Here’s to rustic summer baking at its best! This fresh apricot crisp features sweet apricots baked under a buttery oat crisp topping, until hot and bubbly. This is a perfect laid back summer dessert to serve simply as is, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream – or a dollop of crème fraiche on top, in true French fashion.
Nothing beats a rustic, laid back summer dessert made with the best seasonal fruits! And for this, I think a fruit crisp always fits the bill. It’s one of my favorite desserts to make during Summer as it’s quick and easy, which means less time in the kitchen and more time outside.
I have always loved the effortlessness of making a fruit crisp and how it doesn’t need to look perfect. I’d even say the more rustic it looks, the better!
This Fresh Apricot Crisp is also the perfect way to showcase the ripe, sweet stone fruits. Since a crisp is less elaborate than a tart or a pie, it allows the fruits to shine on their own.
A crisp or a crumble: what’s the difference?
Before we dive into this recipe, do you know the difference between a crisp and a crumble? Although they are quite similar and equally delicious, crisps and crumbles do have one slight difference!
In France, I grew up preparing and eating “crumbles” – and that was the only name I ever knew. But when I moved to Canada, I started to hear about “crisps” and “crumbles”, and assumed these were basically two different words for the same dessert.
But as I did more research, I learned that “crumble” designates a dessert made of fruit filling topped with a crumble of flour, sugar and butter. While a “crisp” is topped with a crumble of flour, sugar, butter and oats.
Ingredients you need for this Fresh Apricot Crisp
This Fresh Apricot Crisp is a quick and easy dessert to whip up, that only requires apricots and a handful of staple ingredients – all of which you probably already have in your fridge or cupboard. I really love the simplicity of this rustic dessert.
- Apricots. Fresh, seasonal apricots yield the perfect tartness and amount of natural sweetness. You need about 2 pounds of apricots, cut into slices. Make sure you rinse them off beforehand.
- Honey. 2 tablespoons of honey are all you need to sweeten the filling, since ripe apricots are naturally sweet enough.
- Cinnamon powder. It adds a nice touch of warmth to the fruit filling and the crisp topping too.
- Cornstarch. Although optional, I like to add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in the filling to ensure it turns soft and almost jammy.
- Flour. All-purpose flour is best here.
- White sugar. You need granulated sugar for the topping.
- Salt. Always a great ingredient to enhance all the flavors.
- Oats. You can opt for old-fashioned rolled oats for a crunchy crisp. That said, quick oats work great too for a lighter crunch.
- Grated coconut. This is my personal touch; which complements the taste of the apricot perfectly. Make sure you choose it unsweetened. You can skip this if you don’t like coconut.
- Unsalted butter, cubed. You need to use very cold butter to create a great crumbly, crisp texture. My tip here is to take the butter out of the fridge, cut it in cubes and then place it back into the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using it in the recipe.
Common Questions
Can I replace fresh apricots with canned apricots?
Yes, in the winter or when apricots are not in season, you can replace the fresh apricots with canned apricots. Canned apricots are usually preserved in syrup, so I recommend you drain and rinse the apricots thoroughly before using them – or the crisp may end up too sweet.
What type of oats are best for the crisp topping?
Old-fashioned oats give a crunchy texture that’s great for this crisp topping. But I also sometimes use quick oats, which work great for a slightly less crunchy texture but lighter. Avoid steel cut oats.
Can I replace the shredded coconut with something else?
Yes, absolutely. I personally think the coconut is lovely in this crisp recipe as it pairs perfectly with the taste of the apricot and provides a subtle crunch too.
That said, you can replace the coconut with more oats (same quantity) or ground nuts such as walnut, pecan or almond (same quantity).
Can I omit the cinnamon powder?
Yes, you can omit the cinnamon if you are not a fan of the taste – although it is very subtle in this recipe. If you prefer, you can replace the cinnamon with ginger powder, which complements the flavor of stonefruits nicely.
How to store this Fresh Apricot Crisp
- Chill it. After making (and enjoying) this Apricot crisp – if you have any leftovers – you can cover it with plastic film and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. For reheating, simply pop it in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 8-10 minutes.
- Don’t freeze it.I don’t recommend freezing this crisp. The filling will likely get soggy when thawing.
Baking tips:
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- If you prefer, you can use white sugar instead of honey for the apricot filling. Another option is to use maple syrup (same quantity) which complements the taste of apricots perfectly too. Lastly, you can also skip on the honey or sugar, but do know the filling may taste a bit tart.
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- As you make the crisp topping, it will seem like a lot. Keep in mind it will sink down slightly into the soft apricot filling as it bakes.
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- The baking dish I used for these photos is 8”x 8” and it was perfectly sized.
8 comments
Just wondering which coconut to use, sweetened or unsweetened? Thank you
Unsweetened is the way to go! Happy baking!
Why not use steel cut oats ?
Hello Trish! Unless you like a really tough bite, my experience with the steel cut oats in this crisp was unpleasant. There is not nearly enough liquid in this Crisp to “cook” the oats. It didn’t suit it at all for me. If you’re a big fan, you could try adding a bit to your old fashioned or quick oats. Hope this helps!
Would dried apricots not work well? Thank you.
Hello, Kathryn! A great question, but one I unfortunately cannot answer as I’ve never used them for this recipe… but I’ll happily give my opinion. Dried apricots, while absolutely delicious, lack “liquid”. A ripe apricot will give off juices which makes for something of a “sauce” for this crisp – something dried apricots do not have. You would also need to use significantly more dried apricot. Perhaps if you rehydrate them beforehand, it could work, though the texture will be much different… But again, I can’t say with real certainty. Sorry!
finally – the secret is to use CHILLED butter! Thank you!
Thanks, Marilyn! Definitely the way to get this the way I like it… That butter has to be cold!