With summer in full swing, we’ve got one dessert on our mind: homemade Blueberry Crisp! This classic dessert is easier to make then pie and always a crowd-pleaser. Use fresh or frozen blueberries, though honestly we prefer frozen wild Maine blueberries, then serve with a big scoop (or two) of ice cream. Sweet juicy blueberries and a crisp oat topping — what’s not to love?!
With just 10 minutes of prep time, this quick and simple dessert is perfect for summer cookouts and weeknights alike!
Love blueberry desserts? Then you absolutely must try our Mini Blueberry Galettes or Ari’s Favorite Blueberry Pie next. For more dessert inspiration, check out all of our easy dessert recipes!
What’s In Blueberry Crisp?
We use the same blueberry filling as we do for our blueberry pie recipe:
- Frozen blueberries: We recommend Wyman’s wild Maine blueberries (though of course you can use fresh summer blueberries). You’ll need about 6 cups (3 pints) of blueberries.
- Granulated sugar: To sweeten the berries.
- All-purpose flour: To thicken the filling up a bit.
- Lemon: Both the zest and the fresh lemon juice.
- Ground cinnamon: Just 1 teaspoon adds great warmth to the blueberries!
- Kosher salt: Even though we’re baking a dessert, you want to season the ingredients with a little Kosher salt to bring out their natural flavors.
Some recipes call for added cornstarch, but I generally only add that to my blueberry pie filling if the berries are extremely juicy. I like the filling to be a bit juicy, particularly because the berries burst when you bite into them anyway.
The oat topping is made from all-purpose flour, rolled oats, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, Kosher salt, and melted butter. Feel free to use salted butter if you love a sweet and salty dessert!
For this blueberry crisp recipe, grab an 8×8 baking dish. Alternatively, you can assemble it in a 9-inch round pie pan or a cast-iron skillet.
How To Make Blueberry Crisp
There are 2 components to making any fruit crisp: (1) the oat topping, and (2) the fruit filling.
- To make the blueberry filling: I like to assemble the filling directly in the skillet or baking dish where I plan to bake the crisp. Toss blueberries, sugar, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, and Kosher salt together in the skillet or dish.
- To make the oat topping: combine flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and Kosher salt in a bowl. Stir in melted butter until coarse crumbs form.
- Use your hands to sprinkle the crisp topping over the blueberry mixture.
- Bake the blueberry crisp! It takes about 35-40 minutes at 350F.
When it comes out, allow it to sit and chill until the filling is mostly cool. Serve with homemade whipped cream or ice cream: we recommend coffee, but of course vanilla is always a great choice.
What’s The Difference Between A Crisp And A Crumble?
It all comes down to the topping! Both desserts consist of sweetened baked fruit with a crumbly topping, but a fruit crisp is made with the addition of oats, while a fruit crumble is made without oats. Try our Warm Peach Crumble next!
You can easily replace the oats with some chopped nuts (almonds or chopped walnuts would be fantastic) for even more crunch.
Then there’s a fruit cobbler… this baked fruit dessert is topped with a biscuit-like batter versus a crumble topping. Definitely less crunch than a crisp or crumble.
FAQs
Yes! We actually prefer frozen wild Maine blueberries them to fresh blueberries because they’re consistently smaller, sweeter, and you don’t have to guess at how much sugar to add.
Absolutely! This recipe is versatile and works well with a variety of fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or a combination of your favorites.
Nope! You add them frozen, no need to thaw beforehand.
Yes! You can bake it in advance then store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, reheat it in an oven at a low temperature (275-300F) until warmed through, about 10 minutes, or simply enjoy it chilled. The texture of the crisp topping, however, is best shortly after baking.
A crisp typically contains oats in the topping, while a crumble does not. Other than that, they’re extremely similar. Both consist of a baked fruit filling with a buttery, sugary, flour mixture crumbled on top.
This could happen if the berries are particularly juicy. If you see a lot of liquid in the filling, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
Expert Tips
- Melt the butter for the topping! This makes for a crunchier crisp topping and also alleviates the need to work cold butter into flour.
- Experiment with adding a handful of chopped nuts, such as almonds or pecans, to the crisp topping for added crunch and richness.
- You can prepare the crisp topping a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, simply sprinkle it over the blueberry filling and proceed as directed.
