Apple Blueberry Crisp

Written by on in Crisp / Cobbler, Dessert

Apple crisps have been a staple in my house for many years. I have made it on many occasions. Weather it was a holiday or just for a get together, it is the perfect dessert that is not only delicious but unlike an apple pie, it is really easy to put together.

A crisp by definition is a dessert that consists of fruit that is baked with a crispy top. The crispy top is usually a mix of butter, flour, brown sugar, oats and cinnamon. Once baked the top becomes golden brown and gives your dish a nice crunch.

Crisps are great because they are so versatile. The most common crisp is apple however they can also be made with pears, peaches, blueberries or a combination of fruit. My favorite combination is apple blueberry. With the flavor of sweet apples and the tartness of the blueberry it makes the perfect bite each time.

I always like to start with a nice sweet crunchy apple. My favorite for this recipe is the Fuji. They are full of flavor, super crunchy and hold their shape when cooked. If you prefer to use a different apple that is totally fine, just make sure they to will hold together, you don’t want apple sauce.

Now. I like to peel one apple at a time, then slice. If you peel all your apples at once then slice them, the outer flesh of the apples will turn brown. To avoid this I peel and slice one apple at a time into 1/4” slices and place them in a large mixing bowl. After preparing three apples I squeeze about 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice on the slices and toss to coat. Then I continue with the next three apples, I peel and slice them and combine them with the other sliced apples and squeeze another teaspoon of fresh lemon juice on them and once again toss to coat. This will keep your apples bright and prevent them from turning brown.

For the blueberries, you can use fresh or frozen. For this recipe I used fresh but in the past I have used frozen and it works just fine. I gently toss my blueberries with my apples to combine.

To the apples and blueberries I added my sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, fresh ground nutmeg and salt and once again, tossed everything well to coat. I poured my mixture into a 11” x 8” x 3” casserole dish and set aside.

Now for the sweet crunchy top. In a large bowl I added the flour, brown sugar, quick oats, cinnamon, salt and melted butter. I mixed it with a fork until it all came together and clumps started to form.

I added my crumb mixture to the top of my apples, making sure to cover the fruit completely. Don’t worry if your crumbs are domed over the top of your dish, once cooked your crisp will shrink. I covered the top with a piece of aluminum foil then put the crisp on a baking sheet and then placed it in a 350º preheated oven. I baked for 1 hour or until fruit juices start to rise to the top of the crisp and bubble. Once fruit juices are visible I removed the aluminum foil and continued baking until the top was golden brown.

I removed it from the oven and served it while still warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

This crisp is best served warm so that when the ice cream is added it starts to melt in to the fruit juices and you have the perfect bite every time.

Apple Blueberry Crisp

Ingredients:

Filling:

  • 6 Large Fuji apples peeled, cored and cut into 1/4” slices
  • 1 1/2 Cups fresh or frozen blueberries, washed and drained
  • 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 Teaspoon salt

Crumble Topping:

  • 1/2 Cup ( 1 stick ) unsalted butter melted
  • 1 Cup light brown sugar
  • 1 Cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 Cup quick oats
  • 1 Teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 Teaspoon salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350º.
  2. To a large bowl combine sliced apples, blueberries and lemon juice and toss well to coat. Add granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, fresh grated nutmeg and salt and mix well. Pour apples into a medium size casserole dish and set aside.
  3. In a separate large mixing bowl combine brown sugar, all purpose flour, oats, cinnamon and salt and mix well to combine. Set aside.
  4. Melt the stick of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour over flour mixture and stir with a fork until incorporated. Using your hands, crumble the mixture evenly over the prepared apples and blueberry filling, making sure to cover the fruit completely.
  5. Place casserole dish on a baking sheet and cover with a sheet of aluminum foil. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour or until the juices from the fruit rise to the top and become bubbly. Once the juices become visible remove the aluminum foil cover and return to oven and continue baking until golden brown. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
  6. Enjoy

Make Ahead:

To make ahead, prepare the apple blueberry filling and the crumble topping 8 to 10 hours in advance. Do not put the crumble topping on the apples until ready to bake. Place the filling and topping in the refrigerator in separate containers. When ready to bake place the filling in a medium casserole dish and top with crumble, making sure to cover the filling completely. Cover crisp with aluminum foil and place casserole dish on a baking sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 350º for 1 hour or until juices from the fruit rise to the top and become bubbly. Once juices become visible, remove aluminum foil and continue baking until golden brown. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.