Before living in Maricopa, we lived on more than 6 acres in the Pacific Northwest. One side of the property was lined with wild blackberry bushes, and this time of year, the berries were just starting to ripen. 

All summer long, we enjoyed their bounty. The kiddos would head outside with giant paint buckets or the biggest bowls we could find, then spend hours getting scratched up by brambles while filling their containers, and their bellies, with delicious berries. 

This easy fruit crisp was one of the many blackberry recipes in regular rotation in my kitchen each summer. I’ve made it so many times, I have memorized the recipe. 

My version uses blackberries, but you can use almost any fruit you like. My mom’s favorite is apple cinnamon, and my grandfather’s favorite was peach. No matter which fruit you choose, this crisp is delicious year-round. 

Blackberry fruit crisp 

Ingredients for fruit layer 

• 4-6 cups fresh blackberries (enough to fill your pan at least ⅔ of the way to the top) 

• 1 lemon 

• 1 cup white sugar 

 Ingredients for topping 

• 1½ cup salted butter (soften to room temp) 

• 1½ cup brown sugar 

• 1½ cup flour 

• 1½ old-fashioned oats 

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 

Tools  

• Nonstick spray or butter to grease (I prefer butter) 

• 2 round cake pans 

• Parchment paper 

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 

1. In a large bowl, add fruit, squeezed juice from lemon and white sugar, then mix. I also like to add a little zest from the rind for some added flavor. 

1. Pour fruit mixture into a 9-by-13-inch casserole pan. In a separate bowl, mix butter, oats, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon until it produces a crumbly texture. Spread evenly across fruit mixture in pan. 

1. Bake in oven for 60 to 90 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling at the edges and the topping is crisp and golden. 

1. It’s especially yummy if served with Tillamook’s Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream (I’m a PNW girl, so it must be Tillamook!). 

Desert Cedars resident Tiffany Welch is the director of operations for InMaricopa. Reach her at [email protected] to discuss baking recipes.