Irresistible Brown Butter Blackberry Peach Crisp: Your Essential Summer Dessert
There’s nothing quite like a homemade fruit crisp to capture the essence of summer, and this Brown Butter Blackberry Peach Crisp takes that experience to a whole new level. Imagine the sun-kissed sweetness of perfectly ripe peaches and the juicy tartness of fresh blackberries, all nestled beneath a golden, crunchy topping infused with the rich, nutty aroma of brown butter. This dessert is a celebration of seasonal bounty, yet versatile enough to be enjoyed year-round using frozen fruit.
Often overlooked in favor of more elaborate pastries, crisps are, in my humble opinion, one of the most underrated desserts. They are incredibly straightforward to prepare, require no fussy techniques or complicated steps, and come together in a fraction of the time. This particular blackberry peach crisp recipe uses a handful of everyday pantry staples alongside the star summer fruits, meaning you can have it prepped and ready for the oven in under 20 minutes!
What makes this crisp truly special is its unique topping, featuring a delectable blend of brown sugar, hearty rolled oats, a warming hint of cinnamon, and the deep, complex flavor of browned butter. This isn’t just any crisp; it’s a symphony of textures and tastes. The fruit filling bakes down into a luscious, jammy consistency, perfectly contrasting with the irresistible crunch and nutty depth of the topping. Give it a try – I promise you’ll fall in love with this harmonious combination.
“Loved this recipe so much, I made it twice this weekend! I didn’t have any berries, but it was great with just peaches too… And I finally learned to make brown butter properly! The dessert was a big hit and I’m bookmarking this recipe!” — from reader Pascale
Table of Contents
- The Magic of Brown Butter
- Crisp, Cobbler, and Crumble: What’s the Difference?
- Ingredients You’ll Need for Perfection
- Step-by-Step: Crafting Your Blackberry Peach Crisp
- Storage and Make-Ahead Tips for Your Crisp
- Expert Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
- Serving Suggestions: Elevate Your Crisp Experience
- Get the Full Recipe
- Discover More Delicious Crisp Recipes
The Magic of Brown Butter
If you’re wondering what truly elevates this dessert from good to absolutely unforgettable, it’s undoubtedly the brown butter. Browning butter is a simple technique that transforms regular butter into a nutty, aromatic, deeply flavorful ingredient. As the butter melts and cooks, its milk solids toast, turning a beautiful golden-amber and developing a rich, caramel-like scent. This process, also known as beurre noisette, adds an incredible depth and warmth to the crisp topping that perfectly complements the bright, fruity filling. It’s a game-changer that introduces a layer of sophistication without any extra effort.
baking tip:What’s the difference between a crisp, cobbler and crumble?
- Cobbler typically features a soft and tender topping made from biscuit dough or a cake-like batter, often dropped in dollops over the fruit, giving it a “cobbled” appearance.
- Crisps are characterized by their crunchy, streusel-like topping. This topping is made from a mixture of flour, sugar, butter, and most importantly, oats, which toast during baking to create that signature crisp texture. Nuts are also a common addition.
- Crumbles are very similar to crisps but are less common. The main difference is that crumbles typically have a sandier, more uniform texture and generally do not contain oats.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Perfection
Gathering your ingredients is the first step to creating this incredible dessert. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why each component is essential:
- Ripe peaches: The star of the show! Fresh, in-season peaches will yield the best flavor and juiciness. Look for peaches that have a sweet aroma and a slight give when gently squeezed. If fresh aren’t available, high-quality frozen peaches work wonderfully (just remember to adjust cornstarch). Nectarines are an excellent substitute if preferred.
- Blackberries: These provide a lovely tart counterpoint to the sweet peaches. Again, fresh is ideal, but frozen blackberries are a convenient option. Feel free to experiment with other berries like raspberries or blueberries for a different flavor profile.
- Granulated Sugar: Essential for balancing the natural tartness of the fruit and enhancing its sweetness, creating that irresistible jammy filling.
- Cornstarch: This is your secret weapon for a perfectly thick fruit filling. It helps absorb excess liquid released by the fruit during baking, preventing a watery, soggy bottom.
