This berry cherry crisp is one of my favorite desserts because of how simple it is to make. Some links within this article are affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them.
I love when my kids decide what I should make and bake and force me to create a new dish.
My son used to do it all the time with his birthday cakes. “Mom, I want a strawberry cake.” “Mom, can I have a peach cake this year?” and so on for the last 17 years…
The coolest part of all this?
My then six year old kid made it All. By. Herself. How awesome is that?
I put it into and removed it from the oven, but she did the measuring and mixing and pouring all by herself. And ohhh was she proud!
Can I use frozen fruit?
Absolutely. I love using frozen fruit for recipes like this.
It’s a lot quicker to prep, as I don’t need to pit all the cherries. When you use fresh cherries, make sure you have a quality cherry pitter to make your life easier!
If you use frozen fruit, don’t thaw it. Go ahead and mix this all up before it thaws and leaks juice everywhere.
Why add dried fruit?
Dried fruit does a great job absorbing some of the extra liquid you get from baking the blueberries and cherries.
The dried fruit plumps up and softens, and they often also have a more intense flavor, which is fun to have those pops in this recipe.
I use about half to three quarters of a cup of dried fruit out of the total five cups of fruit.
How should I adjust the recipe if I use fresh berries instead of frozen?
If you’re using fresh berries, you won’t need to use as much corn starch. Instead of 1/4 cup, use two tablespoons.
The frozen berries really excrete a lot of juice!
Additionally, reduce the bake time from 50 minutes to 40 minutes. While you bake it at the same temperature, it takes less time to bake.
At 40 minutes, you should see the fruit juices bubbling lightly around the edges. That’s your signal that the crisp is done.
If you don’t see any bubbling, let it cook another five minutes and check it then.
Why should I use whole nutmeg?
When I use nutmeg – and I use it a lot! – I use whole nutmeg and grate it myself with my zester. It has a stronger and better taste – it’s just fresher.
Even more importantly, whole nutmeg is both cheaper and lasts longer. Ground spices start to deteriorate and lose their flavor after about six months.
You can keep the whole nutmeg way longer than that. I buy mine at a bulk food store, which cuts the cost down even further.
I use enough cinnamon that I buy it ground, but the same philosophy holds true there. Whole spices in general are a better call whenever possible.
Do I need to use mayonnaise?
You do not need to use mayonnaise. You can replace it with an equal amount of cold, unsalted butter, and cut it in with a pastry cutter.
Mayo has two advantages, however. There are reasons I use it here.
First mayonnaise has a great tang to it that adds a great complementary flavor to the sweet fruit crisp. So try it.
Second, mayonnaise is dairy free. Eggs are not dairy, so don’t @ me. They don’t come from a cow.
Using mayonnaise in this keeps this recipe dairy free, which makes it more allergy friendly. It isn’t vegan, obviously, but this is great for those who have dairy allergies or sensitivities.
And there’s an added bonus, too. Mixing mayonnaise into the streusel topping is far easier than cutting in butter with a pastry cutter.
Because sometimes lazy wins.
Can I make this fruit crisp in advance?
You can make it in advance, though don’t do it more than two days before.
If you make it too far in advance, the streusel topping starts to get a little soft. Trust me, you want that contrast of a crisp topping.
Let it cool fully to room temperature, then place a paper towel over the crisp. Cover that tightly, and store it in the fridge.
The paper towel helps to absorb moisture, and you can change it out after a day or so if you wish.
When you serve it, reheat it in the oven uncovered at 350 degrees for 15 or so minutes. This helps re-crisp the topping of your berry cherry crisp, too.
What if I don’t have blueberries and cherries?
This works with more than just blueberries and cherries. You could do it with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and more.
The goal is to have five cups total of your fruit, so mix and match with what you have and what sounds good to you.
How to Make Berry Cherry Crisp
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Place your berries into an eight inch baking dish. Use corn starch and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg to coat the berries, stirring them gently to coat.
If you’re using fresh berries, check the notes above for the adjustments you need to make.
To make the toppings, simply put all the dry ingredients into another bowl. Once they’re in the bowl, mix them up so that they’re well combined and it’s a uniform color and texture.
Once the dry streusel ingredients are well mixed, add the mayonnaise. You can simply use your spatula to mix it together until the streusel makes nice little clumps.
You don’t want it smooth or completely flat, so don’t mix it too much.
From there, simply pour the streusel topping over the berries. You don’t want to press it down into the crisp, but you do need to smooth it a bit so that it’s evenly spread across the berries.
Bake the crisp in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the juices are starting to bubble around the streusel. Let it cool 20 or more minutes to set before you serve it.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, or just by itself.
Have you ever tried a berry cherry crisp?
Berry Cherry Crisp
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 3 1/2 cups blueberries
- 1 cup cherries
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup corn starch
For the streusel topping:
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 cup oats
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place berries into an 8" baking dish.3 1/2 cups blueberries, 1 cup cherries, 1/2 cup dried cherries
- Toss berries gently with corn starch and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg to coat.1/4 cup corn starch, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- To make the topping, simply place dry ingredients into another bowl. Mix until you have a uniform color and texture.1 cup flour, 3/4 cup oats, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- Add mayonnaise and mix with a spatula until you have a sandy texture and small clumps.1/2 cup mayonnaise
- Pour the streusel topping over the berries. Gently spread to coat evenly.
- Be at 350 degree oven for 50 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the juices are starting to bubble around the streusel.
- Let cool 20 minutes before serving to fully set. Serve by itself or with ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
- This works well with both frozen berries and fresh berries. Fresh berries require some alterations - 2 tablespoons cornstarch only, and check the crisp after 40 minutes.
- For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the full article above.
Nutrition
This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.
[…] I go blueberry picking, I love to make these blueberry bars or my berry cherry crisp. It’s the perfect way to enjoy fresh […]
Michelle, this sounds perfect! I love fresh fruit too! Don't forget to put the “Return to Sunday Dinner” button from my blog on your post so others can also link to the recipes. Thanks for submitting yours. You were the first person and I am happy to see your contribution! Have a great weekend!
You really are an inspiration in the kitchen. You inspire me to do more by scratch. Thanks Michelle!
Celeste – Aww thank you! She was SO proud of herself and wants to know what she can make next. I told her she can do my no knead bread 🙂 It's SO fun to bake with them though, but yes, it does need to be much slower!
Tara – Ohhh I think you might need to share that one. I'm not a chocolate cake person, but that sounds like it has promise!
I have a chocolate sheet cake recipe that calls for mayo. It is is richest, moistest cake I have ever eaten… delicious! This is something I would make too.
Congrats to LIttle Miss on her awesome kitchen skills.
O YUM!! Your little baker looks adorable! I'm printing out this recipe for my up and coming 4yr old chef. LOL!! We recently took a mommy n me in the kitchen class together and now I can't shake her from me when in the kitchen. I have to admit it's fun when I slow down and practice patience.
Gr8 meeting you today at #CleverSmurfFB party !
CHEERS!