Easy Blueberry Crisp (Gluten-Free)

This easy blueberry crisp is bursting with blueberry flavor and a sweet crunch from the gluten-free topping. It’s a satisfying dessert, without being overly sweet!

The secret to the best blueberry crisp is fresh, local blueberries that were picked when perfectly ripe. They are so sweet and delicious, and this recipe lets them shine.

If you’ve read my recipe for gluten-free apple crisp or a blueberry galette, you know I bring French food culture to the desserts I make.

In France, the best dishes start with high-quality ingredients. Rather than drowning desserts in sugar to mask the blandness of under-ripe or low quality berries, we start with fruit that tastes delicious on its own – and we simply accentuate it!!

In the case of this gluten-free blueberry crisp – that means using local, soil-grown blueberries.

I won’t buy blueberries from California. I know that in order to withstand the long trip across the country, and journey to a grocery store shelf, they were definitely not picked when ripe. As a result, they won’t be nearly as sweet as the just-picked berries I can get here in Florida during blueberry season.

Though we’re bidding farewell to blueberry season in the deep south, it’s moving farther north to the rest of the country and your kitchen. Yay for you!

Join me while I show you how easy it is to make a delicious blueberry crisp this year!

Ingredients to Make Gluten-Free Blueberry Crisp

Even though this blueberry crisp happens to be gluten-free, because it uses almond flour, you wouldn’t know if I didn’t tell you. If you’re not gluten-free, don’t let that turn you off from trying this recipe.

Blueberry Filling

Sweet Blueberries: Fresh, in-season blueberries are the secret to a delicious blueberry crisp. Picked when ripe, they’ll be sweet enough that you’ll require little sugar to transform them into a satisfying dessert.

Maple Syrup: Be sure to use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup or anything that has more than “maple syrup” on the ingredient label.

Flour: This blueberry crisp uses gluten-free flour to help thicken the filling. If you’re not gluten-free, regular flour can be used instead.

Cinnamon: The blueberries are seasoned with just a little cinnamon. Cinnamon gives an illusion of sweetness to your palate, without adding more sugar.

Sweet Crisp Topping

Almond Flour: I make my crisps with almond flour (not almond meal). I’ve tested with gluten-free flour and almond flour and the almond flour provides more substance and flavor. The difference is unmistakable.

Rolled Oats: The rolled oats are what sets a crisp apart from a crumble.

Light Brown Sugar: I don’t go crazy with sugar in any of my desserts, and this gluten-free blueberry crisp is no exception. It’ll satisfying your craving for a dessert without overpowering and detracting from the blueberries.

Cinnamon: Gotta have some notes of cinnamon in that crunchy topping!

Melted Butter: Melted butter is what holds the crisp together and creates crunchy bundles of toppings.

How to Make Gluten-Free Blueberry Crisp

This gluten-free blueberry crisp is surprisingly quick and easy to make! Keep reading, I’ll show you how.

But before you start, taste a couple of your blueberries. Are they sweet, or tart? If they’re tart, it means they are not ripe yet and shouldn’t be used in this blueberry crisp recipe.

1. Make the Sweet Crisp Topping

In a large bowl, stir to combine the dry ingredients for the crisp. Add the melted butter and mix well so that all the bits of topping are touched by the butter. I find it helpful to use my hands for this.

Set the bowl in your fridge for at least 20 minutes until the crisp is cold. This step is very important.

2. Prepare the Blueberries

While the sweet crisp topping is chilling, you’ll have time to prepare the blueberries.

Start by sorting through the berries – remove any stems and discard berries that are shriveled or under ripe.

Rinse the berries under cold water, then gently pat them dry. No need to be completely thorough, we just don’t want a puddle of water at the bottom of the bowl.

Transfer the blueberries to a large bowl and add the maple syrup, flour and cinnamon. Use two soup spoons to toss the ingredients together until well distributed.

The berries will burst while they bake, so there is no need to mash or macerate them.

3. Assemble the Blueberry Crisp

When the topping is cold, it’s time to assemble the blueberry crisp!

This recipe makes enough for an 8 x 8″ or 9 x 9″ square dish, or anything of comparable volume. I’m using 7 x 9.75″.

