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An easy recipe for a classic homemade blueberry crumble. Juicy berries topped with sweet, crunchy streusel… What’s not to love?? Whether you call it a crisp or a crumble, this version is secretly healthy enough for breakfast too!
My mom perpetually stocks her fridge with fresh blueberries. Many mornings, she pours herself a small bowl of cereal, usually something containing bran flakes and granola clusters with some slivered almonds as well, and she drops in a handful of those blueberries after pouring in her vanilla almond milk.
Have you ever added fresh fruit to a bowl of cereal? When you get a bite with everything—that soft, sweet, juicy burst paired with the slightly crisp flakes or crunchy granola clusters and the cold liquid from the milk—oh my yummm. It’s worth rolling out of bed for, every single time!
When the temperatures started rising here in California earlier this month, Mom also began fixing herself one of her favorite summertime treats in the evenings with that same fruit: berries athenaeum. It’s one of the dessert options on the menu at the Athenaeum, a club-style restaurant owned by the college in southern California where she completed her undergraduate degree, and it’s very simple and straightforward.
Add vanilla bean ice cream to a bowl, top with fresh berries, and, if desired, drizzle that with a little Grand Marnier and finish with a cookie, traditionally a classic hazelnut pirouline.
Mom generally sticks to the ice cream and berries… And after bringing a coworker to the Athenaeum a few years ago for dinner during one of their business trips to the college, that sweet lady started making berries athenaeum at home too!
So when I gave Mom and Dad this Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Crumble last Friday, she topped her first slice with vanilla ice cream, just like with her favorite easy dessert. And by the end of the weekend, every last crumb had disappeared from the pan!
But since the crumble contained no refined flour or sugar… And a full serving of fruit in every slice… And just 127 calories… My parents didn’t feel guilty about that at all!
To make this healthy crumble, you’ll start with the topping. It’s super simple! Just whole wheat flour, old-fashioned oats, and cinnamon held together with a little sweetener and melted butter. Yes, melted butter! Traditional recipes require you to cut cold, cubed butter into that mixture, but… That takes more effort. (And makes my muslces tired, especially if I already finished an arm workout earlier in the day! 😉 ) It’s much easier to stir in melted butter, so we’re doing that instead!
As for the sweetener, you’ll use pure maple syrup instead of granulated or brown sugar. Be sure to use the real kind! Avoid pancake syrup; that can behave differently in baking recipes. The only ingredient on the label should be “pure maple syrup.” It’s generally sold in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs, like this.
For the fruit, both fresh and frozen blueberries will work! This means that it’s completely possible to enjoy this crumble all year round… Which makes me one very happy girl. Fruit crumbles are one of my favorite desserts because they’re basically healthy enough for breakfast! Lots of fruit + “granola” topping made of wholesome ingredients = breakfast food, right?? (Just say yes!)
Because the blueberries release lots of juice while baking, you’ll mix them with cornstarch before adding them to the pan. The cornstarch thickens those juices, especially while the crumble cools, so it’s very important to let the crumble cool completely to room temperature before serving so the cornstarch can do its thing. If you prefer eating your crumble warm, I still highly recommend letting it cool completely, then reheating individual portions!
And topped with a little vanilla ice cream… Or, umm, how about vanilla frozen Greek yogurt for breakfast?…
Pure bliss. And when you bake this, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees that I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy blueberry crumble!
The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Crumble
© Amy's Healthy Baking
Yields: 1 crumble, 9 slices
This easy dessert is secretly healthy enough for breakfast! It’ll keep for at least a week if covered with foil or transferred to airtight containers and stored in the refrigerator. (And for a special treat, I highly recommend topping it with a bit of ice cream!)
4.96 from 69 votes
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup (75g) old-fashioned oats (gluten free if necessary and measured like this)
- ¼ cup (30g) whole wheat flour or millet* flour (measured like this)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp (30mL) pure maple syrup, room temperature
- 1 ½ tbsp (21g) unsalted butter, melted
- 6 cups (840g) blueberries (see Notes!)
- 3 tbsp (24g) cornstarch
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat an 8”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
To prepare the topping, whisk together the oats, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour in the maple syrup and melted butter. Stir until fully incorporated.
To prepare the filling, toss the blueberries with the cornstarch in a large bowl until completely coated.
Transfer the filling to the prepared pan, and sprinkle evenly with the topping. (The topping tends to clump, so break it up into really small pieces!) Bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes or until the juice is bubbling at the sides of the pan. Cool completely to room temperature; then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving to allow the juices to fully thicken.
Notes
IMPORTANT BLUEBERRY NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: Both fresh and frozen blueberries will work. I highly recommend tasting your blueberries first to make sure they're juicy and sweet! If they're not very sweet, then you may want to add sweetener to the filling so your crumble isn't tangy or tart.
If using fresh blueberries, then add 3 tablespoons of water to the blueberry filling, just before adding the cornstarch. (Without the water, the filling will be dry, and the cornstarch won't fully dissolve.)
If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them. Toss the frozen blueberries directly with the cornstarch, and bake the crumble for closer to 55-65 minutes instead.
IMPORTANT BAKING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: You must let the crumble cool completely to room temperature and chill for 3+ hours before serving in order to let the blueberry juices to fully set. If you'd prefer to serve it warm, see my suggestion below!
OATS ALTERNATIVE: Quick cooking oats (also called "instant" oats or "one minute" oats) may be substituted for the old-fashioned rolled oats. Do not substitute steel-cut oats; they don't soften properly.
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the regular whole wheat flour. Oat flour (and gluten free, if needed) may also be substituted, but be very careful when measuring it because it tends to be more absorbent.
MAPLE SYRUP ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
GLUTEN FREE OPTION: To make the crumble gluten free, use the millet flour option and certified gluten free old-fashioned oats or certified gluten free quick cooking oats.
Almost any other gluten free flour will work in place of the millet flour — except for coconut flour. Do not substitute coconut flour because it makes the topping too dry and crumbly.
DAIRY FREE + VEGAN OPTION: For a vegan version, substitute Earth Balance buttery sticks for the best results. Coconut oil will also work, but the flavor and texture of the topping will be slightly different.
SERVING WARM: If you prefer to enjoy your crumble warm, then reheat individual portions once it has chilled in the refrigerator.
{gluten free, egg free, dairy free option, vegan option, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
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