- Salted butter: This is the foundation for our brown butter. Using salted butter not only simplifies the recipe but also subtly enhances all the other flavors. Browning it unlocks a nutty, complex aroma that distinguishes this crisp. If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt to the topping.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the structural base of our crisp topping, helping to bind the ingredients and create that satisfying crumbly texture.
- Brown Sugar: Contributes a deeper, molasses-rich sweetness to the topping, complementing the nutty brown butter and cinnamon beautifully. It also helps achieve a lovely golden-brown crust.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: Crucial for achieving the classic, hearty, and wonderfully chewy texture of a crisp topping. Avoid instant oats, as they can become mushy.
- Ground cinnamon: Just a touch of this warm spice elevates the entire dessert, bringing out the natural sweetness of the fruit and adding an inviting aroma.
Step-by-Step: Crafting Your Blackberry Peach Crisp
Making this crisp is a truly rewarding experience. Here’s how to bring all these delicious ingredients together:
- Brown the butter: This is where the magic begins! In a light-colored saucepan (this helps you see the color change), melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, as it will foam and then start to turn a beautiful golden brown. Watch closely for those nutty aromas and browned bits at the bottom – this indicates perfection. Remove it from the heat immediately to prevent burning and set it aside to cool slightly. This step is quick but crucial for flavor.
- Prepare the fruit filling: While your butter cools, prepare your fruit. Combine the chopped peaches and blackberries directly in your greased baking dish, or in a separate bowl if you prefer. Add the granulated sugar and cornstarch, tossing gently until the fruit is evenly coated. The cornstarch will ensure a wonderfully thick and luscious filling.
- Construct the crisp topping: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry topping ingredients: all-purpose flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, and ground cinnamon. Once combined, pour in your slightly cooled brown butter. Stir everything together with a fork or your fingertips until the mixture is cohesive and starts to form small, delightful clumps. These clumps are what will give you that irresistible crisp texture! Evenly scatter this topping over your prepared fruit filling.
- Bake to perfection: Place your assembled crisp into a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven. Bake until the topping is beautifully golden brown and the fruit filling underneath is visibly juicy and bubbling excitedly around the edges of the dish. This usually takes about 30-35 minutes. If the topping starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil.
- Serve and savor! Patience is a virtue here! Allow the crisp to cool for at least 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. This crucial resting time allows the fruit juices to thicken further, resulting in a more set and less runny filling. Then, scoop out generous servings and top them with a decadent dollop of vanilla ice cream or a cloud of homemade whipped cream. This crisp is also absolutely delightful served at room temperature, and any leftovers are surprisingly delicious straight from the fridge the next day!
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips for Your Crisp
This blackberry peach crisp is an excellent choice for entertaining or feeding a crowd, not just because it’s delicious, but because it offers fantastic make-ahead and storage flexibility. Here’s how to ensure the best results:
To store in the fridge: An unbaked fruit crisp can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance. Simply cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, remove it from the fridge while your oven preheats, then bake as directed. Baked fruit crisp leftovers will also keep beautifully in the fridge for several days. To reheat, you can warm individual servings in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15-20 minutes, or use a microwave for 30-60 seconds for a quick warm-up.
To store in the freezer: For longer storage, you can freeze an assembled, unbaked crisp. Cover it tightly with two layers of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn and store it for up to 1-2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, bake directly from frozen. Keep it loosely covered with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 20 minutes. Then, remove the foil and continue baking for another 30-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit filling is thoroughly bubbling and cooked through.
Expert Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some additional tips and answers to common questions to help you master this delicious crisp:
- Fresh vs. Frozen Fruit: While in-season fresh blackberries and peaches are always my top recommendation for their unparalleled flavor and texture, frozen fruit is a perfectly acceptable alternative. If using frozen fruit, there’s no need to thaw it – use it straight from the freezer. However, you will need to increase the cornstarch to 2 tablespoons to account for the extra moisture released by frozen fruit.
