The most delicious way to enjoy fresh or frozen blueberries is in this easy recipe for homemade Blueberry Crisp! A simple mixture of sweet-tart blueberries, lemon, and sugar is topped with a buttery, crunchy oat and nut crumble topping.
Blueberry Crisp with My Secret Ingredients
The key to a really delicious fruit crisp is to create a clear and perfect contrast between the soft, saucy, juicy fruit and the crispy, crunchy, buttery topping.
Generally, all you need to make the best crisp is butter, oats, and a bit of flour, but for this blueberry crisp recipe, I’m making it even crunchier with the addition of chopped almonds!
Almonds or other chopped nuts are not a classic blueberry crisp ingredient, but they bring so much delicious crunch. You won’t ever make a summer berry crisp without them again once you’ve tried this!
To make things even yummier, I’m adding lemon zest to the berries and cinnamon to the topping. Trust me, these three ingredients together give a complex flavor that is truly the best.
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Blueberries: I’m using fresh blueberries today because it’s summertime and I have some delicious local ones to bake with. This recipe will work just as well with frozen blueberries.
- Cornstarch: This acts as a thickener. As the blueberries cook, they will release liquid, and the cornstarch will thicken it up to a saucy consistency rather than a watery one.
- Lemon: Use the juice and the zest from one whole lemon to enhance the tartness of the berries.
- Sugar: granulated sugar adds the perfect amount of extra sweetness.
- Oats and Almonds: For the crispiest crisp topping, use both of these! Chop the almonds into pieces about the same size as the oats. Normally, I’d tell you to toast the nuts, but in this recipe, they will toast perfectly as the dessert bakes.
- Butter: Use melted, unsalted butter to bring the crisp ingredients together, promote browning, and create the irresistibly buttery, crunchy topping.
- Brown Sugar: The topping uses a blend of half brown sugar and half granulated sugar. I tested this a few different ways, and the 1:1 mix gives the best flavor and texture.
- Cinnamon: A teaspoon of ground cinnamon in the blueberry crisp topping adds a bit of warmth.
Tip!
I tested this exact recipe with raspberries too and it was amazing! Use any type of berries that you have, or mix and match to make a mixed berry crisp. You can also make a similar dessert with apples, cherries or peaches!
Recipe Tips
- Make this easy blueberry crisp with fresh or frozen blueberries! If your blueberries are frozen, do not thaw them first. Use them right from the package; they will thaw and then cook as they bake.
- Instead of chopped almonds, try this recipe with chopped walnuts or pecans. If you’d rather keep it nut-free, simply leave them out. Add an extra handful of oats to make up for them.
- You can use either an 8×8-inch baking dish or a 9×9-inch one. Your topping will be a bit thicker in the smaller pan, but should still cook at the same rate.
- Spray your pan with non-stick oil spray before adding the berry filling so that nothing sticks to it.
- Use your hands to sprinkle the oat and nut mixture over the blueberries, pinching some of the mixture to form some larger chunks as you go. These pieces will turn into delicious crunchy oat clusters as they bake.
- If your topping starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover it with foil during the last 10 minutes of the baking time.
- You will know that the crisp is done when the top is browned and the blueberries are bubbling on the sides of the pan.
- Cool your crisp slightly before serving. It’s perfect served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!
- To make this recipe vegan, use your favorite vegan butter. To make it gluten-free, be sure to use certified gluten free oats.
More Easy Fruit Desserts
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Blueberry Crisp
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- 9 inch square pan 22 cm
Ingredients
For the blueberry filling:
- 6 cups (900 g) blueberries fresh or frozen
- ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon about 1 tablespoon or 15 ml lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
For the topping:
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (75 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (60 g) chopped almonds
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch.
- Toss gently until evenly coated, then pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- In another bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oats, flour, cinnamon, salt, and chopped almonds until a crumbly mixture forms.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the blueberry mixture.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown and crisp. If the topping starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil in the last 10 minutes.
- Cool slightly before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
Notes:
- Make this recipe with fresh or frozen blueberries! If your blueberries are frozen, do not thaw them first. Use them right from the package; they will thaw and then cook as they bake.
- Use your hands to sprinkle the oat and nut mixture over the blueberries, pinching some of the mixture to form some larger chunks as you go. These pieces will turn into delicious crunchy oat clusters as they bake.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat servings in the microwave, or enjoy them straight from the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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