Peach Blueberry Crisp

Name: Peach Blueberry Crisp
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup all-purpose flour; ½ cup packed light brown sugar; ½ tsp. ground cinnamon; ⅕ tsp. salt; 5 Tbs. unsalted butter; ⅖ cup coarsely chopped pecans; 3 cups blueberries, (about 1 lb.); 4 medium peaches (about 1 lb.), halved, pitted, and sliced ½- inch thick; ¼ cup granulated sugar; 1 ½ Tbs. cornstarch; Pinch salt

Essential Ingredients

Peaches: If the peaches I'm using are good quality and perfectly ripe, I do not peel them, but you certainly could. A perfectly ripe peach should be firm and heavy in the palm of your hand; it will give a little when gently pressed. Also keep on mind that bigger is better when it comes to peaches. Bigger peaches will be sweeter, juicer and more fully developed in flavor.

Blueberries: Pick the berries over and discard any immature berries or berries past their prime. Remove any stems and rinse the berries briefly in a colander. If ou are using frozen blueberries, do not thaw before using.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch, a starch derived from corn, is a thickener, and that's precisely what it does in this crisp—it thickens the fruit's juices.

How to make a Peach Blueberry Crisp

1. Make the topping by combining the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, work the softened butter into the flour mixture until it clumps together when pressed. Stir in the walnuts.

2. In a large bowl, combine the blueberries and peaches. Add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt.

3. Scrape the fruit mixture into a buttered 9-inch square (or similar-capacity) glass or ceramic baking dish. (You could also divide the fruit into small ramekins for individual crisps; just remember that the cooking time will be shorter). Set the pan on a baking sheet to catch overflowing juices. Top the fruit with the topping, pressing it into clumps with your fingers.

4. Bake at 375°F until topping is crisp, and the juices are bubbling, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes before serving.

overhead view of baked peach blueberry crisp in square ceramic baking dish.

Recipe Tips

This dessert is best served the same day it’s made, as the topping can tend to absorb the fruit’s juices and become soggy.

However if you are eating it the next day, you can reheat it in a 400°F oven for about 15 minutes.

Bring the fruit to room temperature before using. Cold fruit can bake unevenly.

To peel peaches if desired: Quickly blanch the peaches before you peel them. Cut an X into the bottom of each peach. Drop the peaches into the boiling water and cook just until the skin begins to loosen, 30 to 60 seconds. Drain the peaches and then plunge them into cold water to stop them from cooking further. The peel should slip right off.

Recipe FAQs

What is the difference between a crisp and a cobbler?

Both of these desserts involve juicy fresh fruit that is baked, but the difference between them has to do with the topping. A crisp has a streusel-like crumb topping, where a cobbler has a thick top crust usually made with biscuits or pastry. That, my friends, is the only difference!

What other fruit can I use?

You can use a myriad of fruits for this crisp. Think of fruits that are in season together for some great combinations; strawberries, rhubarb, and cherries in early summer, peaches, plums, nectarines and blueberries at summer’s height, and apples and pears in the fall and winter. Fresh berries and cherries work best when they’re used in combination with other fruit, as they can get too mushy on their own.

What are other easy baked fruit desserts?

You may know of other types of homey, baked fruit desserts, including Betty, Crumble, Pandowdy, and Grunt. Basically, the difference among all of these are the different types of toppings. The Betty uses bread cubes or breadcrumbs; crumbles are like crisps but with oats; the pandowdy has a pie crust topping that is broken during baking and pushed down to absorb the juices; and the grunt is topped with a dumpling. But no matter how you top it, these desserts are easy, delicious, and so homey and comforting!

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