Raspberry Nectarine Crisp

Side Note: It’s time for the Saveur Food Blog Awards again and I’d be forever grateful if you would consider nominating me for one or more of them. There are a ton of categories to choose from and you should definitely pick the ones that you see most fit, but some that come to mind are how-to (i.e. this and my fried chicken post), weeknight dinners, and/or videos from one of the Blavity collabs I shared. Happy eating!

It’s the first of the month (wake up, wake up, wake up), and that means it’s time for a new recipe. In fact(!), I even made a short little video of it for you—take a look:

Today’s recipe is for a raspberry and nectarine dessert that gets baked under a sugary, oat topping. The bonus that some of you might especially appreciate is that it’s both vegan and gluten free! Even those that don’t abide by such dietary restrictions will enjoy this delicious dessert (and won’t even tell the difference). And like one of my previous fruit desserts, I used some pink peppercorns in the filling and the topping to give this fruit crisp a little something special. Don’t have any on hand? You can definitely leave it out. And for the topping I use vegetable shortening, but I think coconut oil could be a great substitute as well. In summary—it’s the perfect summer dessert to impress all of your friends and family with. (Trust me.)

Vegan Gluten-Free Raspberry Nectarine Crisp

For the filling:

• 8 nectarines, pitted and cut into wedges
• one 6-ounce package raspberries (be sure to check for any bad ones!)
• 1 lemon, zest of whole and juice of half
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus maybe more)
• 1 tablespoon pink peppercorns, crushed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

For the topping:

• 1 1/2 cups (gluten-free) oats
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening or coconut oil

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
2. Combine the nectarines, raspberries, lemon zest and juice, sugar, pink peppercorns, and vanilla extract. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking depending on the ripeness of the fruit before tossing with the cornstarch.
3. Pour the fruit filling into an 8-by-8-inch baking dish (or whatever fits). Set aside.
4. For the topping, add the oats, sugar, and salt to a bowl and stir together. Add in the vegetable shortening and mix until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit.
5. Bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. (It’s also a good idea to place it on a baking sheet in the oven to catch any potential overflow.)
6. Let cool before serving.

What’s your favorite summer dessert?