Blackberry-Peach Crisp

Have you had blackberries or peaches yet this summer? I hope so! Have you baked them with some brown sugar and oats? Do that next! For someone like me who has a very prominent sweet tooth, it’s important that I find desserts that satisfy those cravings without making me feel rotten afterward. My mom used to make apple crisp all the time when I was younger and, as a result, I love a good fruit crisp – especially the “crisp” part. I mean, flour, sugar, oatmeal, butter, how can you go wrong? When I came across this recipe for Blackberry-Peach Crisp, I was a little worried that the topping wouldn’t be as sweet and decadent tasting as the good old-fashioned crisps of days past but this dessert did not disappoint.

Fresh blackberries and peaches are mixed with nothing more than fresh orange juice (I used clementine juice!) and vanilla, allowing their natural sweetness to shine through. The fruit mixture is placed in individual ramekins and topped with a gooey coating of whole-wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, canola oil, and honey which melts together to form a crunchy topping. The fruit gets perfectly soft and bubbly as it cooks and is delightfully mildly sweet. This crumb mixture, which is spiced up with cinnamon and nutmeg, isn’t loaded with flour, thank goodness, but instead has a consistancy closer to granola which makes my toes curl. And because this dessert is baked in ramekins, portion control is easy to maintain (only 159 calories a serving!). I could easily make a batch of this crumb topping and eat it with nothing but a spoon and a smile. And maybe some ice cream. I’ll keep this recipe close by to use later in the fall with apples and pears. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

If you like this, also check out Blueberry-Peach Cobbler.