This Zesty Triple Berry Crisp is one of my favorite, quick, and healthy dessert recipes. It's a simple recipe that can be thrown together last minute for a potluck or gathering, and it's ideal for any time of the year because you can use frozen berries or fresh berries. And it's the perfect easy recipe if you are charged with bringing dessert but are short on time.
This version is also a little different than your typical berry crumble. But rest assured, the mint and coconut are mild-tasting. It's also kid-tested and has their seal of approval. And believe me, they are a tough crowd!
I make this berry crisp when I need something fast and simple and don't even have time to go to the grocery store. This is made with staples that most people have on hand, like butter, oats, and frozen berries. But I wanted a crisp that was a little different than the usual so I spiked this crumble recipe with some fresh mint and lemon zest, as it gives it a nice fresh, unique taste.
I have started growing mint, so I don't even have to go to the grocery store for that! But if you don't have any, it really is worth the trip to the grocery store. And mint tends to last longer than other fresh herbs, in my experience. Then I added some unsweetened coconut to the topping - this gives it a really nice flavor boost!
I love desserts with berries, like my Chocolate (Genoise) Italian Sponge Cake with berries, so this frozen berry crumble was a natural creation in the evolution of desserts on this blog!
🥘 Ingredient Notes
This quick and easy Triple Berry Crisp is made with frozen mixed berries, so it's great for a last-minute dessert because it uses ingredients you already have on hand (like butter, frozen berries, and quick oats)! The addition of coconut, fresh mint, and lemon makes it unique and fresh tasting!
For this frozen berry crisp, you'll need:
- Brown sugar. Using a combination of brown and white sugar gives this crisp a hint of caramel flavor.
- Quick oats. Quick rolled oats. I use quick rolled oats or "quick oats" because they cook faster than regular rolled oats. Do NOT use instant oats - they will turn to mush!
- Unsweetened shredded coconut. Adding coconut to the topping elevates the flavor of this recipe to an entirely new level!
- Unsalted butter. I prefer to use unsalted butter in my baking because it allows me to control the salt. The content of salt in salted butter varies by brand.
- Frozen mixed berries. I use frozen berries because they are convenient and economical.
- Fresh mint and lemon zest. Using fresh mint and lemon, add a welcome zestiness to this triple berry crisp!
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Berries: Use any berries you prefer - I generally use a mix of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries or blackberries. You can use fresh if you happen to have 3 different kinds of berries on hand.
- Butter: If you only have salted butter, go ahead and use it, just skip the salt in the recipe.
- Cornstarch: You can use arrowroot powder instead.
- Mint: Fresh mint is ideal, but you could substitute freeze-dried. I dehydrate my herbs in my air fryer at the end of summer and use them throughout the winter. This is the next best thing to fresh! Check out this post on How to Dehydrate Herbs in the Air Fryer.
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Triple Berry Crisp
PREP:
1)Preheat oven to 350 degrees F./176 degrees C. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray
2)Defrost berries. *You can do this in the microwave or in the fridge the night before.Drain excess liquid once defrosted.
- Step 1: Crumble topping: In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, ¼ cup white granulated sugar, coconut, cinnamon, salt, and quick oats. Using a pastry blender (or see Top Tip for grating frozen butter), a fork, or your hands, cut in butter (keep cold until ready to use). Set aside.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, combine berries, ⅓ cup white granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, and fresh mint.
- Step 3: Mix together until berries are coated.
- Step 4: Add berry mixture to casserole dish.
- Step 5: Top with the crisp topping.
- Step 6: Bake until top is golden and fruit is bubbly, about 35 minutes. Serve warm and garnish with ice cream or whipped cream and sprinkles of cinnamon and/or cinnamon sticks and fresh mint!
Top tip
🧈Baking hack for butter
I also use grated butter in my streusel topping, as I'm not a fan of cutting in butter, and it's so much easier to work with. If you FREEZE your butter and grate it into the recipe with a cheese grater, it's much easier and less messy than using a pastry cutter! This discovery was seriously life-altering for me 🙂
Expert Recipe Tips
- Toast the coconut for added depth of flavor. Briefly toasting the unsweetened shredded coconut before mixing it into the topping brings out its nutty, caramelized flavor and adds another layer of texture.
- Add a splash of vanilla or almond extract. Mixing ½ teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract into the berry mixture can subtly enhance the overall flavor and balance the tartness of the berries.
- Use a mix of sweet and tart berries. If you're customizing the berry mix, aim for a balance between sweet (e.g., strawberries, blueberries) and tart (e.g., raspberries, blackberries) berries to keep the flavor vibrant and complex.
- Don't overmix the topping. Keep the topping crumbly-not doughy. Overmixing will make it dense instead of crisp. Use your fingertips to gently incorporate the butter until pea-sized crumbs form.
- Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Just a pinch of nutmeg in the topping can complement the cinnamon and give the crisp a warm, bakery-style flavor boost.
- Let it rest before serving. Allow the crisp to rest for at least 10-15 minutes after baking. This helps the juices thicken slightly and makes for neater servings.
- Serve with a citrusy whipped cream or ice cream. Citrus-infused whipped cream (e.g., with lemon or orange zest) or a scoop of lemon or coconut ice cream complements the zesty elements in the crisp beautifully.
