Ever made a Blueberry Crisp? This deliciously fresh and crispy, crunchy topped casserole-style dessert is a crowd-pleasing favorite!
Tender sweet blueberries are blended with tart lemon zest and then covered with a mix of quick oats, butter, and brown sugar, then baked to bubbly perfection! And this recipe is so easy to make, bakers of all ages can give it a try. Make the recipe as is, or sprinkle in a little cinnamon and maybe a few nuts for a dessert that is sure to delight.
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Best Blueberry Crisp
- No need to prepare a pie crust, or a time-consuming dough. Toss some fruit, sprinkle on an easy, healthy, topping, and cook!
- This recipe can be made to feature all kinds of different fruits, fresh or frozen.
- With fewer fats and calories than other desserts, this blueberry crisp is a guilt-free pleasure.
What’s in Blueberry Crisp?
A ‘crisp’ is a fruit dessert baked with a crunchy topping, unlike a ‘cobbler’ which has a dough topping, or a ‘crumble’ that has a streusel topping without oats. A crisp is the easiest of the three to make.
Fresh from the farmer’s market, supermarket, or frozen, blueberries have a sweet, mildly floral flavor that pops in your mouth. Choose berries that are whole and unblemished.
A simple topping is made with butter, oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, seasonings, and optional nuts for extra crunch.
PRO TIP: Double up the topping recipe and save half in the freezer as a topping for ice cream, cheesecake, oatmeal, or future fruit crisps!
Ingredient Variations
FRUIT: Blueberries make for a colorful and striking crisp, but so do other berries like blackberries, raspberries, strawberries. Apples (add some diced cheddar cheese), peaches, and even rhubarb (add extra sugar) are also great for crisps. Or mix and match a variety of summer fruits and berries like raspberry rhubarb!
THE TOPPING: Make a gluten-free topping using almond or coconut flour, a sugar-free version by switching out a 1:1 ratio sugar substitute like erythritol (aka Swerve) or monk fruit (aka Lakanta). Adding nuts or even unsweetened flaked coconut will give the dessert added crunch and flavor! Vegan? No problem! Switch out the butter for refined coconut oil.
PRO TIP: Cook nuts or coconut in a dry sauté pan until barely fragrant. This cooks off some of the oil and makes them extra crunchy, plus intensifies their flavor in all recipes.
How to Make Blueberry Crisp
Serve this sweet dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
- Mix berries, flour, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a baking dish.
- Blend the topping ingredients. Stir in optional nuts or coconut.
- Spoon topping over blueberry mixture. (As per recipe below)
- Bake blueberry crisp on top of a baking sheet until bubbling and golden.
Blueberry Crisp Baking Tips
If the filling is not fully cooked but the topping is browned, cover with aluminum foil and bake in intervals of 5 minutes until cooked through.
Make-Ahead Magic
For best results, prep blueberry crisp no more than a day before. Cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until it’s ready to bake.
A baked crisp can be frozen up to 3 months, and be sure to label the date on the outside. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
Alternately, freeze an unbaked crisp with the fruit separate from the topping. Thaw separately, sprinkle the topping over the fruit and bake. So easy!
Other Delicious Blueberry Recipes To Try!
- Blueberry Cobbler – another delicious dessert casserole!
- Blueberry Bran Muffins – delicious for breakfast or snack.
- Lemon Blueberry Loaf – a delightful flavor combination.
- Blueberry Muffins With Crumb Topping – simple yet so tasty!
Blueberry Crisp
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups blueberries fresh or frozen
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar or honey
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or water
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest about ½ lemon
Topping
- ¼ cup butter
- ¾ cup quick oats or old fashioned oats
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon or ginger
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt optional
- ½ cup chopped nuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 6 or 8 cup baking dish and set aside.
- In a large bowl (or directly in baking dish), mix together blueberries, flour, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Place in baking dish.
- To make the topping, using a pastry cutter, mix together the oats, butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt if using. Once fully mixed, use a spoon to stir in nuts if using. Spoon topping on top of fruit.
- Place baking dish on a baking tray (line with parchment in case of any spills).
- Bake 35-40 minutes, until bubbling on the edges. Check if done by using a fork or knife in the center. If it starts to brown but the fruit is not ready, cover loosely with foil or parchment and bake for 5 more minutes. If still not ready, check after 3 minutes until it is cooked to your liking.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before serving to thicken the fruit mixture.
Notes
Smart tip:
Double the topping and put half in a Ziploc bag in your fridge (or freezer). It will keep for a couple of weeks. Simply add on top of your next fruit mixture and bake as directed!
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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Adapted from Rhubarb Crisp and inspired by Spend With Pennies
My cousin came to visit me and made this dessert. She added nuts to the topping and my husband still raves about it to this day! He asks me to make it all the time !!
I’m happy to hear that it’s such a hit for your family Shauna! Easy and delish!
Ice cream is a must!
So good.
Love the crisp with blueberries!