Blueberry Lemon Crisp
Summertime and blueberries are a match made in heaven. When my kids were little, we spent hours reading Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey. Set in Maine’s beautiful countryside, it follows a human child and a bear cub, each with their own mothers on blueberry picking dates. The fresh picked blueberries taste so good. The child Sal and the bear cub spend all of their time eating, rarely paying attention to their mothers. Soon, they are mixed up and following the other’s mother through the forrest. The story is told with gentle sweetness and ends in a warm country kitchen. Sal and her mother can blueberries for the winter. Blueberries and Blueberries for Sal are forever linked in my mind and heart.
Click here to see Blueberries For Sal on Amazon.
I love blueberries by themselves, in salads and especially in Blueberry Lemon Crisp. Adding lemon zest to this recipe gives it complex flavor. Tang and tart balance the sugar. Butter, oats, flour and brown sugar top it all off with satisfying crunch.
Whenever possible, use fresh blueberries.
A little bit of cornstarch keeps the liquids from becoming too watery when they’re cooked.
A pastry blender helps incorporate the topping nicely. If you don’t have a pastry blender, a fork or your hands work just as well too.
I love using ramekins for Blueberry Lemon Crisp because they look lovely and provide instant portion control. But you could just as easily make this recipe in an 8×8 baking pan. I use my ramekins not only for baking, but also for snacks, entertaining and as prep bowls. Click here to see them on Amazon.
When properly mixed, this is what your topping should look like.
Rolled, quick, instant, steel cut oats – which do you chose?? Even though they are more processed, I prefer quick oats for this recipe. The oats are smaller, and develop a satisfying crunch when cooked with the butter and sugar. Rolled and instant oats work well too. The only type I wouldn’t recommend would be steel cut oats because they retain a tough texture, even when cooked.
Enjoy!
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Blueberry Lemon Crisp
Light, bright blueberries and lemon zest with crumble topping create dessert deliciousness. Great in all seasons, pretty enough for company and easy enough for weeknights.
Ingredients
Fruit Filling
- 3 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
Crisp Topping
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
- 1 cup oats
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
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Arrange 6 oven safe, 4-oz sized ramekins on a cookie sheet. Set aside.
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In a medium bowl, gently combine blueberries, lemon zest, corn starch and brown sugar. As much as possible, keep the blueberries intact during mixing. They will pop and become juicy during cooking. Evenly distribute this fruit mixture into the 6 ramekins.
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In a separate bowl, combine the butter cubes, oats, flour and brown sugar. Using a pastry blender, or a fork, or your hands, blend and mix together. Evenly distribute this crumble crisp topping on top of the blueberry mixture in each of the ramekins.
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Bake for approximately 35 minutes, until golden brown on top. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving as the blueberry mixture will be syrupy and bubbling hot. Can also be enjoyed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
It Started With Toast participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. When you click a link in one of my posts and make a purchase, It Started With Toast receives a small commission at no cost to you. Happy shopping and thank you in advance for the support!
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