- Fruit Variations: Don’t feel limited to just peaches and blackberries! This crisp recipe is incredibly adaptable. Nectarines make a wonderful substitute for peaches, and other berries like blueberries, raspberries, or even a mix of berries would be delicious without needing any other changes to the recipe. Apples or pears could also work, though they might require slight adjustments to baking time or spices.
- How to Avoid a Runny Filling: A soggy or runny fruit filling is a common crisp woe. This can be caused by excess moisture from very ripe or frozen fruit. To combat this, ensure you’re using the correct amount of cornstarch (increasing it for frozen fruit as mentioned above). Crucially, allowing the crisp to cool sufficiently after baking is key! As it cools, the fruit juices thicken and set, resulting in that perfectly spoonable, jammy consistency.
- Browning Butter Perfectly: Keep a close eye on the butter as it browns. It can go from perfectly nutty to burnt very quickly. Use a light-colored pan so you can easily see the color change. As soon as you see golden-brown flecks and smell a rich, nutty aroma, take it off the heat!
- Adjusting Sweetness: The amount of sugar in the fruit filling can be adjusted based on the sweetness of your fruit. If your peaches are super ripe and sweet, you might reduce the sugar slightly. If they are on the tart side, you might add a touch more.
Serving Suggestions: Elevate Your Crisp Experience
While this Brown Butter Blackberry Peach Crisp is absolutely divine on its own, a few simple additions can truly elevate the experience. The classic pairing is a generous scoop of high-quality vanilla bean ice cream. The cold, creamy ice cream slowly melts into the warm, bubbling fruit, creating a delightful contrast. Another fabulous option is a dollop of freshly whipped cream, perhaps lightly sweetened with a touch of vanilla extract. For an extra touch of indulgence, consider a drizzle of caramel sauce or a sprinkle of toasted pecans or almonds over the top. Whether for a casual weeknight treat or a special gathering, this crisp is sure to impress.
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Brown Butter Blackberry Peach Crisp
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Ingredients
Fruit Filling
- 5 cups (850 grams) chopped peaches , peels left on or removed
- 1 cup (120 grams) blackberries
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (7 grams) cornstarch
Crisp Topping
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) salted butter , plus extra for greasing the dish
- ¾ cup (98 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (45 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
- ⅓ cup (70 grams) light or dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Equipment
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick baking spray.
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In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Continue to cook butter, stirring frequently until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
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Add the peaches and blackberries to the baking dish and toss with the sugar and cornstarch.
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In a large bowl, stir together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Add cooled browned butter and stir until combined and topping clumps together. Scatter crisp topping evenly over fruit.
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Bake for 30-35 minutes until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling. If the crisp topping browns too quickly before the filling is done, cover with plastic wrap.
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Let the crisp sit for about 10 minutes before spooning servings into bowls. Serve as desired, but I highly recommend whipped cream or ice cream. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Notes
- Fresh summer fruit is recommended, but frozen fruit can be used also. Do not thaw and increase cornstarch to 2 tablespoons.
- Make ahead instructions: Unbaked fruit crisp can be stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking as directed. Baked fruit crisp leftovers will also keep in the fridge for several days. Reheat in a 350° oven for 15-20 minutes, or in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. To freeze, cover with 2 layers of aluminum foil and store in the freezer for up to 1-2 months. To bake from frozen, cover loosely with foil. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake until topping is browned and fruit is bubbling, another 30-40 minutes.
Disclosure: This recipe was originally created in partnership with Go Bold With Butter and published in August 2019. Thank you for supporting partnerships with brands I love and believe in, which make Completely Delicious possible. All opinions are always 100% my own. To learn more about Go Bold With Butter, you can visit their website here. You can also find them on facebook, instagram, and pinterest.
Discover More Delicious Crisp Recipes
If you’ve fallen in love with the ease and deliciousness of this Brown Butter Blackberry Peach Crisp, you’re in luck! There’s a whole world of fruit crisps waiting to be explored. These rustic desserts are perfect for showcasing seasonal fruits and can be adapted to almost any fruit you desire. Whether you’re craving more berry goodness or something a little different, these recipes are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth: