This easy blueberry crisp recipe is the perfect gluten-free summer dessert! Naturally sweetened with maple syrup and topped with a buttery oatmeal walnut crumble, it's delicious with either fresh or frozen blueberries.
Every summer, I find myself making berry crisps on repeat. There's just something about that warm, bubbly fruit and golden crumble topping that feels like pure sunshine. Like this Blackberry Crumble and this Healthy Apple Crisp, this blueberry crisp is my latest obsession—sweet, juicy blueberries topped with the most buttery, golden oat crumble.
It's gluten-free, naturally sweetened, and ridiculously easy to make. Just toss everything together, pop it in the oven, and let your kitchen fill with the best cozy aroma. No one will ever guess it's healthy!
Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, and watch it disappear in minutes. My family can never resist going back for seconds—hope you love it too!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It tastes like summer in every bite. Warm, juicy blueberries with a crisp, golden topping—pure summer bliss!
- It's secretly healthy. Naturally sweetened, gluten-free, and dairy-free, but you'd never know.
- Super easy to make. Just mix, bake, and enjoy—no complicated steps or fancy ingredients.
- The crumble is irresistible. Golden, crispy, and buttery (without butter!), it's the best part.
- Perfect for any occasion. Serve it at BBQs, family dinners, or just because you're craving something sweet!
Ingredients Needed
- Blueberries. I use fresh blueberries for the juiciest, sweetest filling. When baked, they burst with natural sugars and flavor.
- Coconut Sugar. Totally optional, but if you like a sweeter dessert, I recommend adding some!
- Lemon. A little lemon juice and zest add tanginess and help coat the blueberries in the starch and sugar.
- Starch. This thickens the blueberry filling and keeps it from getting too runny. Use cornstarch, arrowroot, or tapioca starch.
- Rolled Oats. Be sure to grab gluten-free certified old-fashioned rolled oats. Skip quick oats and definitely avoid steel-cut oats!
- Almond Flour. My secret ingredient! It makes the crumble extra crispy and melt-in-your-mouth good.
- Nuts. Walnuts, almonds, or pecans add the best crunch. If you're nut-free, leave them out!
- Salt & Cinnamon. A pinch of salt brings out the sweetness, and cinnamon adds a warm, cozy flavor.
- Maple Syrup. Naturally sweetens the crumble while helping it crisp up as it bakes.
- Coconut Oil. Makes the topping crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. You can swap it for butter or vegan butter if you prefer.
Check out the Substitutions & Variations section below if you have any questions about ingredients. Otherwise, the full recipe with measurements is at the bottom of the page.
How to Make Gluten-Free Blueberry Crisp
- Step 1: Toss the blueberries with coconut sugar, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, and starch.
- Step 2: Spoon blueberries into the greased dish.
- Step 3: Mix the oats, almond flour, walnuts (if using), salt, and cinnamon. Add maple syrup, melted coconut oil (or butter), and vanilla, then mix with your hands until well combined.
- Step 4: Sprinkle the crumble over the blueberries.
- Step 5: Bake at 350°F for 40–48 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Enjoy warm!
Hint: Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving, so the blueberry filling has time to thicken and become extra juicy.
Video Tutorial
Top Tips
Use Fresh or Frozen Blueberries: You can easily use either fresh or frozen blueberries in this recipe. Just be sure not to thaw frozen blueberries to keep that perfect texture.
Do Not Thaw Frozen Blueberries: If you use frozen blueberries, do not thaw them. Just coat them in lemon juice and starch, then add them directly to the greased pan. Avoid heating them in the microwave or stove, as this will make them mushy.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Pie dish, 9x9-inch dish, or 8x8-inch square baking dish
- Mixing Utensils
Substitutions & Variations
- Make it Nut-Free: Simply leave out the nuts in the crumble topping, and you'll have a delicious nut-free dessert.
- Make it Dairy-Free: This blueberry crisp is already dairy-free.
- Make it Gluten-Free: This blueberry crisp is already gluten-free.
- Add Different Berries: Swap some of the blueberries for raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries to create a mixed berry crisp. For a fun twist, try adding tropical fruit like mango or pineapple!
- Coconut Oil: Use melted unsalted butter or vegan butter. If you only have salted butter, skip the extra salt in the topping.
- Almond Flour: Swap with homemade or store-bought oat flour.
- Coconut Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works great as a substitute.
- Cornstarch: Alternatively, you can use tapioca flour or arrowroot powder.
Serving Suggestions
- Vanilla ice cream
- Frozen yogurt
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate drizzle
- Drizzle of honey
- Greek yogurt
- Your favorite ice cream
- Non-dairy whipped topping
- Fresh berries
- Lemon zest
- Crème anglaise
- Custard or vanilla pudding
Storage
Enjoy your blueberry crisp within 3–5 hours of baking for the best taste. If you have leftovers, store them in a sealed container or the original baking dish with aluminum foil in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, bake the whole dish in the oven at 350°F for 10–15 minutes. If you're warming up a single serving, microwave it in 15-second intervals for 45–60 seconds to avoid burning the berries.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can certainly use frozen blueberries for this recipe. However, don't allow the berries to thaw before baking. Mix the frozen blueberries with the rest of the filling ingredients and then add them to the greased baking dish.
Yes, feel free to use a mix of blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and/or raspberries. You can use fresh or frozen mixed berries.
I recommend using rolled oats since they provide a crunchier, crisper topping. However, you can use quick oats if needed. Do not use steel-cut oats.
This blueberry crisp recipe is 100% vegan since it uses coconut oil. There is no butter required.
Your blueberry crisp is done baking when the fruit filling is bubbling around the edges and the topping is golden brown and crispy to the touch.
You can easily make berry crisps up to one day in advance. Simply prepare the recipe as directed (DO NOT BAKE), then cover it with foil, place it in the fridge, and bake as directed before you're ready to serve.
More summer dessert recipes!
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📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Blueberry Crisp
Ingredients
Blueberry Filling:
- 6 cups fresh blueberries (about 3 pints), fresh is best (frozen works too)
- 3 tablespoon coconut sugar, or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch, arrowroot, or tapioca starch
Oat Crisp:
- 1 cup old fashion rolled oats, gluten-free certified
- ⅔ cup almond flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ cup walnuts, almonds, or pecans (optional), roughly chopped with bigger pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking dish, 9-inch pie dish, or 9-inch skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Pat the blueberries dry if you washed them.
- Toss the blueberries, coconut sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and starch in a large mixing bowl. Then spoon them into the greased dish.
- In a separate bowl, mix together rolled oats, almond flour, walnuts (optional), salt, and cinnamon until well combined. Pour maple syrup, melted coconut oil (or butter), and vanilla on top and mix using your hands.
- Spread the oat crumble mixture evenly on top of the blueberries.
- Bake for 40 – 48 minutes, until the top, is golden crisp and the blueberries are bubbly. I baked mine for about 45 minutes.
- Let cool for 10 – 15 minutes before enjoying! I love serving mine with vanilla ice cream.
Carrie Pike says
Outstanding. No changes needed.
Tati Chermayeff says
Hi Carrie - So happy to hear that! Blueberry crisp is such a classic and yummy dessert 🙂
Wanda says
Loved it. Do yourself a favor and follow recipe exactly. Love recommendation to leave walnut chunks on later side.