This nectarine blueberry crisp is the perfect summertime fruit dessert. Sweet with a little tart, gooey with a little crunch…it’s simply delicious!
I’ve been imagining this desert for a while, but last weekend, it finally became a reality. Originally, I was planning to make a peach-blueberry crisp, but then nectarines were on sale for 3 lbs. for a dollar…and who can resist that?

Plus, I actually like nectarines better anyway (the fuzz on peaches kind of makes me shiver). We even have a nectarine tree in our back yard, and I’m thrilled that it is actually producing fruit this year (we just planted it last fall)! And now that I’ve made this dessert, I think I know what some of those nectarines will be used for once they’re ripe.

Okay, back to the crisp. I served it to my siblings and their families who were over for Sunday dinner, and my weekend gourmet-chef brother said it was the best fruit crisp he’s ever tasted! Score! He’s the guy who has aspirations to make his own chocolate from scratch (like, he wants to grind the cocoa beans himself), so a compliment like that from him is saying something.

The best part is that it’s a fail-proof recipe. Simply peel and slice a bunch of nectarines (it took me ten to get 2 1/2 pounds), mix them with the other filling ingredients, and pour in a 9×13 pan. The not-so-secret essential ingredient for the filling is…drum roll…lime juice. You could also use lemon juice or even orange juice (but I didn’t have those so I used a lime, and it was delish). The important thing is that the citrus brightens the flavor of the sweet fruit and gives the crisp a slight tang.Then, mix up all the ingredients for the topping, making sure to get it good and crumbly. This step involves a pretty basic list of ingredients, but make sure you add the tiny bit of salt because it brings out all the different flavors, and gives a subtle sweet/salty contrast.Bake it, cool it, and serve it with vanilla ice cream, and realize that your life is now complete. Okay, maybe not quite, but I seriously can’t wait for you all to try this. Enjoy!

Perfect Nectarine Blueberry Crisp

Notes: You can use fresh or frozen fruit for this recipe. I used fresh nectarines and frozen blueberries, but you could go either way. You can even get creative and add or substitute other types of fruit as well!

Ingredients:

Filling

• 2 1/2 pounds nectarines, peeled and sliced (about 10 nectarines)
• 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• a pinch of kosher salt

Topping

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat the fruit until the mixture looks uniform (make sure there aren’t any clumps of dry cornstarch remaining, etc.). Pour in 9×13 pan.
3.  In another bowl, combine all topping ingredients except butter, and stir until well mixed. Cut in butter using a pastry blender (or two knives, your fingers, or anything else) until the mixture is crumbly. Spread the mixture evenly over the fruit filling.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, until the edges are bubbly and the top begins to look golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 30 minutes (cooling time is important to help the fruit filling set up a little).
5. Serve warm or at room temperature along with a heaping scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Source: I used an old fruit crisp recipe from a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook as a base recipe, and then I added and altered various ingredients and amounts.

What’s your favorite summertime fruit dessert?

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