This Fresh Apricot Crisp recipe is a delicious summer fruit dessert. It’s sweet and juicy, and the buttery crisp topping is simply irresistible!

Close up of fresh apricot crisp on a white plate, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

If you’ve been lucky enough to get your hands on some fresh apricots and are looking for apricot recipes, then you simply must try this fresh apricot crisp! The fruit filling is deliciously sweet-tart and juicy, with a hint of cinnamon and ginger.

And the crisp topping! It is hands down the best crisp topping I’ve ever had. Really. I use maple syrup to sweeten the topping and it lends the best flavor and texture.

Your kitchen is going to smell amazing as this crisp bakes. It’s so hard to wait while the crisp cools a bit before you take a bite! The apricot crisp is absolutely delicious on its own, but add a scoop of ice cream for an extra special treat. Don’t forget to try my fresh Apple Crisp Recipe too!

I used to always use fresh apricots to make an Apricot Pie, but lately I’ve been making this apricot crisp instead. A crisp is so easy to make and I prefer the crispy oat topping to a cobbler recipe.

The finished dessert in a baking dish, with a serving spoon.

You would never guess it, but this apricot crisp recipe is on the healthier side. It’s sweetened with honey and pure maple syrup instead of refined sugar. (You can substitute granulated sugar in the filling and brown sugar in the topping, if you prefer.) You can adjust the amount of sweetener to your tastes. If your apricots are on the sweeter side, use less honey or sugar in the filling. I try to use the least amount of sugar possible, to let the flavor of the apricots shine.

If you can’t find fresh apricots, give this dessert recipe a try with peaches or nectarines or try my peach cobbler. Or blueberries. This apricot recipe can be used with almost any fruit in the filling. It’s a basic recipe that you’ll want to save and make all summer long.

This delicious apricot recipe can pass for both dessert and breakfast. And aren’t those the best kind of recipes… the ones that you can enjoy no matter the time of day?

What is an apricot?

An apricot is a fruit with orange flesh that is sweet, a little tart, and tender. Like peaches and nectarines, apricots are stone fruits with a seed in the center. Apricots are typically smaller and less juicy than peaches, though.

Apricots are a summer fruit. Apricot season is relatively short, from May through July. Ripe apricots are orange in color. They can be green when they grow on the tree and they turn orange as they ripen.

Apricots are a treat eaten plain. To eat an apricot, pull (or cut) apart the two halves. Remove and discard the seed (pit). Then enjoy the orange fruit. You do not need to peel apricots before eating them or using them in recipes.

How to ripen and store apricots

A ripe apricot will smell sweet and be slightly soft when you gently squeeze it. If your apricots aren’t quite ripe yet, lay them out in a single layer on a baking sheet at room temperature. The apricots should ripen in a day or two.

Once apricots are ripe, you can store them in your refrigerator for a few days to prevent them from spoiling. Lay the apricots in a single layer and refrigerate, unwrapped.

Fruit crisp with crumble topping on a small white plate with melty vanilla ice cream and a spoon.

How to make this fresh fruit crisp

To make this easy apricot recipe, you’ll first prepare your apricots and make the filling. Then you’ll make the crisp topping, bake and enjoy! Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

The Filling

To make the crisp filling, start by preparing your apricots. Rinse them, cut them in half, and remove the seed. Then slice each apricot half into two or three slices, depending on the size of the apricots.

Place the apricots in a large bowl and add lemon zest, cornstarch, ground ginger and cinnamon. Toss to combine. Then drizzle the honey (you can substitute pure maple syrup or granulated sugar) over the apricots and stir until everything is well combined. Pour the filling into a lightly greased 8×8-inch square baking dish.

Apricot filling in a baking dish.

Crisp Topping

To make the topping, stir together oats, flour, cinnamon and salt. Then add the cold cubes of butter and use your fingers to work the butter into the topping until it begins to clump together. The butter pieces should be small. Stir in the pure maple syrup and then crumble the topping over the fruit filling in the baking dish.

Bake the crisp until the filling is bubbly and juicy and the topping is lightly golden brown. Serve the crisp warm or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Apricot Crisp Recipe Tips

  • You can substitute another stone fruit, such as peaches or nectarines, or even fresh berries, for the apricots. The ginger complements the flavor of the apricots wonderfully, but you may want to omit it if it doesn’t complement the fruits you are using.
  • If you prefer, you can use granulated sugar or pure maple syrup instead of honey in the fruit filling. In the crisp topping, you can use brown sugar instead of the pure maple syrup. Although I highly recommend giving the maple syrup a try – it’s delicious! I’ve noted these options in the recipe below.
  • Old-fashioned oats give the best texture in the crisp topping. In a pinch, you can use quick oats but the topping may be less crisp and crumbly.
  • Leftover apricot crisp can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Cool completely before refrigerating.

Served on a plate with ice cream and the baking dish in the background.

More Fruit Dessert Recipes

Close up of fresh apricot crisp on a white plate, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
4.60 from 10 ratings

Fresh Apricot Crisp

Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 32 minutes
Total Time: 44 minutes
Made with delicious, subtly sweet apricots, this Apricot Crisp is a real treat. It's sweet-tart and juicy, with a hint of cinnamon and ginger. This easy dessert recipe also works well with peaches and nectarines.
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Ingredients

For the filling:

  • 6 cups fresh apricots, pitted and sliced (no need to peel)
  • zest of one small lemon, about ½ teaspoon
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup honey, or pure maple syrup or granulated sugar*

For the topping:

  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • ¾ cup white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, or brown sugar*

Instructions
 

Make the filling:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, toss together the apricots, lemon zest, cornstarch, ginger, and cinnamon. Stir gently until apricots are evenly coated with the spices, and then gently stir in the honey. Pour into the prepared baking dish.

Make the topping:

  • In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, white whole-wheat flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter cubes and use your fingers to work the butter into the oat mixture until it begins to clump together and the butter pieces are small. Stir in the maple syrup. Sprinkle topping over apricots.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until filling is bubbly and topping is golden brown, 30-32 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Notes

  • Adjust the amount of sweetener in the filling depending on the sweetness of your apricots. We find 1/2 cup to be perfect for apricots that are sweet-tart. Use less sweetener for very sweet apricots and more for very tart apricots.
  • If you use brown sugar instead of maple syrup in the topping, stir the brown sugar together with the other dry ingredients and then work in the butter.
  • You can substitute another stone fruit, such as peaches or nectarines, or even fresh berries for the apricots. The ginger complements the flavor of the apricots wonderfully, but you may want to omit it if it doesn't complement the fruits you are using.
Serving: 1/6 recipe, Calories: 396kcal, Carbohydrates: 69g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 103mg, Potassium: 504mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 44g, Vitamin A: 3335IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
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