Easy Lemon-Blueberry Crisp

Active Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

50 mins

Servings:

Nutrition Profile:

Sesame-Free Nut-Free Soy-Free High-Fiber Vegetarian Egg-Free

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Trust us: One bite of this Easy Lemon-Blueberry Crisp and you’ll be counting down the days until you can make it again. This quintessential warm summer dessert pairs sweet blueberries with tangy lemon juice and zest plus a crispy oat-based topping for that perfect balance of flavors and texture that everyone will love.

We love how easy a good crisp is to pull together, and this one is no exception. Not only is it simple to make, but the blueberries and oats offer nutrients that may help with blood pressure and gut health, respectively. While fresh-picked blueberries are a treat, this recipe can also work with frozen blueberries. Either way, this dessert is perfect for summer gatherings, and one we look forward to again and again. Read on for our expert tips and advice for making this lemon-blueberry crisp your go-to summer dessert too.

How to Make Lemon-Blueberry Crisp

1. Use Baking Spray

To prevent the crisp from sticking to the baking dish, we coat it with baking spray. Unlike “cooking” spray, “baking” spray has a little bit of flour added to it. Intended for baking only, it adds an additional layer of protection between the ingredients and the baking dish, which can make releasing the crisp from the pan easier. If you don’t have baking spray, cooking spray can be used in its place.

2. Make the Filling

Making the filling is easy! A tablespoon of flour mixed into the blueberries helps thicken the juices as the crisp bakes. If you are using frozen blueberries, thaw and drain them first before combining with the other ingredients. Frozen blueberries will often release more liquid as they bake, so if you are using frozen blueberries, increase the flour by 1 tablespoon.

3. Prepare the Topping

The topping is as easy as the filling. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl first. Doing this will make it easier to distribute the butter evenly. When you add the butter, use a fork or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. This helps distribute the butter uniformly without overmixing, which could make the topping tough and chewy.

4. Bake the Crisp

This crisp takes only 35 to 40 minutes to bake. Bake it on a rack in the middle of the oven so the top and bottom bake evenly. The crisp is done when you can see the juices bubbling up around the edges and the top looks crispy and brown. The bubbling from heat is what creates the thickened blueberry “sauce” at the bottom. If it hasn’t bubbled, the crisp may be watery. Let it cool for 5 minutes before digging in.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

We recommend using a glass baking dish rather than a metal one for this crisp. The lemon juice in the filling can react with metal, giving it a metallic taste.
Try swapping other seasonal berries like raspberries or blackberries into the filling. And while blueberries and lemon are a classic combo, lime zest and juice can also stand in for the lemon.

Nutrition Notes

Blueberries offer plenty of nutritional benefits, including a healthy dose of anthocyanins. Not only do anthocyanins help give blueberries their blue color, they are also known to help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Oats combine protein and fiber. Paired with each other, they help you feel full for longer periods of time, aiding in weight management. Eating oats regularly may also support your gut health and heart health, thanks to the soluble fiber.
We like to mix a little whole-wheat flour into our baked goods when we can. Why? Unlike refined flour, whole-wheat flour contains the bran, germ and endosperm of the wheat kernel. The bran and germ contain fiber, antioxidants, B vitamins, protein and healthy fats, as well as minerals, including iron.

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Ingredients

Baking spray with flour
4 cups fresh or thawed and drained frozen blueberries
1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon zest, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus 1/4 cup, divided
2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with baking spray.
Toss fresh blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar together in a large bowl until evenly combined. (If using thawed frozen blueberries, use 2 tablespoons each flour and sugar.) Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Whisk oats, whole-wheat flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and the remaining 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a medium bowl until no lumps remain. Using a fork or pastry blender, cut butter into the oat mixture until fully combined and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the blueberry mixture.

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Bake until the crumb topping is golden brown and the blueberry mixture is bubbling around the edges, 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand for about 5 minutes. Garnish with additional lemon zest, if desired, and serve warm.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Lemon-Blueberry Crisp be made ahead?

We find that blueberry crisp is best enjoyed within a few hours of baking. If you have leftovers, they will still taste great, but you can expect the topping to be less crispy. If you plan on eating the leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Is Lemon-Blueberry Crisp gluten-free?

This recipe is not gluten-free, but it can be made gluten-free with a few tweaks. Swap out the all-purpose flour and whole-wheat flour for gluten-free all-purpose baking mix or almond flour in the topping. If you are following a gluten-free diet, be sure to look for oats specifically labeled as gluten-free from brands such as Bob’s Red Mill or Quaker. Swap out the flour in the blueberry filling for about 2 teaspoons of cornstarch if you are using fresh blueberries, and about a tablespoon if you are using frozen.
What is the difference between blueberry crisp and crumble?

Great question! The differences are subtle, and sometimes indistinguishable, but there are a few features that generally set them apart. Both are baked fruit desserts with a topping. The topping on a crisp tends to be more uniform and “crisp” when baked and frequently contains oats or nuts. (But technically, it doesn’t have to have either.) A crumble can feature oats in the topping, but more often than not, it is made from just flour, butter and sugar, giving it a “crumbly” texture. The topping also tends to be less uniform, sitting in clumps rather than one even layer like a crisp.

EatingWell.com, June 2024

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

270	Calories
13g	Fat
38g	Carbs
4g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Serving Size 1 cup
Calories 270
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 38g	14%
Dietary Fiber 4g	16%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 4g	7%
Total Fat 13g	16%
Saturated Fat 7g	37%
Cholesterol 31mg	10%
Vitamin A 100Âµg
Vitamin C 12mg	14%
Vitamin D 0Âµg
Vitamin E 1mg	7%
Folate 24Âµg
Vitamin K 20Âµg
Sodium 182mg	8%
Calcium 25mg	2%
Iron 1mg	7%
Magnesium 30mg	7%
Potassium 156mg	3%
Zinc 1mg	7%
Vitamin B12 0Âµg
Omega 3 0g

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Additional reporting by

Hilary Meyer