Blueberry Crisp

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Celebrate peak berry season by baking up this easy blueberry crisp.

Servings:
8

Three pints of fresh blueberries go into this juicy, lightly sweetened fruit crisp. It’s a super easy recipe that anyone can make: no rolling dough, no fancy knife work, no cake layers to rise or fall—or frost. Simply mix the berries with sugar and cornstarch for the filling, then make the sweet, buttery topping with oats or chopped nuts—or some of each to add texture and crunch. Add the clumpy topping over the fruit filling and bake. Be patient and let it cool before serving—and be sure to serve this delightful summer dessert with scoops of vanilla ice cream or dollops of whipped cream.

Blueberry Crisp

Rachel Marek

In Season, Fresh, or Frozen Berries

We created this easy blueberry crisp recipe to showcase in-season blueberries in the summer when they are at their best for flavor and sweetness, and when their price is lower. However, you can make the dessert any time of year with fresh but out-of-season berries. If you find that your berries are lacking that peak-season flavor, simply add a touch more sugar or lemon juice—or both. Alternatively, use frozen blueberries.

This blueberry crisp has a loose and juicy filling. If you prefer a thicker filling, add an extra teaspoon of cornstarch.

The Crisp Topping

The topping for a fruit crisp is an easy-to-make mix of butter, sugar, flour, and oats. We add a small amount of baking powder to lighten the topping in this blueberry crisp recipe. Oats bring a nice texture and they are what sets a crisp apart from the similar fruit dessert, the crumble (same topping but no oats). Try using chopped nuts, like almonds, in place of the oats, which bring a lovely flavor to the topping.

Make and freeze extra batches of the topping in freezer bags. Whenever you have fresh fruit on hand, you'll be able to assemble the dessert quickly.

Ingredients

For the Filling

  • 6 cups (3 pints) blueberries

  • ½ cup sugar

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

  • ¼ teaspoon coarse salt

For the Topping

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour

  • ½ cup rolled oats (or chopped nuts, such as almonds)

  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt

  • 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

  • cup sugar

Directions

Ingredients for Blueberry Crisp

Rachel Marek

  1. Preheat oven and make filling:

    Preheat oven to 375°F. Make the filling: Mix blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl.

    Step 1 Blueberry Crisp

    Rachel Marek

  2. Place filling in baking dish:

    Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish.

    Step 2 Blueberry Crisp

    Rachel Marek

  3. Make topping:

    Stir together flour, oats, baking powder, and salt.

    Step 3a Blueberry Crisp

    Rachel Marek

    Step 3b Blueberry Crisp

    Rachel Marek

  4. Cream butter and sugar:

    Cream butter and sugar in a mixer until pale and fluffy. You can also use a hand-mixer or, if your butter is soft enough, the mixture can be stirred together by hand.

    Step 4 Blueberry Crisp

    Rachel Marek

  5. Add dry ingredients and mix into clumps:

    Stir dry ingredients into butter. Using your hands, squeeze topping pieces together into clumps.

    Step 5 Blueberry Crisp

    Rachel Marek

  6. Sprinkle topping over filling:

    Sprinkle topping evenly over filling.

    Step 6 Blueberry Crisp

    Rachel Marek

  7. Bake, cool, and serve:

    Bake until bubbling in center and brown on top, about 1 hour. If topping is browning too quickly, tent baking dish with foil. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 30 minutes before serving.

    Step 7 Blueberry Crisp

    Rachel Marek

How to Store Leftover Blueberry Crisp

If you have any crisp left over, let it cool completely, then cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. If there is only a small amount left, transfer it to a small airtight container rather than storing it in the baking dish. Enjoy the leftovers reheated in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven, the heat will crisp up the topping nicely.

Other Easy Blueberry Desserts to Try

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why is my berry crisp watery?

    If the berries you used are particularly juicy, you might end up with a watery-looking filling to your blueberry crisp. If you notice the berries are very juicy when you prep them, add another teaspoon of cornstarch to the filling to thicken the juices as the crisp bakes.

  • How do you thicken fruit for a crisp?

    Cornstarch is often added to the filling for a fruit crisp (or other similar baked fruit desserts like crumbles and cobblers) to thicken it as it bakes. You can use other thickeners, such as flour or instant tapioca, but we find cornstarch is the most effective thickener for fruit fillings in crisps and similar desserts. If you decide to use flour, you’ll need to use about twice as much flour as cornstarch. Tapioca needs to be mixed with the fruit and set aside for 15 minutes before the dessert is baked.

  • Can I add other fruit to a crisp recipe if I'm short on blueberries?

    Yes, you can add other fruit to a crisp recipe if you're short on blueberries. This recipe works with nearly all kinds of fruit, from raspberries and strawberries to peaches and nectarines.

Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, June 2009
Updated by
Esther Reynolds
Headshot of Esther Reynolds
Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and freelance writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.

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