🌡️Storing
You can store this recipe for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
It freezes well in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
👪 Serving Size
This Mixed berry crisp serves 8. However, you can cut it in half for a family dinner or double or triple it for a larger gathering. Simply click on the serving size in the recipe card, select the number of servings, and the recipe amounts will adjust accordingly. You could also make individual servings in ramekins.
❔ Recipe FAQs
You can prepare the berry filling and crisp topping separately ahead of time, store them in the fridge, and then assemble and bake right before serving. Alternatively, you can fully bake it, cool it, and reheat gently in the oven.
Cool the crisp completely before covering it, then store it loosely covered in the fridge. To bring back crispiness, reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes instead of microwaving.
Yes! While the recipe calls for a mix of berries for flavor variety, you can use just one type, such as only blueberries or raspberries. The texture and sweetness may vary slightly, so you might want to adjust the sugar to taste
Yes, it's best to thaw and drain the berries before using them. This prevents excess liquid from making the crisp too runny. If you use them straight from frozen, you may need to increase the baking time slightly and add an additional tablespoon of cornstarch.
Although the terms "crumble" and "crisp" are now used interchangeably, the original distinction was that crisps contained oats while crumbles did not, making the crisp an Americanized version of the British crumble. Both feature a streusel-like topping, which sets them apart from cobblers that have a biscuit topping. The crumble has British roots and was promoted during WWII as an economical dessert because it required less butter than traditional pastry, a key consideration during rationing.
So, if you are not up for something overly involved, looking for a frozen mixed berry dessert recipe, and need a delicious, quick, and comforting dessert, then give this Mixed Berry Crumble a try.
🍰More Potluck Desserts!
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📋Zesty Triple Berry Crisp Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup quick oats
- ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 6 tablespoon cold or frozen butter cut into small pieces (or grated - see NOTES)
- 4 cups frozen mixed berries defrosted and drained *Measure when frozen
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Garnish:
- whipped cream (I use the spray can) and cinnamon or vanilla ice cream
- fresh mint
- cinnamon sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/176 degrees F. Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray
- Defrost berries and drain.4 cups frozen mixed berries
- Crumble topping: In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, ¼ cup white granulated sugar, coconut, cinnamon, salt and oats.½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 pinch salt, ½ cup quick oats, ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- Using a pastry blender (or see Top Tip in post for easy frozen butter grating method), a fork or your hands, cut in butter (keep cold until ready to use.) Set aside6 tablespoon cold or frozen butter
- In a large bowl combine berries, ⅓ cup white granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and fresh mint ; toss to coat.⅓ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon fresh mint, 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Add berry mixture to casserole dish. Top with crumble topping.
- Bake until top is golden and fruit is bubbly, about 35 minutes.
- Serve warm and garnish with ice cream or whipped cream and sprinkles of cinnamon and/or cinnamon sticks and fresh mint!
Notes
- Toast the coconut for added depth of flavor. Briefly toasting the unsweetened shredded coconut before mixing it into the topping brings out its nutty, caramelized flavor and adds another layer of texture.
- Add a splash of vanilla or almond extract. Mixing ½ teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract into the berry mixture can subtly enhance the overall flavor and balance the tartness of the berries.
- Use a mix of sweet and tart berries. If you're customizing the berry mix, aim for a balance between sweet (e.g., strawberries, blueberries) and tart (e.g., raspberries, blackberries) berries to keep the flavor vibrant and complex.
- Don't overmix the topping. Keep the topping crumbly-not doughy. Overmixing will make it dense instead of crisp. Use your fingertips to gently incorporate the butter until pea-sized crumbs form.
- Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Just a pinch in the topping can complement the cinnamon and give the crisp a warm, bakery-style flavor boost.
- Let it rest before serving. Allow the crisp to rest for at least 10-15 minutes after baking. This helps the juices thicken slightly and makes for neater servings.
- Serve with a citrusy whipped cream or ice cream. Citrus-infused whipped cream (e.g., with lemon or orange zest) or a scoop of lemon or coconut ice cream complements the zesty elements in the crisp beautifully.
Nutrition
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
I love a good berry crumble (or crisp!) and this one looks delicious Terri! Great tip for grating the butter! I'll have to try that some time!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Leanne! Yes, the butter hack has been revolutionary:)
Denise | Urb'n'Spice
This is a great recipe, Terri! It is so nice to be able to make this crumble all year around with frozen berries. That crumble topping looks yummy, too. The addition of coconut and mint in this recipe gives it a new and fresh twist. I am looking forward to trying it. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Denise! I agree- I love making crumble all year 'round!
sheenam | thetwincookingproject.net
This crumble looks really very delicious!!
Terri Gilson
Thank you 🙂
Colleen
I love the addition of coconut to your berry crisp. And I also love your tip about grating the frozen butter. Life changing indeed!
Terri Gilson
Hi Colleen. Thank you and YES the butter trick is the best, especially if you are a baker!
Elaine
All those healthy berries, full of antioxidants in one tasty crisp! I love the addition of lemon and mint as a flavour boost! Thanks for sharing this yummy dessert!
Terri Gilson
Thank you, Elaine. I agree - just love the health benefits of berries! And I really can't get over how well the lemon, mint and coconut jive with this crisp - meant to be 🙂
foodinbooks
Yum! this looks so great, and light after all the holiday excesses.
Food Meanderings
Thanks !
foodinbooks
Yum! this looks so great, and light after all the holiday excesses.
Food Meanderings
Thanks !