Summer Sneak Peek: Blueberry-Peach Crisp with Ginger Cookie Topping

Today was the first really hot day Chicago has had since I've lived here. Every time I've had a conversation with anyone - from good friends and coworkers to hairdressers and grocery clerks - about being new to the city, they've all said the same thing: "if you think you like Chicago now, just wait until the summer. Then, you'll really fall for it."

I'm not loathe to admit that Fall is my favorite season. You can still wear dresses or go jacket-less in favor of a light sweater but suddenly there's a comforting chill in the air, leaves start to morph into beautiful colors and the sweaty stickiness that coats us during August suddenly disappears as quickly as it came.

Among the things I do love about summer, however, are eating and drinking on restaurant patios (or friends' patios...hint, hint anyone who has a patio), the smell of suntan lotion, cotton summer dresses, laying poolside and, yes, you had to know where I was taking this one: summer desserts.

I'm an ice cream fiend, I eat it year round. So I can hardly classify ice cream as a dessert meant specifically for summer. Fruit pies, crisps and cobblers, though? A delicious fruit crisp signifies summer's beginning more than Memorial Day.

As luck would have it, Walker's Shortbread recently sent me shortbread cookies to play with in the kitchen. I used the Stem Ginger Shortbread in the crisp topping. To celebrate the arrival of summer, Walker's has offered to give an Afternoon Tea Basket to one of my fabulous readers. Details for how you can enter are below.

Blueberry Peach Crisp with Ginger Cookie Topping

What you need: 

2 1/2 cups blueberries
1 1/2 cups sliced peaches
1 Tablespoon corn starch
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup Walker's Stem Ginger Shortbread cookies, crushed (or store-brand ginger cookies)
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sliced almonds

What you do:

1.In a bowl, combine blueberries, sliced peaches, corn starch, lemon juice and granulated sugar. Mix to combine evenly. Pour into a lightly buttered 9" glass pie dish.

2. In the same bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, oats, ginger cookies, and almonds. Stir with a fork until mixture is crumbly and evenly blended. Spread the mixture over the berries and bake 375 degrees F for 40 minutes. Let cool before serving and top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

Comments

[Lisa]

My favorite summer dessert has to be key lime pie or blueberry cobbler. YUM!! (And I entered my additional entries too! just so you know :) )

[Lisa]

P.S. My Twitter is LisaAtHome1

[Nichole]

My favorite summer dessert, it's so hard to pick one!Typically it's anything with blackberries. But, nothing really says summer to me like fresh Strawberry Shortcake. The fact that it is super simple to make doesn't hurt:)

[kat]

I think a good homemade ice cream or gelato is my favorite summer dessert

[Daryl]

My favorite summer dessert is strawberry shortcake. The kind made with biscuits.

[Beth @ 990 Square]

How could I pick just one summer dessert to have as my favorite? I love everything with fresh fruit!

This looks wonderful--blueberries and peaches are a combination I've never tried together.

[Joanne]

I agree with you that ice cream should be a year round treat but there's definitely something much more satisfying about eating it on a really hot day! My favorite summer dessert has to be some kind of berry pie...strawberry rhubarb maybe. Your crisp looks absolutely delicious! I made a blueberry peach pie last year that I loved...such a great flavor combination.

Awesome giveaway!

[Alisa-Foodista]

My favorite summer treat has to be sorbet and ice cream. Your blueberry peach crisp looks real good! I love your recipes here!

[Juliana]

Wow, nice combination...love the idea of the ginger cookie on top :-)

[Katie@Cozydelicious]

Yum! This looks wonderful. Ginger and peaches totally belong together.

I love fruity summer desserts... and my favorite to make is fresh berry tartlettes. But to eat, my favorite will always be mixed berry shortcake. With plenty of just slightly whipped cream.

[Maria]

Fabulous summer dessert! I love sorbet and gelato!

[Jenn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog)]

My favorite summer dessert is soft serve ice cream.

I Tweeted this giveaway: http://www.twitter.com/j3nndotnet

Jenn

[Lexi]

YUM! This looks so good! My favorite summer desert is strawberry shortcake, for sure!

[Lexi]

Here's my tweet-

lexilooo @mariscalla um, yum! giveaway! http://www.ingoodtasteblog.net/in_good_taste/2010/05/blueberrypeach-crisp-with-ginger-cookie-crust.html

[Lexi]

I am also a fan of IGT on facebook!

[prerna gupta]

My favorite dessert is mostly anything with fruit like tarts,pie and cobblers.

[Lisa]

I love that you topped it with a ginger topping. That sounds delicious.

My favorite summer dessert is strawberry shortcake, made with biscuits and fresh strawberries. Thanks for the giveaway!

[DessertForTwo]

You're such a tease! Our peaches won't be ripe for a few more weeks! I bookmarked your recipe and I can't wait to make it!

I don't think someone who has a dessert blog can pick a favorite dessert. But if I narrow it down to just summer desserts, I would have to say angel food cake with berries soaked in orange liquor topped with a scoop of lemon sorbet.

[heather @ chiknpastry]

sounds great. i still have some blueberries in the freezer from last summer, but no peaches yet! yum!

favorite summer dessert? wow, that's tough. i do love a good rhubarb crisp :)

[mandy]

I am a fan of any cobbler. Blueberry is my favorite. I have a go to Blueberry cobbler that I make as soon my grandfathers blueberry bushes are full of ripe blueberries.

[Paige]

Oh strawberry rhubarb pie by far! Can't get enough and it is totally amazing in a gingersnap crust.

[Sues]

I LOVE summer pies! But this dessert looks absolutely lovely. I'm obsessed with anything ginger and have a feeling it would be amazing with blueberry and peach. It looks so beautiful too :)

[mandy]

I tweeted! http://twitter.com/mariscalla/status/14646299849

[Megan (Best of Fates)]

Ooh - anything crisp and I'm in.

[Kate (Little Beach Bum)]

Hey Maris - thanks for stopping by! Summer has already been here in Florida for weeks - now I'm just concentrating on not melting to death! :) Your blog looks ah-mazing...I can't wait to check out and try some of your recipes - this ginger crust topping looks like a good place to start!

[Sarah (Frontier Kitchen)]

I love fruit crisps! I just made some mini blueberry cheesecakes with a gingersnap crust and loved the flavor combination so I'll have to give this recipe a try too. Thanks!

[runnerforever]

Oh yum, looks divine!

[Alanna]

My favorite is homemade ice cream. Or ANYthing with rhubarb. Or peaches. Or apricots. But most of all, Minnesota blueberries. ;-)

[A Cajun Down Under]

This looks fantastic. Can't wait to try it!

My favorite summer dessert is berry cobbler. I'll make it with whatever berries are fresh and available. But, truthfully, I make it all year round using frozen berries in the colder months.

[grace]

for the longest time, my favorite summer dessert was strawberry shortcake. then i had blueberry shortcake, and everything changed. :)
i love the ginger cookies atop your crisp--great touch!