Juicy raspberries and luscious blackberries baked under a buttery almond oat topping! This Razzleberry Crisp is destined to dazzle your tastebuds!
Razzleberry…the name, alone, sounds so intriguing. It’s a delectable blend of raspberries and blackberries that’s both sweet and slightly tart. It’s a refreshing combination of flavors that’s perfect this time of year!
Although Razzleberry is typically associated with pies, I decided to change things up a little by swapping the pie crust out for a buttery crisp topping loaded with oats, brown sugar, and sliced almonds…
This Razzleberry Crisp has EVERYTHING. It has the perfect balance of tart, juicy raspberries and sweet, plump blackberries. Not to mention, the filling is deliciously thick and not the least bit runny. The crisp topping is absolutely brimming with toasted oats, maple brown sugar, and crunchy almonds. When you combine all of this into one massive spoonful, you have a dance party in your mouth, folks!
One thing that I love about crisps is that they’re ten times easier to make than pies. Why? Well, to put things simply, pie crusts are a pain in the a** to make! In my (maybe too) honest opinion…
Tips for the BEST Crisp Topping
Use Old-fashioned Oats – Old-fashioned oats, also known as rolled oats, provide a much better chew to the crisp topping. Not only is it much heartier than quick oats, but it’s also more nutty in flavor. Since quick oats are ground up really fine, they have the tendency to disappear into crisp toppings. I like it when I can see whole oats peeking out of the topping.
Sliced Almonds Add Extra Crisp – Although walnuts and pecans are fabulous in crisp toppings, nothing compares to the crisp crunch you get from sliced almonds. The thin cut of sliced almonds makes them extra delicate, and they toast up so beautifully in the oven. Make sure they’re SLICED almonds though. Chopped almonds and slivered almonds simply won’t result in the same divine texture.
Add Cinnamon AND Nutmeg – These two spices are staples when it comes to adding a little warmth to your dessert recipes. They complement each other extremely well and they enhance the flavor of the berries.
Load it up with LOTS of Crisp Topping – I don’t know about you, but I LOVE me some crisp topping. You’ll often catch me sneaking a few clumps of topping off of a just-baked crisp. To me, there’s nothing worse than a fruit crisp that doesn’t have enough crisp topping to go with every bite of delicious filling. That’s why I made EXTRA sure that this crisp recipe had a substantial amount of topping.
Tips for the BEST Razzleberry Filling
Pre-Cook the Berry Filling – Most crisp or cobbler recipes involve simply tossing the berries with cornstarch and sugar, and then baking it. I, on the other hand, prefer to cook the filling up first before baking it in the oven. Not only does this allow you to thicken the filling to your liking, but it also provides added insurance that you won’t end up with a runny filling.
Add a Splash of Lemon Juice – Although raspberries are tart themselves, adding some fresh lemon juice can really brighten up the overall flavor of the filling. The lemon juice also balances out the sweetness of the blackberries.
Reserve 2 cups of Berries for the VERY End – During the pre-cooking process, most of the berries end up breaking up. This makes for a perfectly thick filling, however, I still like to have whole berries throughout. That’s why I like to reserve 1 cup of the blackberries and 1 cup of the raspberries to fold in at the very end.
If you’re looking for something sweet, something tart, and extra heavenly, this Razzleberry Crisp NEEDS to be at the top of your to-do list. Just make sure you don’t let another berry season pass by before making this delectable dish of deliciousness!
Razzleberry Crisp
Ingredients
Crisp Topping:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup old-fashioned (rolled) oats
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
Razzleberry Filling:
- 3 cups raspberries, divided (fresh or frozen)
- 4 cups blackberries, divided (fresh or frozen)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Make the Topping:
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, almonds, and spices. Using a fork or pastry blender, cut the softened butter into the dry ingredients, until a moist crumb forms; set aside.
Make the Berry Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups of the raspberries and 3 cups of the blackberries over medium heat until they soften and their juices release (about 3-4 minutes).
- In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt together. Stir dry mixture into the berries and continue stirring until mixture thickens, and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup of raspberries, 1 cup of blackberries, and lemon juice.
- Transfer the filling to an 8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle topping evenly over the filling.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown on top. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Leftover crisp can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.