Healthy Blueberry Crumble
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Published Aug 22, 2023, Updated Nov 07, 2023
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A delicious and healthy blueberry crumble that can be made with fresh or frozen blueberries and is topped with an oatmeal pecan crumble. It’s naturally sweetened, gluten-free + vegan.
This healthy blueberry crumble recipe is a breeze to whip up and if you keep frozen blueberries in the freezer like I do, you probably already have all the ingredients on hand!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made healthier with maple syrup, almond flour and coconut oil. No butter, white sugar and white flour needed!
- Requires only 9 simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
- Absolutely delicious on its own or topped with ice cream! Warm baked fruit, a crunchy topping and ice cream = dessert perfection.
- It’s like a blueberry pie, but much easier (and healthier) to make.
- Naturally sweetened, vegan + gluten-free.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this tasty blueberry crisp:
- blueberries – I used frozen wild blueberries which are a bit smaller, have a deeper blue pigment, double the antioxidants and a more intense blueberry flavor. Of course regular frozen berries work too. No thawing required.
- vanilla – a nice flavor enhancer.
- old fashioned rolled oats – for the crumble topping. Oats are naturally gluten-free but are often cross-contaminated during processing, so if you need this crisp to be gluten-free, make sure you look for oats that say “gluten-free” on the package. I like using Bob’s Red Mill gluten free old fashioned rolled oats.
- pecans – adds a little crunch to the topping.
- almond flour – we’re using almond flour to keep this recipe gluten-free for the crumble topping.
- maple syrup – pure maple syrup is the perfect natural sweetener to use because it is liquid and adds a perfect amount of sweetness.
- coconut oil – we’re using coconut oil instead of butter to keep this crumble vegan. I recommend using unrefined extra virgin coconut oil.
- cinnamon and sea salt – two baking essentials to add flavor.
How to Make
Prep: Begin by preheating your oven to 375°F. Also, grease or line your baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal and cleanup.
Add blueberries: Add blueberries to the dish and drizzle vanilla over top. Set aside.
Make crumble topping: In a large bowl, stir together oats, pecans, almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon and sea salt.
Bake: Once combined, sprinkle the oatmeal pecan topping over the blueberries. Gently press the mixture down using the back of the spoon. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until topping has hardened and turned a lovely golden brown color.
Serve and enjoy: Cool for 10-20 minutes then serve warm with whipped topping or ice cream.
Can I Use Fresh Berries?
I know I call for frozen wild blueberries in this recipe, but you can definitely use regular frozen blueberries or fresh blueberries. I tend to use frozen berries most of the time because I always have them stocked in the freezer (and you don’t have to defrost them!), but during blueberry season I love making this crumble with fresh blueberries from the farmer’s market.
How to Thicken Blueberry Filling
The blueberries will release a little juice after cooking. I don’t mind a little liquid and like to keep the filling super simple but if you prefer a thicker filling you can combine the blueberries and vanilla with 2-3 Tablespoons of cornstarch or arrowroot powder before adding to the baking dish.
Notes & Substitutions
- Blueberries – As I mentioned above I love using frozen wild blueberries for this recipe, but if you don’t have any on hand no worries fresh blueberries will work just fine. Want to use a different fruit? Try my apple crisp or peach crumble or swap the blueberries for your favorite type of berry. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or cherries would all be delicious!
- Coconut oil – You can use melted vegan butter. Melted traditional butter works as well if you don’t need the crumble to be vegan.
- Pecans – If you’re not a fan of pecans you could try another chopped nut such as walnuts or almonds. To make the topping nut-free swap the pecans with additional oats.
- Almond flour – I haven’t tested this crisp with a different flour, but I have a feeling that all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour will work just fine for the topping. If you try it, please let me know in the comments.
- Maple syrup – I absolutely love the taste of maple syrup with this recipe, but you could easily swap it for honey, coconut sugar or brown sugar.
- Add lemon – For a light citrus flavor you could add in some fresh lemon juice and/or lemon zest with the blueberries.
- Blueberry bars – Want to make blueberry crumble bars instead? Try these blueberry bars!
How to Serve Blueberry Crumble
This blueberry crumble is insanely good on it’s own so feel free to eat it without any toppings, but here are some additional ways to serve it up:
- ice cream – as an ice cream lover I think this crumble is delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Want a healthy option? Use banana ice cream!
- yogurt – add creaminess and protein by adding Greek yogurt as a topping! Pro tip: whip the yogurt in a food processor for a light and airy texture.
- whipped cream – can’t go wrong with classic whipped cream!
- coconut whip – looking for a dairy-free option? I love topping this blueberry crumble with coconut whipped cream!
Tips for Success
- Use quality ingredients: Always use high-quality, fresh or frozen blueberries for the best flavor. If using frozen, there’s no need to thaw them first.
- Customize your crumble: While the recipe suggests pecans, feel free to experiment with other nuts like almonds or walnuts for a different texture and flavor. You could also add shredded coconut, chia seeds, hemp seeds or some additional spices like nutmeg, cardamom or ground ginger to the crumble.
- Check your oats: Make sure you’re using old-fashioned rolled oats and not quick oats. The rolled oats will give a much better texture to the crumble.
