Skillet Fruit Crisp

If we’re being honest, we should go ahead and admit that sometimes in the summer, we just eat pie for dinner. High on our list of favorites is this berry crisp. Baked in a skillet that goes right to the table, you’ll find plenty to love in this rustic, homey dessert. Not too sweet, it’s filled with jammy berries, fragrant with warm cinnamon and toasty walnuts – and best of all, can be thrown together in practically the time it takes to whip up some cream to go on top. When there’s something this soul-warming on offer, no one will much care what’s for dinner anyway, so give yourself a night off and enjoy the sweet freedom of summer.

Serves: 6
Total TIme: 45 minutes

• 2 pints berries, or 4 cups mixed summer fruit (peaches, plums, nectarines, blueberries, blackberries)
• juice of 1 lemon
• 6 t granulated sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 t cinnamon, divided
• 1/3 c brown sugar
• 1 c + 1 T flour
• 1/2 t salt
• 6 T butter, diced
• 1/2 c walnuts, toasted and chopped into 1/2 inch or smaller pieces

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Place fruit in a mixing bowl and toss with 2 t sugar, 1/2 t cinnamon, 1 T flour, and lemon juice. Place in an 8″ square baking dish or a 8″ iron skillet and set aside.
2. Place remaining granulated sugar, brown sugar, remaining cinnamon, remaining flour and salt in a mixing bowl.
3. Add diced butter and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse sand/gravel. Add nuts and stir to blend well.
4. Place flour mixture on top of fruit in baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes until fruit mixture is bubbling and top is browned and crisp. Serve with ice cream or softly whipped cream.