Fruit and berry crumbles are a great summer dessert, where the fruit takes center stage while a sweet and delicate oatmeal streusel tops it off.
By Kelsey Hilts
One of my family’s themes for this summer has been berry picking. We are fortunate to live in Portland where there are countless u-pick farms. With a three year-old and a one-year old, heading to the farm to pick berries {strawberries, raspberries, marionberries, and blueberries} has become a favorite past-time and not to mention a life-saver when the boys are going crazy in the house! 
With the spoils of one of our recent raspberry and marionberry outings, my son wanted to bake something. I suggested berry crumbles instead of a full pie because it was just our family of four. Fruit {and berry} crumbles/crisps are one of my favorite desserts, especially in the heat of the summer, because the fruit takes center stage while a sweet and delicate oatmeal streusel tops it off.
No matter what time of year, crumbles are quick and easy to make with a simple list of ingredients that you would typically have on hand. They are also an extremely flexible dessert. You can easily cut the recipe down to make it for a smaller crowd or double it for larger portions. You can bake it in one large pan or serve it in individual ramekins. You can serve it plain {even for breakfast or a snack} or dress it up a la mode for a light, satisfying dessert.
The oatmeal crumble topping bakes into the fresh berry filling, providing the flavor of berry pie that I so love but in much lighter form. In a nutshell, the health advantages are: there is far less butter in the oatmeal topping than in a pie crust; there is no added sugar in the berry filling; and the oatmeal adds some whole grains and nutrients.
{If you don’t have berries, peach crisp and apple crisp are two other versions of this dessert that are also family favorites}.
PrintMixed Berry Oatmeal Crumbles
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8+ 1x
Description
Fruit {and berry} crumbles/crisps are one of my favorite desserts, especially in the heat of the summer, because the fruit takes center stage while a sweet and delicate oatmeal streusel tops it off.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (40g) oats
- 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (24g) flour
- 1/2 tsp (1,5g) cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (57g) butter, softened
- 2+ cups (57+g) berries {raspberries, marionberries, etc.}
Instructions
- Rinse the berries in a colander so that the excess water can drip off.
- Mix the rest of the ingredients.
- Place the berries in a greased baking pan or in individual oven-safe ramekins. The size of pan I use depends on how many berries I have. Cover the berries with the oat-butter mixture.
- Bake the crumble(s) for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees or until they are browned, the fruit is cooked and the juices are starting to bubble. Cook time will vary depending on the size of pan and how thick the berry filling is. If the filling needs to cook more but the top is browned enough, cover it with foil and continue baking.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