- Allow the crisp to cool. If you serve it straight outta the oven, the filling won’t have had a chance to set yet. Trust us, it’s just as good at room temperature, but if you prefer it warm, you can always reheat it slightly.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- Make-ahead crisp topping: You can prepare the crisp topping a day in advance. Place in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to bake, simply sprinkle it over the blueberry filling and bake as instructed. The oat topping can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Make-ahead crisp and storage: Bake the blueberry crisp in advance then store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: When ready to serve, reheat it in an oven at a low temperature (325-350F) until warmed through, about 10-15 minutes, or simply enjoy it chilled. The texture of the crisp topping, however, is best shortly after baking. It will soften over time.
Freezing Instructions
To freeze before baking: Prepare as directed, then cover tightly with plastic wrap. I like to add a layer of aluminum foil for extra protection. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready, preheat an oven to 350F, then bake for 50-60 minutes (about 10 minutes longer than if it were not frozen).
To freeze after baking: Allow the crisp to cool completely to room temperature. then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in a refrigerator, then reheat at 350F for about 10-15 minutes until warmed through.
How To Serve
On a hot summer day, there’s nothing quite like blueberry crisp a la mode! Serve up big bowlfuls with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. Or try serving it with our coffee whipped cream — so delicious!
Substitutions and Variations
- If you prefer a gluten-free option, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend of your choice. Ground almond flour adds a great taste!
- Swap the rolled oats for an equal amount of crushed graham crackers or almond meal for a different texture and taste. Not traditional, but we looooove the taste of graham crackers here!
- Replace the granulated sugar with coconut sugar or honey for a natural sweetener alternative.
- Rolled oats vs quick oats: You can use either! I like the texture of rolled oats, which are larger, but quick oats (which are smaller) work just fine.
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This is truly one of our all-time favorite blueberry recipes, perfect for 4th of July and all summer cookouts!
We hope you’ll give this easy Blueberry Crisp recipe a try! If you do, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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More blueberry recipes to try!
Blueberry Dump Cake Blueberry Pie Milkshakes Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake Blueberry Pie Ice Cream Mini Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Warm Blueberry Crisp (Fresh or Frozen Blueberries)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the filling
- 850 g (~6 cups) frozen wild Maine blueberries (we recommend Wyman’s) or fresh blueberries
- 90 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 30 g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour
- 1 medium lemon zested, about 1 heaping tsp
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2.76 g (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
- 2.5 g (½ tsp) Kosher salt
For the topping
- 120 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
- 45 g (½ cup) rolled oats
- 100 g (½ cup) packed light brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- 113 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted
For serving
- Coffee or vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the filling. Preheat an oven to 350F. Coat the bottom of the baking dish or cast iron pan with nonstick baking spray. Place 6 cups of frozen blueberries, 90g sugar, 30g all-purpose flour, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and ½ tsp Kosher salt directly into the dish, then stir well.
- Make the topping. In a medium bowl, whisk together 120g flour, 45g rolled oats, 100g brown sugar, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, and ¼ tsp Kosher salt. Add 113g melted butter, then stir until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle over the top of the blueberry filling.
- Bake, then serve! Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the blueberries are bubbling. If you serve the blueberry crisp immediately, it’ll be quite liquidy. For a firmer texture, let it sit until mostly or fully cool. This also allows the berries to reabsorb their juices. Top with generous scoops of coffee or vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include ice cream.
- Make-ahead crisp topping: You can prepare the crisp topping a day in advance. Place in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to bake, simply sprinkle it over the blueberry filling and bake as instructed. The oat topping can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Make-ahead crisp and storage: Bake the blueberry crisp in advance then store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: When ready to serve, reheat it in an oven at a low temperature (325-350F) until warmed through, about 10-15 minutes, or simply enjoy it chilled. The texture of the crisp topping, however, is best shortly after baking. It will soften over time.
- To freeze before baking: Prepare as directed, then cover tightly with plastic wrap. I like to add a layer of aluminum foil for extra protection. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready, preheat an oven to 350F, then bake for 50-60 minutes (about 10 minutes longer than if it were not frozen).
- To freeze after baking: Allow the crisp to cool completely to room temperature. then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in a refrigerator, then reheat at 350F for about 10-15 minutes until warmed through.
Nutrition
Photography by: Cambrea of Cambrea Bakes
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