This Gluten-free Blueberry Crisp is one of the easiest desserts you can make. Like seriously easy. Use a food processor to mix the 4-ingredient gluten-free crisp topping in 2 minutes. Take some blueberries and spice it up with a bit of cinnamon. It is ready before you know it. Scoop some vanilla ice cream (it’s a must) and enjoy.
If you love quick and easy desserts, making crisp will be your favorite. Dare I say the combinations are endless. Check out our Gluten-free Apple Crisp Pie, or our Gluten-free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, or our Gluten-free Plum Crumble.
What is special about this Blueberry Crisp?
Is it crisp or crumble or streusel? I never really know what people expect when they hear these names. Apparently crisp is a kind of crumble that uses oats instead of purely flour. What I can tell you for sure is what you can expect if you make this gluten-free vegan blueberry crisp recipe.
- Golden brown, crispy, crunchy topping
- Juicy and sweet blueberries
- Subtle cinnamon flavor
It is one of the simplest and easiest summer desserts you can ever make. Think of it as a go-to dessert for when you have a sudden wish to eat something sweet or you have an unexpected visitor. You can put this blueberry crisp together in 5 minutes and you can chat while it is baking in the oven. None will be the wiser that it is completely gluten-free and vegan as well. Let this be our little secret!
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How to make a Gluten-free Crisp?
No kneading, no rolling, no special skill is needed to make it. Just bring out your food processor, and add
- rolled oats – Make sure you use certified gluten-free, if you have coeliac. You can use quick oats as well which make more of a crumble rather than a crisp. The rolled oats look more rustic if that is possible.
- almond flour – You can use almond meal. The texture will be quite similar but the nutty taste of the almonds will be a little more prominent. We also tested this recipe with oat flour if you need it to be nut-free.
- coconut sugar – We chose coconut sugar instead of white sugar or brown sugar. And the reason is simple and not at all health-related. 🙂 Coconut sugar has a subtle caramel taste which gives the crisp a speculoos kind of flavor. If you haven’t tried it, you should. It certainly brings this gluten-free crisp to the next level.
- unsalted butter – Any unsalted butter would do even if you need vegan or dairy-free. Don’t worry the recipe is perfect either way.
- cinnamon – While it is optional, we highly recommend it as almond and blueberry go great with cinnamon. I am biased probably, but I just L-O-V-E cinnamon on almost everything.
Mix all the above ingredients until you get a breadcrumb-like crisp topping. Just 2 minutes! We eat gluten-free so we always have these ingredients around. But I do think that these are considered pantry staples in any kitchen.
Let’s make the Blueberry Filling!
It is a ridiculously easy gluten-free blueberry dessert I can tell you that. One of the reasons is that you don’t really need to prepare them apart from washing. No hulling, no peeling, and no cutting is required. Moreover, I used frozen blueberries when taking these pictures. No need to thaw them.
To reduce the number of dishes you need to wash at the end of the day, add the blueberries directly to the baking dish. Sprinkle it with coconut sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Stir until combined. That’s it! 1 minute tops!
Top tips to make the perfect filling
- sugar – Taste your blueberries and adjust the level of sugar accordingly. Are they sweet or rather tart? You can certainly add any sweetener (granulated white sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, other alternatives), but I prefer to use coconut sugar as it has a nice caramel flavor which goes great with any fruit.
- water – No need to add any, the juices of the blueberry is plenty enough.
- lemon juice – Lemon juice is supposed to bring the sweetness out. I would omit completely if your blueberries are not sweet enough.
- starch – If I make it as a mug cake, I omit it completely. If you use starch, it helps thicken the fruit juices a bit and makes it easier to serve the blueberry crisp.
- spices and herbs – I love using cinnamon, but you can make this gluten-free blueberry crisp equally delicious, but adding a bit of vanilla extract (1 tsp) or a bit of cardamom (½ tsp). Freshly and finely chopped mint leaves (1 tsp) can really bring your blueberry filling to the next level.