- Monitor the bake time: Keep an eye on the crumble as it bakes. If you notice the topping browning too quickly, you can loosely cover it with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
- Let it rest: After baking, allow the crumble to cool for at least 10-20 minutes. This will help the filling set a bit and make it easier to serve.
How to Store This Blueberry Crumble
After allowing your blueberry crumble to cool, store it covered in an airtight container. Leftovers will store well at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This crumble is delicious served cold, but I highly recommend reheating the leftovers in the oven or microwave.
More Blueberry Recipes to Try
- No Bake Blueberry Muffin Donut Holes
- High Protein Blueberry Muffins
- Healthy Blueberry Crumble Bars
- Blueberry Peach Oatmeal
- Blueberry Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies
- Blueberry Oatmeal
- Blueberry Lemon Overnight Oats
- Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
- Blueberry Yogurt Muffins
More Dessert Recipes to Try
- Healthy Apple Crisp
- No Bake Almond Cookies
- Healthy Peach Crisp
- Mini Apple Pies
- Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
- Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies
- Baked Pears
- Healthy Vanilla Cake
- Almond Flour Cupcakes
- Cherry Crisp
Be sure to check out the full collection of blueberry recipes and dessert recipes on EBF!
Healthy Blueberry Crumble
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups frozen wild blueberries, no thawing required*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Spray a 9-inch or 8-inch circular or square baking dish with cooking spray. Add blueberries to the dish and drizzle vanilla over top. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together oats, pecans, almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon and sea salt.
- Once combined, spoon oatmeal pecan topping over the blueberries. Gently press the mixture down using the back of the spoon.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until blueberries are bubbling and topping has hardened and turned a lovely golden brown color.
- Cool for 10-20 minutes then serve with whipped topping or ice cream.
Video
Notes
- Blueberries – As I mentioned above I love using frozen wild blueberries for this recipe, but if you don’t have any on hand no worries regular fresh or frozen blueberries will work.
- Pecans – If you’re not a fan of pecans you could try another chopped nut such as walnuts.
- Thicker filling – The blueberries will release a little juice after cooking. I don’t mind a little liquid and like to keep the filling super simple, but if you prefer a thicker filling you can combine the blueberries and vanilla with 2-3 Tablespoons of cornstarch or arrowroot powder before adding to the baking dish.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Solid recipe. Made 3 mini crumbles in 6” cake pans and baked for about 20 minutes. Reduced the maple syrup to 1/4 c. Used cape gooseberries in one and apple in the other. The tart gooseberries were perfectly balanced by the sweet crunchy topping. Would definitely make again with gooseberries or any other tart fruit!
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kaycee! I appreciate you leaving a review, thank you.
I have made this several times and even my people that aren’t gluten free LOVE it! So easy and delicious
Yay! So glad to hear that, Michele. I really appreciate you coming back to leave a review.
Best crisp ever!! 😋
Woo! So happy to hear that, Christy!
Just made this – it’s delicious!!! I sprinkled cinnamon into the mix. It was a tad watery for me so I might try adding chia seeds to the blueberries. If that doesn’t work, I’ll try the cornstarch. Am definitely making this again and will make a bigger batch!!
Woo! So happy to hear this recipe was a hit, Gina. Chia seeds will definitely help soak up some of that liquid and provide extra nutrients! Thanks for making the blueberry crumble and coming back to leave a review, I appreciate it.
My first time making this, I was interested in using the blueberries as I never baked them before. It turned out out great, delicious! Only complaint is that I didn’t quite have enough toppings to cover the whole pan based on the measurements given. No worries next time I will add more oats and pecans. I like more crust toppings… Now I need some ice cream!😊
Nicki P.
I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe, Nicki! Thanks for making it and for the review.
My family loves this recipe, making it right now for around the 10th time 😊
Yay!! So glad to hear everyone is loving this blueberry crumble! Thanks for the review, Nancy! I really appreciate it :).
I LOVE this recipe! I’ve made it several times now! I usually do half pecans and half almonds or I toss in some Purely Elizabeth granola if I’m short on nuts or oats for the topping! If you’re in Richmond you have to grab Gelati Celesti vanilla gelato to top it off! Huge hit with my inlaws!
Woo!! So happy this blueberry crumble has bee a hit, Sarah! Thanks so much for trying it out and coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me!
Made this recipe using fresh blueberries. I like thicker filling so added 2 tbsp of arrowroot powder and also some lemon juice to the berries. It is so delicious and I highly recommend. This will be my new go to crumble recipe!
Ah yay!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this blueberry crumble, Liz! Thanks for the review and star rating. I really appreciate it!!
I have made this recipe twice now – the first time with blueberries, strawberries that were about to turn, and a peach I had in the crisper. I always like to add a little fresh-squeezed orange juice (or lemon) to the berry mixture. I included a dash of ground cloves and some cardamom to the crumble topping. So good!!
Yesterday, I made it with just blueberries and added unsweetened coconut, chia seeds, and chopped almonds (what I had on hand) to the topping mix…it’s almost gone 🙂
This is such an easy and quick, tasty, healthy recipe that anyone can throw together which makes it even better! Thank you, Brittany, for sharing your passion – and recipes – with us!
Ah yay! This makes me so happy to hear! I’m so pumped this blueberry crumble was a hit, Maggie! I love the addition of ground cloves and cardamom, so good. Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it!
This is so simple and so good!
So glad you loved this recipe, Bev! Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it. 🙂