I rarely plan ahead with my desserts unless it’s a special occasion. So, the old-fashioned fruit crisp is an impromptu favorite—chopped up during dinner preparations and put in the oven before we sit down to eat. Mmmm! This time of year, I make rhubarb crisp but also this recipe can be used with any mix of seasonal fruit.
I hesitate to even write a blog about such a simple recipe, but also figure we also enjoy reminders about the simple things in life! This is mine!
What’s a Crisp?
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Fruit crisps are simply fruit at the bottom of a glass pie plate, covered in a crumbly topping that can be as little as three ingredients: flour, butter, brown sugar. Somehow, the way the cooked fruit blends with the browned topping in the oven is just mouthwatering. There are few desserts that I enjoy more.
You don’t use piecrusts. A crisp is mostly fruit. And you can make it even healthier by making the topping with whole wheat flour, oatmeal, ground nuts, wheat germ, and/or flaxseed meal.
This spring and summer (and fall), try making crisps from any fresh fruit that’s seasonal in your area: peaches, pitted cherries, tart apples, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries—or mix some fruit together! (See Related Articles above for several crisp recipes.)
Rhubarb (or, your fruit of choice)
In springtime, I make a rhubarb crisp. Apologies to my Southern friends, as rhubarb is more of a northern fruit, but you use the same recipe for any fruit.
Rhubarb growing in my garden near compost pile.
Rhubarb has a rich, tart flavor. Most people prefer it sweetened with strawberries or berries, but I crave the true, all-out unadulterated rhubarb taste. I just LOVE rhubarb! Apparently, early Americans from past centuries ate it straight as well, enjoying evening meals of “supper sauce,” bowls of warm stewed rhubarb served with homemade bread and butter. But I digress. Let’s get to the recipe …
Four cups of rhubarb chopped into 1-inch pieces and put straight into dish.
Fresh Fruit Crisp Recipe
Ingredients:
- 4 cups rhubarb or any fresh fruit (peel and core apples)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (whole wheat if desired)
- 1/4 cup oats (if you leave out oats, then make it 1/2 cup flour above)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup salted butter (add 1/2 teaspoon salt if butter is unsalted)
The most basic pantry ingredients for topping. If you wish, substitute whole wheat flour and/or mix in oats, flaxseed meal, wheatgerm, and nuts.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Lightly grease a 9-inch (or similarly sized) glass baking dish.
- Cut up fruit into 1-inch pieces and lay in dish.
- Add flour, oats, brown sugar in a mixing bowl and cut in the butter (about pea-size). Combine with fingers until crumbly. (Don’t overmix!)
- Spread mix over fruit. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Serve!
Some Tips:
- If you’re using apples or a fruit that turns brown, add lemon juice to the fruit before you spread the topping.
- You can cut the sugar or add more sugar, depending on how tart you like your rhubarb. I tend to sprinkle some extra brown sugar over the fruit before I add the topping, too.
- As I mentioned, feel free to mix in some wheat germ (or flaxseed meal) for health. You can also mix in a teaspoon of spice such as ground ginger or cinnamon or cardamom. Make it your own!
The finished crisp, browned and warm out of the oven.
I’d love to hear if you make fruit crisps, any new tips or ideas, and your favorite type of fruit used (so that I can try it myself!).
Catherine Boeckmann
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Do you melt the butter or chop it into small pieces or what?
Good question. We cut in the butter (pea-size piece) with a knife (or pastry cutter). We’ll update the directions. But you could also melt the butter and pour over the top. Everyone has their preference.
I got rhubarb plants at Lowes & Home Depoe and they didnt grow. I dug up one of my fathers plants in Michigan when he passed. it's growing in Georgia 2yr now good. I would like to get a few more plants to grow. Can you tell me a good type and where to get some?
We would recommend visiting a local garden nursery (vs a big box store) for vegetables. They’ll be sure to carry a type that grows well in your area. Rhubarb is a perennial planted in early spring as soon as the ground can be worked; choose a sunny spot and be sure to amend heavily so the plants have the nutrients they need. See our Rubarb Growing Guide for more information.
I add undiluted orange juice concentrate to my rhubarb crisp. I use a whole can and make enough for a 9x13 baking dish. You can also use orange liqueur to taste.
I love rhubarb, but I can not find it here where I live!!! Strawberry-Rhubarb pie is delicious!!!
I had a thought while reading the recipe. I know I could easily prepare and freeze the rhubarb in recipe-sized vacuum sealed bags, but...what of the crumble, also in recipe-sized bags? I'm thinking this could become an even easier supper :-)
Though you can freeze the crumble topping, we would recommend making it fresh. It is easily thrown together and shouldn't hinder anyone's weeknight.
I have made my things out of rhubarb. BQ sauce, peach n rhubarb n peach glaze 4 chicken n pork, bread pudding, rhubarb dump cake, when u cook it down there r so many thing u can make out of love this stuff !
Spring rhubarb crisp - Today I used a shake of Aniseed over the rhubarb and vanilla sugar (make my own). Topping consisted of flour, ground almonds, vanilla sugar and unsalted butter.
