Healthy Blueberry Crisp (Without Oats)

Healthy Blueberry Crisp is a quick and easy summer dessert, with juicy blueberries, a hint of cardamom and a crunchy, grain-free topping. It’s naturally gluten-free, vegan and refined sugar-free, and it requires just nine ingredients with five minutes prep time!

This post was originally published in July 2019 and has been updated with some new text and photos. The recipe remains the same. Be sure to check out an original photo at the end of this post.

I love fruit crisps and crumbles, and this blueberry crisp recipe is a favourite of mine to make when local blueberries are in season.

It’s super simple, so I make it often when we have family and friends for dinner. You only need five minutes to prep it, and you can make it ahead of time. So while everyone is enjoying dinner, you can just bake it up in the oven and then serve it warm with ice cream.

Believe me, it’s always a crowd pleaser.

It’s also wholesome enough to enjoy for breakfast, as it’s refined sugar-free, and made without butter or oil. (You just might want to forego the ice cream with it!)

Ingredients to make healthy blueberry crisp

You only need nine ingredients!

• Blueberries – Fresh are best, but if you only have frozen, just make sure they’re defrosted and patted dry first.

• Cardamom –  Pairs nicely with the blueberries and adds a slight citrusy and spicy note to the crisp.

• Maple syrup – For some added sweetness with the berries.

• Tapioca flour – It’s similar to corn starch and helps thicken the blueberry mixture as it bakes.

• Buckwheat flakes – These flakes come from hulled buckwheat and resemble rolled oats. They’re also a seed, not a grain, so perfect for gluten-free and grain-free baking.

• Unsweetened coconut – It’s only a quarter of a cup, but I love the texture it adds to the crisp topping.

• Almond flour – I normally use this in place of all-purpose flour in crisp toppings.

• Almond butter – Helps bind the crisp topping and create crunchy clusters. 

• Salt – Just a pinch to magnify the flavours in the crisp topping.

How to make blueberry crisp without oats

• Place the blueberries in a large bowl and stir in the maple syrup, tapioca flour and cardamom. 

• Add the blueberry mixture to the bottom of a greased baking dish or cast iron skillet and set aside.

• In another bowl, add the buckwheat flakes, almond flour, coconut, salt, almond butter and more maple syrup. Mix with a fork or your fingers until a wet, crumbly mixture forms.

• Scatter the buckwheat mixture over top of the blueberries and press down on it slightly. The crumbs won’t completely cover the blueberries, but that’s okay.

• Bake at 375F for 28-30 minutes, or until the blueberries are bubbling around the edges and the topping is golden brown. 

Frequently asked questions

I can’t find buckwheat flakes. Can I make this blueberry crisp with oats? Buckwheat flakes can be found in the organic section of grocery stores or in bulk food stores. But if you can’t find any, feel free to replace them with an equal amount of rolled oats. The crisp won’t be grain-free, but if you go for certified gluten-free oats, the crisp will still be gluten-free.

Can you make this blueberry crisp with frozen blueberries? Yes, but defrost them first and pat them dry with a paper towel before adding them to the crisp. I made this crisp once with frozen blueberries, and the filling was too watery, which made the crisp topping soggy. If you really want to use frozen berries, you can try adding another tablespoon of tapioca flour to the blueberries to help the mixture thicken. But note that I have not tried this, so I can’t say for certain if it will work.

Does blueberry crisp need to be refrigerated? How long will it last? Any leftover crisp should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoyed within 4-5 days.

Can you re-heat blueberry crisp? While this crisp is best enjoyed fresh out of the oven, you can re-heat it. Just add the desired amount to a microwave safe bowl, and microwave until heated through. To get the topping crispy again, you can also reheat it in the oven on low heat for 10-15 minutes.

Tips and substitutions for making gluten-free blueberry crisp

• While I used almond butter in this recipe, you can use another natural nut or seed butter. Just note that it may change the taste of the crisp topping.

• Whatever nut or seed butter you use, make sure it’s at room temperature so it mixes into the buckwheat mixture easily. You can also microwave it for 20-30 seconds to soften it.

• If you don’t have cardamom, you can leave it out. The blueberries won’t have a hint of citrus, but that’s okay.

• To keep this recipe grain-free, I used tapioca flour (or tapioca starch) to thicken the berries. You can also use cornstarch, but the crisp will no longer be grain-free. (Both starches are gluten-free).

• You can make this recipe in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, pie plate or casserole dish. In the photos here, I used a 8″x12″ oval ceramic dish. If you use a smaller dish or skillet, your blueberry and crisp layers will be thicker, so you may need to bake them for a few extra minutes.

• I like to serve fruit crisps with ice cream. To keep it dairy-free and vegan, you can use a coconut or cashew-based ice cream, or whip up your own like this cherry chocolate chip nice cream.

Other crisp recipes you might enjoy

• Cherry Almond Crisp includes fresh cherries, strawberries and blueberries, all topped with a hearty oat crumble.

• Apple Cranberry Crisp is a healthy version of a classic apple crisp with tart cranberries and juicy pomegranate. It’s also gluten-free and dairy-free.

• Healthy Peach Crisp Bars are made with only 10 ingredients, including four cups of peaches, and sweetened with just maple syrup and coconut sugar.

If you make this Healthy Blueberry Crisp, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below!

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Healthy Blueberry Crisp (Without Oats)

★★★★★ 5 from 13 reviews

• Author: Leanne
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Healthy Blueberry Crisp is a quick and easy summer dessert, with juicy blueberries, a hint of cardamom and a crunchy, grain-free topping. It’s naturally gluten-free, vegan and refined sugar-free, and it requires just nine ingredients with five minutes prep time!

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Ingredients

For the blueberry filling:

• 4 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom

For the crisp topping:

• 1 cup buckwheat flakes
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut, flaked or shredded
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup natural almond butter, room temperature

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375F and grease a 10-inch baking dish, pie plate or cast iron skillet (see note).
2. To prepare the filling, add the blueberries to a large bowl, along with the maple syrup, tapioca flour and cardamom. Stir until well combined. Pour into the bottom of the prepared dish and set aside.
3. For the crisp topping, add the buckwheat flakes, almond flour, coconut and salt to a large bowl and stir until combined. Add in the maple syrup and almond butter, and mix with a fork or your fingers until a wet and crumbly mixture forms.
4. Scatter the buckwheat mixture over the blueberries and press down slightly on the topping.
5. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the blueberries are bubbling around the edges.
6. Serve warm with ice cream. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 4-5 days.

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Notes

1. You can make this recipe in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, pie plate or casserole dish. In the photos here, I used a 8″x12″ oval ceramic dish. If you use a smaller dish or skillet, your blueberry and crisp layers will be thicker, so you may need to bake them for a few extra minutes.
2. I like to use fresh blueberries, but you can also use frozen. Just make sure to de-frost them first, drain them of any water and then pat them dry with a paper towel.
3. If you can’t find buckwheat flakes, you can use an equal amount of rolled oats. The crisp won’t be grain-free, but if you use certified gluten-free oats, the crisp will still be gluten-free.
4. I bring the almond butter to room temperature to help it mix into the buckwheat mixture easily. You can also microwave it for 20-30 seconds to soften it.
5. Be sure to check out the FAQ as well as the tips and substitutions section above the recipe for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.

Keywords: gluten-free blueberry crisp, vegan blueberry crisp, blueberry crisp without oats