Winter Fruit Crisp (Printable Version)
A delightful dessert featuring baked winter fruits, apples, pears, and cranberries, topped with a crunchy oat and nut streusel.
# What You Need:
→ Fruit Filling
01 - 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
02 - 2 large pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
03 - 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
04 - 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
05 - 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
→ Crisp Topping
10 - 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
11 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 - 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
13 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
15 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
16 - 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat your oven to 350°F. Thoroughly butter a 9-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced apples, sliced pears, fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped dried apricots, brown sugar, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Toss all ingredients gently to ensure the fruit is evenly coated.
03 - Transfer the prepared fruit mixture into the buttered 9-inch baking dish, spreading it out evenly to form a single layer.
04 - In a separate bowl, combine the old-fashioned rolled oats, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans), 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
05 - Evenly sprinkle the prepared crisp topping over the fruit mixture in the baking dish.
06 - Bake the fruit crisp in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the topping is beautifully golden brown and the fruit filling is visibly bubbling around the edges.
07 - Allow the crisp to cool slightly before serving. This dessert is best enjoyed warm, optionally accompanied by vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- It's incredibly forgiving, perfect even if you're still finding your way around the kitchen.
- The blend of tart cranberries and sweet fruit with that crunchy topping is simply irresistible.
02 -
- The secret to a truly crunchy topping is to use very cold butter and avoid overmixing it into the dry ingredients.
- Don't crowd your baking dish too much, or the fruit won't cook evenly and the crisp won't get properly golden.
03 -
- For an extra layer of flavor, toast your nuts lightly before adding them to the crisp topping.
- If your topping starts to brown too quickly, lightly tent the dish with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.