Pour the blueberries into an ungreased baking dish. Spread them out to fill the bottom of the dish.

Next, use your fingers to dollop the sweet crisp all around the top of the berries like the photo below. Squeeze some bits between your fingers to create little clumps.

4. Bake

Bake blueberry crisp at 350 F on the middle oven rack. It’ll take about 30 minutes and the blueberry crisp is ready when the topping is starting to brown all over. The berries should be bubbling from the heat at this point.

Let the dish sit for 10 minutes before serving, to give the juices time to thicken.

Use a large spoon to create servings of gluten-free blueberry crisp. It can be enjoyed on its own or with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Yum!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make blueberry crisp with frozen blueberries?

I haven’t tried this recipe with frozen blueberries, but I have made my blueberry galette with frozen wild blueberries and it turned out great. So I’ll assume this blueberry crisp would as well.

What’s the difference between a blueberry crisp and a crumble?

The difference between a blueberry crisp and a blueberry crumble is that a crisp includes rolled oats in the sweet topping. A crumble includes just the sugar, flour and butter. As a result, you’ll notice a blueberry crisp is more flaky than a crumble. This blueberry crisp recipe is inspired by my apple crisp recipe, which is one of the first desserts I started making as a kid!

What’s the difference between a blueberry crisp and a cobbler?

The main difference between a crisp and a cobbler is the topping. A blueberry crisp has a topping made with flour, rolled oats, sugar and butter. A cobbler has a topping that’s a cross between a cake and a biscuit. The blueberry crisp topping is light and crumbly. The blueberry cobbler topping is more cake-like.

Should I refrigerate blueberry crisp?

I leave blueberry crisp loosely covered on my counter for the first 24 hours. It’s best enjoyed during this time while the crisp is still crispy. After that I transfer any left overs to a covered container in my fridge.

Can I cut this recipe in half or double it?

I have cut this recipe in half and it worked just as well. If you cut the recipe in half, use a smaller dish, such as a pie dish. I have not tried cooking a double batch, but you should have no issues as long as you bake it in a larger dish, such as a 9 x 13″.

Easy Blueberry Crisp (Gluten-Free)

This easy blueberry crisp is bursting with blueberry flavor and a sweet crunch from the gluten-free topping. My blueberry crisp is warm and satisfying, without being overly sweet! The secret is fresh, local blueberries that were picked at their peak ripeness.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Equipment

• 1 2-quart baking dish see notes for more info

Ingredients

  

Sweet Crisp Topping

• 3/4 cup + 1 tbs almond flour not almond meal
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 3 tbs light brown sugar packed
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup melted butter

Blueberry Filling

• 4 cups local blueberries
• 1 tbsp real maple syrup
• 2 tsp flour gluten-free or regular
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl, stir to combine the dry ingredients for the crisp. Add the melted butter and mix well so that all the bits of topping are touched by the butter. I find it helpful to use my hands for this.

  Set the bowl in your fridge for at least 20 minutes until the crisp is cold.
• While the sweet crisp topping is chilling, sort through the berries – remove any stems and discard berries that are shriveled or under ripe.

  Rinse the berries under cold water, then gently pat them dry.

  Transfer the blueberries to a large bowl and add the maple syrup, flour and cinnamon. Use two soup spoons to toss the ingredients together until well distributed.
• When the topping is cold, it’s time to assemble the blueberry crisp!

  Pour the blueberries into an ungreased baking dish. Spread them out to fill the bottom of the dish.

  Next, use your fingers to dollop the sweet crisp all around the top of the berries. Squeeze some bits between your fingers to create little clumps.
• Bake blueberry crisp at 350 F on the middle oven rack. It’ll take about 30 minutes and the blueberry crisp is ready when the topping is starting to brown all over. The berries should be bubbling from the heat at this point.

  Let the dish sit for 10 minutes before serving, to give the juices time to thicken.

Notes

• This recipe makes enough for a 2-quart baking dish. For example – an 8 x 8″ or 9 x 9″ square dish, or anything of comparable volume. I’m using 7 x 9.75″.
• The blueberries will burst while they bake, so there is no need to mash or macerate them.

Keyword blueberry, gluten-free

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