Vanilla Coconut Berry Crisp (Printable Version)
Juicy mixed berries topped with toasted coconut-vanilla oats, baked golden and bubbling; perfect warm with ice cream.
# Ingredient List:
→ Berry Filling
01 - 4 cups mixed fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries)
02 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
04 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
06 - Pinch of salt
→ Crisp Topping
07 - 3/4 cup rolled oats
08 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
09 - 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
10 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
14 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square or oval baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large bowl, gently toss the mixed berries with granulated sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until evenly coated. Spread the berry mixture in an even layer across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a separate mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, shredded coconut, packed brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and vanilla extract. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms coarse, pea-sized crumbs.
04 - Sprinkle the crisp topping evenly over the berry filling, covering the surface completely.
05 - Bake on the center rack for 35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the berry juices are bubbling around the edges.
06 - Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally accompanied by vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The coconut in the topping toasts right in the oven, creating a crunchy golden crust that tastes like a candy bar met a granola bowl.
- It works with whatever berries you have, fresh or frozen, so you never need a special grocery run.
- The whole thing comes together in fifteen minutes of hands on time, which means more time outside and less time hovering over a stove.
02 -
- Do not skip the cornstarch or reduce it, I did once and ended up with a delicious but completely liquid berry soup that could only be eaten with a straw.
- Cold butter is non negotiable for the topping, warm butter melts into the flour and creates a dense paste instead of those irresistible craggy clumps.
03 -
- Toss a quarter cup of chopped pecans or almonds into the topping mixture for an extra layer of crunch that takes this from great to unforgettable.
- Press a small handful of the topping between your palms and scatter those larger clumps on top, they become those irresistible golden nuggets everyone fights over.