Blueberry Crisp
Fruit and oats? It’s basically breakfast.
In fact- if I’m being transparent- the day after I tested this recipe, I started my day with a scoop of blueberry crisp on top of some cold frozen blueberries. Breakfast of champions!
Blueberry crisp is the perfect kickstart to summer. If you are like my mother, you buy the 9 pints of blueberries on sale and carry the plastic containers into the house in the cardboard crate. Summer blueberries are different than the ones you get out of season- they’re plump, sweet, and practically the size of a small child! Run the big blueberries under some cold water to rinse and keep them in the refrigerator for a quick summer snack! Not to mention, this blueberry crisp is vegan and gluten free!
Crisp vs. Crumble (and which is better?)
The major difference between a crisp and a crumble is the addition of oats. In a crisp, rolled oats are added to the streusel, or crumb. Crumb is simply a combination of butter, sugar, and flour. Most people add ground cinnamon and other enhancers to the crumb to add flavor. When baked, oats add texture and heartiness to the crisp. The oats, coated in the butter and sugar, toast and caramelize in the oven, taking on a nutty taste.
Ingredients in Blueberry Crisp
Blueberries- the star of the show! This blueberry crisp recipe calls for 3 pints of fresh, summer blueberries which yields about 6 to 8 cups. If you don’t have fresh, frozen blueberries will work just as well, so there is no excuse to not make this in February!
Arrowroot or Tapioca Starch- …or any starch. Arrowroot, tapioca, and corn starches can be used interchangeably. Blueberries are low in pectin- a structural starch and soluble fiber naturally found in plants. Therefore, adding the starch helps to slightly thicken the blueberries. Too much arrowroot starch can make the blueberries goopy, and too little can make the crisp soupy.
Lemon Juice- Acid adds and brings out flavor. Lemon juice brightens the blueberries to make the crisp a light summer dessert. I used a Meyer lemon which added a sweeter, more floral flavor to the crisp, but any lemon will work.
Tip: If you want more lemon flavor, zest the lemon before juicing it!
Cane Sugar- Blueberries can be a little tart, but they are mostly sweet, so only ⅓ of a cup of sugar is added to the blueberry mixture to bring out the natural sweetness. If your blueberries are a little sweeter, you can decrease the amount of sugar. If your blueberries are a little sour, add more sugar to taste!
Ground Cinnamon- Don’t be afraid to use cinnamon in the summer. This is not a cinnamon-forward crisp. The cinnamon works alongside the lemon so that the blueberries don’t taste flat. Add 1 tsp to the filling and 2 tsp to the streusel topping.
Oat Flour- All-purpose flour is usually used in the streusel topping of blueberry crisp, but to make this blueberry crisp gluten free, I decided to use oat flour instead. Oat flour doesn’t add an overpowering oat-y flavor. It browns nicely and adds a slight nuttiness when baked. If you aren’t gluten free, you can substitute all-purpose flour or even whole wheat flour for the oat flour.
Rolled Oats- Good, old fashioned oats do the trick! The oats make this crisp; literally! I don’t like to add too many oats to my crisp because I don’t like it when it eats like a granola, but if you are itching for more texture, add up to ½ of a cup more to the topping.
Brown Sugar- Brown sugar is sugar with molasses in it, so it adds moisture and a deep flavor to baked goods.
Vegan Butter- melted butter binds the dry ingredients together and helps to form clumps and clusters of crisp, but also makes it soft enough to flatten and spread evenly. Vegan butter keeps this crisp vegan and dairy free, but regular butter works if you are not vegan or dairy free.
Is Blueberry Crisp easy to make?
Blueberry crisp is a “dump” recipe. I call it a “dump” recipe because you dump the ingredients for the blueberry mixture in the casserole dish and mix together, and you dump the crisp ingredients in a bowl and mix. You dump the streusel on top of the doctored blueberries and you place it in the oven (don’t dump it in the oven!). That’s it!
How can I make my Blueberry Crisp crisp-ier?
If you like more crunch to your crisp, add ½ cup total of the following to the streusel topping:
½ cup extra oats
½ cup slivered or sliced almonds
½ cup chopped walnuts
You can mix it up and add ¼ cup of oats and ¼ cup of nuts, etc.. The possibilities are endless!
Note: If you add nuts, the blueberry crisp will no longer be nut free.
How do I serve Blueberry Crisp?
You can serve blueberry crisp:
straight from the oven hot
cooled slightly and served warm
at room temperature
chilled from the fridge
In my book, crisps and crumbles go with ice cream and whipped cream is served with pie. So, a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of warm blueberry crisp is my preferred way to absolutely devour it. Blueberry crisp is delicious however you serve it!
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a 13"x9" casserole dish, mix together the fruit filling ingredients. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the oat flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt. Stir in melted butter and stir until the streusel is fully mixed and moistened.
4. Top the fruit with the streusel. You can use a spoon or hands to crumble and flatten the crisp topping to cover the fruit.
5. Place the dish in the oven. Bake at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the crisp is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling.
Serve warm, at room temperature, or completly cooled. Serve with ice cream!
Keep leftover blueberry crisp in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or at room temperature for 2 days. Reheat to enjoy leftovers warm..
+ If you like thicker layers of fruit and crisp, use a smaller, deeper casserole dish.
+ See "Ingredients in Blueberry Crisp" section in the blog post for substitutions for fresh blueberries, sugar, starch, etc..
+ Add lemon zest for a brighter blueberry crisp.
+ If you are looking to add more crunch to your crisp streusel, see "How can I make my Blueberry Crisp crisp-ier?" for ideas.
