Finding the perfect summer dessert that actually uses up those black raspberries before they go bad can be tricky. After all, fresh berries don’t last long, and you want something that’s easy enough to make on a weeknight but still feels special enough for company.
Luckily, this black raspberry crisp hits all the right notes: it’s simple to throw together, uses whatever amount of berries you have on hand, and creates that perfect balance of tart fruit and sweet, crunchy topping that everyone loves.
Why You’ll Love This Black Raspberry Crisp
- Quick and easy dessert – Ready in just about an hour, this crisp is perfect when you need a homemade dessert without spending all day in the kitchen.
- Simple pantry ingredients – Most of these ingredients are probably already in your kitchen – just oats, flour, sugar, and butter for that perfect crispy topping.
- Fresh berry flavor – The black raspberries shine through with their sweet-tart taste, creating a dessert that tastes like summer in every bite.
- Perfect crispy topping – The oat and cinnamon crumble gets golden and crunchy while the fruit bubbles underneath, giving you that ideal contrast of textures.
- Great for any occasion – Whether it’s a casual weeknight treat or a dinner party dessert, this crisp works perfectly and pairs beautifully with vanilla ice cream.
What Kind of Black Raspberries Should I Use?
Fresh black raspberries are ideal for this crisp, but frozen ones work just as well if that’s what you have on hand. If you’re using frozen berries, there’s no need to thaw them first – just toss them straight into your baking dish with the other filling ingredients. Fresh black raspberries can be a bit harder to find than regular red raspberries, so check your local farmers market during peak summer season for the best selection. When picking fresh berries, look for ones that are plump and deep purple-black in color, avoiding any that are mushy or have white fuzzy spots.
Options for Substitutions
This crisp recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps and substitutions:
- Black raspberries: Can’t find black raspberries? Regular red raspberries, blackberries, or even a mix of berries work great. You might need to adjust the sugar slightly depending on how tart your berries are.
- Rolled oats: Old-fashioned oats are best for texture, but quick oats will work in a pinch. Avoid instant oats as they’ll get too mushy. You can also substitute with chopped nuts like pecans or almonds for extra crunch.
- Brown sugar: White sugar works fine if that’s what you have, though you’ll lose some of that rich molasses flavor. You can also use coconut sugar or maple sugar for a different taste.
- Cornstarch: If you’re out of cornstarch, use 4-5 tablespoons of all-purpose flour mixed with cold water instead. Tapioca starch also works well and gives a nice glossy finish.
- Unsalted butter: Salted butter is totally fine – just reduce any added salt in the recipe. For a dairy-free version, coconut oil or vegan butter work well, though the flavor will be slightly different.
- All-purpose flour: You can swap this with whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor, or use gluten-free flour blend if needed.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking
The biggest mistake with berry crisps is not thickening the fruit juices properly, which leads to a watery mess that makes your topping soggy – make sure to completely dissolve that cornstarch in cold water before adding it to avoid any lumps.
Another common error is making your topping too wet or too dry; the butter should just barely hold the oat mixture together when you squeeze it in your hand, creating those perfect clumps that bake into golden clusters.
Don’t skip the step of letting your crisp rest for at least 15 minutes after baking, as this allows the juices to thicken up and makes serving much cleaner.
Finally, keep an eye on the topping during baking – if it’s browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil to prevent burning while the fruit underneath finishes cooking.
What to Serve With Black Raspberry Crisp?
This warm, bubbly crisp is absolutely perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that melts right into all those sweet, tart berries. You could also go with some freshly whipped cream or even a dollop of Greek yogurt if you want something a little tangy to balance out the sweetness. For breakfast lovers, this crisp works great as a morning treat alongside a cup of coffee or with some milk poured over it like cereal. I also love serving it with a drizzle of heavy cream or a small glass of cold milk on the side for dipping your spoon.
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: Your black raspberry crisp tastes best when covered and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want to keep it longer, pop it in the fridge where it’ll stay good for up to 5 days. Just cover it with foil or plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
Freeze: This crisp freezes really well for up to 3 months! You can freeze individual portions in freezer-safe containers or wrap the whole pan tightly in plastic wrap and foil. I like to portion it out before freezing so I can grab just what I need for dessert.
Warm Up: To bring back that fresh-baked taste, warm your crisp in a 350°F oven for about 10-15 minutes if it’s from the fridge, or 20-25 minutes if frozen. You can also microwave individual portions for 30-60 seconds, though the topping won’t be quite as crispy that way.
| Preparation Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 40-45 minutes |
| Total Time | 55-65 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 1850-1950
- Protein: 16-20 g
- Fat: 52-60 g
- Carbohydrates: 340-360 g
Ingredients
For the berry layer:
- 6 cups black raspberries
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch (stirred into cold water to dissolve)
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
For the crisp topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease a 14-inch cast iron or another oven-safe pan with 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, making sure to coat the surface thoroughly to prevent sticking.
Step 2: Prepare the Fruit Layer
- 6 cups black raspberries
Fill the greased pan evenly with the black raspberries, spreading them out so they cover the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
Step 3: Make the Syrup
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch (stirred into cold water to dissolve)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
In a small saucepan, combine the boiling water, white sugar, and the cornstarch that has been dissolved in cold water.
Add the remaining unsalted butter (not used for greasing the pan).
Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens into a syrup, about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Combine Syrup and Berries
- syrup from Step 3
- black raspberries from Step 2
Pour the hot syrup from Step 3 over the black raspberries in the pan.
Stir gently to coat all the berries evenly with the syrup, ensuring every berry is glossy and well-mixed.
I like to make sure the berries are well coated—this makes the filling extra juicy and delicious after baking.
Step 5: Prepare the Oat Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, packed brown sugar, old-fashioned oats, ground cinnamon, and melted unsalted butter.
Use a fork to mix the ingredients together until a crumbly topping forms.
Step 6: Assemble and Bake
- oat topping from Step 5
- syrup-coated black raspberries from Step 4
Sprinkle the oat topping evenly over the syrup-coated black raspberries.
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling around the edges.
Step 7: Serve the Crisp
Remove the pan from the oven and let the black raspberry crisp cool slightly.
Serve warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
I like to wait just a few minutes before serving so the juices thicken slightly—this helps get the perfect spoonful with every bite.
Crispy Black Raspberry Crisp
Ingredients
For the berry layer:
- 6 cups black raspberries
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch (stirred into cold water to dissolve)
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
For the crisp topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 14-inch cast iron or another oven-safe pan with 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, making sure to coat the surface thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Fill the greased pan evenly with the black raspberries, spreading them out so they cover the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
- In a small saucepan, combine the boiling water, white sugar, and the cornstarch that has been dissolved in cold water. Add the remaining unsalted butter (not used for greasing the pan). Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens into a syrup, about 5 minutes.
- Pour the hot syrup from Step 3 over the black raspberries in the pan. Stir gently to coat all the berries evenly with the syrup, ensuring every berry is glossy and well-mixed. I like to make sure the berries are well coated—this makes the filling extra juicy and delicious after baking.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, packed brown sugar, old-fashioned oats, ground cinnamon, and melted unsalted butter. Use a fork to mix the ingredients together until a crumbly topping forms.
- Sprinkle the oat topping evenly over the syrup-coated black raspberries. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling around the edges.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the black raspberry crisp cool slightly. Serve warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired. I like to wait just a few minutes before serving so the juices thicken slightly—this helps get the perfect spoonful with every bite.