Baking your Gluten-free Blueberry Crisp
You have your filling already in the baking dish. I use a ceramic oven-safe dish in the size of (see below picture). Spread the crumbs using your fingers on top of the fruit filling. Pre-heat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) and bake your blueberry crisp for at least 20 minutes. You know it is ready when the oat crisp topping is brown and there are fruity bubbles on the side. And what to serve with it? It is easy. VANILLA ICE CREAM or whipped cream! Isn’t it the best blueberry crisp? Enjoy!
FAQs and Substitutions
What kind of fruits you can substitute blueberries for?
I’ve made crisps like this one using blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, and a combination of these.
Can you use frozen blueberries?
You can absolutely use frozen blueberries. No need to thaw them. Drop them in the baking dish, mix with the other ingredients. Then top it with the oat crisp and bake away.
Can you use different sweeteners to make it low-carb?
Sure you can, although I only tested this recipe with cane sugar and coconut sugar (the same amount is needed). Therefore, I am not familiar with the measurements for other sweeteners like stevia or erythritol. If you do, please let us know in the comments.
Can you use other starch?
I tried it with tapioca starch, but its binding power is not as strong as that of the corn starch. I don’t recommend using flour as they will make the blueberry sauce part quite grainy. The powder texture of starches mixes better with fruity juices. I have never tested with arrowroot or potato starch. If you do, please let us know in the comments. For more info on gluten-free flours and starches, check out our 90+ Gluten-free Flours List.
This Blueberry Crisp recipe is vegan, so dairy-free, and egg-free. It is also suitable for vegetarian, soy-free, and gluten-free diets. It is not WFPB-friendly (whole foods, plant-based) as dairy-free butter is not compliant due to its oil content.
More fruity gluten-free dessert recipes
You can browse through our Vegan and Gluten-free Dessert Recipes or check out
- Gluten-free Chocolate Peach Galette
- Gluten-free Pop Tarts
- Apple Crisp Pie (Gluten-free)
- Gluten-free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
- The Quickest Cranberry Jelly
Vegan Blueberry Crisp
Equipment
Ingredients
Blueberry Filling
- 1 pound Blueberry frozen or fresh
- ¼ cup Coconut sugar
- 1 Tbsp Corn starch
- 1 tsp Cinnamon optional
Oat Crisp Topping
- 1 cup Rolled oats
- ½ cup Almond flour or ½ cup oat flour (for nut-free) – tested with both!
- ¼ cup Coconut sugar
- 1 stick Dairy-free butter
- 1 tsp Cinnamon optional
Instructions
Gluten-free crisp topping
- Pre-heat oven for 350 F (180 degrees).
- Add half of the rolled oats and all other ingredients to the food processor (almond flour, coconut sugar, dairy-free butter (should be fridge cold, not room temperature)). Mix until they get to a breadcrumb-like texture.
- Add the remaining rolled oats and only pulse a couple of times to combine. We want the oats to remain more or less intact.
Bake your Gluten-free Blueberry Crisp
- To reduce the number of dishes you need to wash after, add the blueberries (washed, of course) directly to the baking dish. If you use frozen ones, don't need to thaw them in advance.
- Sprinkle it with coconut sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Mix well with a spatula.
- Scatter the crisp topping evenly over the fruit with your hands.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the crisp topping turns golden brown. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream that melts all over it. Enjoy!
Notes
- I love using cinnamon, but you can make this gluten-free blueberry crisp equally delicious, but adding a bit of vanilla extract (1 tsp) or a bit of cardamom (½ tsp). Freshly and finely chopped mint leaves (1 tsp) can really bring your blueberry filling to the next level.
- We chose coconut sugar instead of white sugar or brown sugar. And the reason is simple and not at all health related. ? Coconut sugar has a subtle caramel taste which gives the crisp a speculoos kind of flavor.
- I tried it with tapioca starch, but its binding power is not as strong as that of cornstarch. I don’t recommend using flour as it will make the blueberry sauce part quite grainy. The powder texture of starches mixes better with fruity juices. I have never tested with arrowroot or potato starch. If you do, please let us know in the comments.
Agi
Is it okay if I turn it upside down? I’d like to start with the crispy layer and then put the blueberry on the top. Does it make sense?
My Pure Plants
If you flip it over, you might not get the “crust” crispy as the juices from the blueberry will probably soak it a bit. If you do try it, let me know how it goes.