using them in the recipe.
Make ahead
- While I do not recommend making the entire crisp ahead of time, you can prep the crisp topping ahead of time. Mix the topping as directed, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months before adding to the fruit filling and baking as directed.
Storage
- Crisp is best on the day it is made, but leftovers can be stored, covered, at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I only have old fashioned oats, could I use those?
Great recipe! Easily made vegan and gluten free by using a plant based butter and GF baking mix. No effect on the taste or texture. We love using lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice and skip spices.
So happy you enjoyed! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your feedback. Happy baking!
Jamie