Fig and Orange Crisp

This healthy Fig and Orange Crisp is packed with juicy fruit, flavored with spices, and topped with crunchy oat streusel. My go-to summer dessert recipe because it’s easy, versatile, and delicious! Vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free.

Hello fig season! Is anyone else as excited as I am?? Maybe not, but you’re here and I can’t wait to share some figgy goodness with you. Every year, my neighbor gives me a large supply of homegrown figs from her backyard. And for that, I’m extremely grateful because I LOVE FIGS. Yep, I’ll say that again. I love figs with my whole heart. Just thinking about the syrupy and seedy texture makes my mouth water. In celebration of fig season, I decided to make a simple crisp jam-packed with fresh figs.

Before we get started, let’s clear up the confusion around crisps vs crumbles. What’s the difference?
Originally, crisps would have an oat streusel topping, whereas crumbles would include only the flour and not the oats. The oat topping tends to crisp up more in the oven (like granola), hence the name. Not to mention, oats are a good source of soluble fiber. Nowadays, the two terms are often used synonymously. Learn more from The Kitchn

Fig and Orange Crisp

This recipe comes in handy when you want an easy, no-fuss treat. If you’re like me, that’s almost always. Crisps require only a handful of ingredients to really bring out the flavor of the fruit filling. My goal was to highlight the taste of ripe figs, and I think I succeeded. But I’ll let you see for yourself ;))

If you’ve never tried fig and orange together, you need to! The citrusy notes of orange complement the natural sweetness of figs. The crumb topping completes the dish by adding some crunchy texture. I personally prefer a thick layer of oat streusel, but the ratio of filling to topping is entirely up to you. Last but not least, top off the warm crisp with dairy-free ice cream and dig in. My favorite flavor is vanilla bean; it’s a classic that goes with everything. Yummm

What You’ll Need

Filling
• Fresh figs, of course! Dried figs just don’t compare. Any type of fig works. I used about 15 medium-sized figs or 3 cups. You can eat the skin, but make sure to take off the tough stem. Wash the figs first, then slice into quarter wedges.
• Orange juice: I squeezed the juice out of half a Navel orange; it came out to be 1/4 cup! Filter through a fine sieve to remove seeds and pulp.
• Orange zest: I zested the same orange half used for juicing, about 1-1.5 tsp. I recommend buying organic oranges to minimize the consumption of pesticides on the peel.
• Coconut sugar: the natural sweetener I like. Feel free to substitute with maple syrup, agave syrup, brown sugar, cane sugar, etc.
• Arrowroot starch: a thickener similar to cornstarch (can be directly substituted)
• Cinnamon: makes the dish so much more fragrant
• Optional: nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, etc. to spice things up!

Topping
• Rolled oats, certified gluten-free if necessary. I love the texture that oats add to the topping. A good source of fiber, too!
• Almond flour: as an alternative to all-purpose flour. If you have a nut allergy, substitute with flour of preference.
• Chopped raw walnuts: to add a nutty taste and crunch. If you have a nut allergy, skip this!
• Coconut oil: in place of butter! If you don’t like the coconut taste, replace it with vegan butter.
• Coconut sugar: can be substituted with brown sugar
• Sea salt: always gotta have a bit of salty with sweet

How to Make Fig and Orange Crisp

1. Toss together filling ingredients in a 8″ square or round baking dish. If using a glass pie plate, make sure it is oven safe. Coat the figs thoroughly, then set aside.
2. Combine topping ingredients in a bowl and press with hands until crumbly. If you don’t want to get messy, use a spoon/spatula instead and stir until the coconut oil is well incorporated.
3. Sprinkle an even layer of streusel over the filling.
4. Bake for 40 minutes at 375°F. Wait for bubbling to stop before serving. Enjoy!

Don’t forget to leave a review in the comments below, and if you made any substitutions, please share. I’d love to know how it turned out! Or tag @cats_cuisine on Instagram so that I can see your delicious re-creations and feature them ♥

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Fig and Orange Crisp

Recipe by Catherine LiCourse: DessertDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

1

hour

This fig and orange crisp is my go-to dessert recipe for the late summer. Enhanced with spices, fig and orange make the perfect pair. Serve warm with ice cream for a delicious hot and cold sensation. Vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free.

Ingredients

• Filling

• ~15 medium figs (or 3 cups), stemmed and quartered

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 1 tsp orange zest

• 2 tbsp coconut sugar

• 1.5 tbsp arrowroot starch, sub cornstarch

• cinnamon to taste

• optional: cardamom, ginger, nutmeg

• Topping

• 1/2 cup rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)

• 1/3 cup almond flour

• 1/4 cup chopped raw walnuts

• 1/4 cup coconut oil

• 2 tbsp coconut sugar

• pinch of sea salt

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In a 8″ square or round baking dish, toss all the filling ingredients together. Coat the figs thoroughly, then set aside.
• Combine all the topping ingredients in a bowl. Stir until the coconut oil is well incorporated, or press with hands until crumbly.
• Sprinkle an even layer of streusel over the filling.
• Bake for 40 minutes and let cool slightly before serving.

Notes

• Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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