This healthy blueberry crumble is made with clean pantry staples that takes under 10 minutes to assemble.
Jaws hit the floor when you reveal that the traditional cane sugar, butter and flour are swapped for maple syrup, avocado or coconut oil and almond flour.
Satisfy that sweet tooth all year long using fresh or frozen blueberries.

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Why you'll love this
- Quickly assemble in less than 10 minutes
- Made with clean pantry staples
- Use fresh or frozen blueberries
- Plant based
- No refined sugar
- Absolutely scrumptious
How this crumble fits into your specialty diet
This recipe is designed to be...
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Refined sugar free
- Paleo
- Vegetarian / Vegan
- Egg free
Always be sure to check your ingredients if you have a food sensitivity, allergy or preference.
How to make a healthy blueberry crumble
- Blueberry filling: mix the blueberries (fresh or frozen), maple syrup, sea salt and lemon juice (optional) right in the baking dish. Preheat the oven.
- Crumble topping: mix the oats, almond flour, maple syrup, oil, sea salt & cinnamon (optional) in a separate bowl.
- Assemble: cover the blueberry filling with the crumble topping.
- Bake: bake at 350℉ for 60 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot!
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
- Blueberry substitutes: any fresh or frozen berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, mixed berries), peeled apple slices, peeled peach slices, jam (but it will not have as much texture), rhubarb, cherries.
- Maple syrup substitute: slowly add your preferred sweetener (sugar, stevia, honey) tasting the mixtures while adding to ensure they are the perfect amount of sweet. All sweeteners have different concentrations of sweetness.
- Sea salt substitutes: if you are using a different type of salt refer to this salt conversion chart. If you are sensitive to salt, you may want to use less salt. However, salt is important because it enhances the flavor, removes bitterness and gives an extra zing to our tastebuds.
- Almond flour substitutes: more oats (although they won't add the sweet and savory nutty flavor) or other nut based flours.
- Avocado oil substitutes: use a neutral flavored fat and melt it if needed to ensure it's in liquid form - coconut oil, butter, ghee or plant based butter.
- Adding chocolate: add your favorite chocolate chopped into small pieces on top of the berry mixture before adding the crumble for a fun twist. I like to add some Lily's sugar free chocolate chips.
What makes this crumble healthier
A traditional crumble typically contains cane sugar, butter, flour and corn starch. We swapped out these ingredients with more nutritious alternatives.
- Pure Maple Syrup: Let's be honest... blueberry crisp needs some sugar. But we don't need to use cane sugar which has zero added health benefits. Pure maple syrup is a natural sugar from the sap of sugar maple trees that has been boiled down. It is lower on the glycemic index than cane sugar (so it doesn't spike our blood sugar as quickly) and it provides us with lots of nutritious anti-oxidants and minerals. Always buy 100% pure maple syrup, ideally from somewhere that is known for their maple syrup, like Vermont! There should be no other ingredients listed.
- Almond flour: good source of vitamin E, magnesium, protein and fiber. It also has a lower glycemic index than refined wheat flour which releases sugar more slowly into blood providing you with more sustained energy.
- Avocado oil: butter and coconut oil are saturated fat (bad fat) which raise bad cholesterol levels and make us age. Avocado oil is a monounsaturated fat (good fat) which lowers the bad cholesterol levels and provides vitamin E.
- Blueberries: blueberries are an antioxidant superfood (help reduce cell damage, balance cholesterol levels). They are nutrient dense containing vitamin C (immune system), vitamin K (heart health), vitamin A (vision , immune system, reproduction), magnesium (muscle and nerve function) and soluble fiber (promotes good digestion).
What to serve with blueberry crumble
- Vanilla ice cream: my favorite dairy free brands are Fomu and Oatly
- Whipped cream: whip up (or buy) some coconut cream for a rich dairy free alternative.
- Wine pairing: a floral cabernet pairs really well with the rich berry sweetness.
FAQs
Yes, for a crisp or crumble you can bake the frozen berries, no need to thaw them. They will typically take at least 60 minutes to soften in a 350℉ oven.
Stored in an air-tight container, berry crisp will last up to 2 days at room temperature or 4 days in the fridge.
Cover in an air tight container and freeze for up to 3 months. You can freeze before cooking or after cooked once it comes to room temp. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature before cooking. Cook at 350℉ until heated through.
Yes! Assemble the berry crisp and keep it in the fridge until ready to bake. Or bake fully ahead of time so that when you are ready to serve it takes less time to warm in the oven.
More healthy desserts you'll love!
- Healthy Maple Syrup Brownies
- Apple Crisp Without Brown Sugar
- Gluten Free Banana Muffins with Honey
- 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cups Recipe
I hope you love this healthy blueberry crumble! If you make it I’d love if you could leave a rating & connect with me on Instagram @passthesprouts!
Recipe
Healthy Blueberry Crumble
Equipment
- Baking Dish `8x8, 6x9, anything that fits ~8 cups
- Measuring utensils or kitchen scale
Ingredients
Blueberry Filling
- 4 cups blueberries fresh or frozen, larger blueberries will be juicier than the smaller wild blueberries
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup pure
- ½ teaspoon sea salt fine
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional
Crumble Topping
- 2 cups oats old fashioned
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup avocado oil or coconut oil you can also use melted better if you prefer
- ¼ cup maple syrup pure
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt fine
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- In a baking dish, combine the berry filling ingredients - blueberries (frozen or fresh), maple syrup & sea salt. Mix then spread the filling to cover the bottom of the baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, using clean hands or a large spoon, mix together the crumble topping ingredients - oats, almond flour, oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, sea salt and ground cinnamon (optional). Mix well until all ingredients are combined.
- Spread the crumble mixture on top of the blueberry mixture in the baking dish.
- Bake at 350℉ for 60 minutes or until the top of the crumble starts to turn golden brown and the berries are soft. Serve hot with some (dairy free) ice cream or whipped cream!
Recipe Notes
- Storage: in an air-tight container, berry crisp will last up to 2 days at room temperature or 4 days in the fridge.
- Blueberry substitutes: any fresh or frozen berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, mixed berries), peeled apple slices, peeled peach slices, jam (but it will not have as much texture), rhubarb, cherries.
- Maple syrup substitute: slowly add your preferred sweetener (sugar, stevia, honey) tasting the mixtures while adding to ensure they are the perfect amount of sweet. All sweeteners have different concentrations of sweetness.
- Sea salt substitutes: if you are using a different type of salt refer to this salt conversion chart. If you are sensitive to salt, you may want to use less salt. However, salt is important because it enhances the flavor, removes bitterness and gives an extra zing to our tastebuds.
- Almond flour substitutes: more oats (although they won't add the sweet and savory nutty flavor) or other nut based flours.
- Avocado oil substitutes: use a neutral flavored fat and melt it if needed to ensure it's in liquid form - coconut oil, butter, ghee or plant based butter.
- Adding chocolate: add your favorite chocolate chopped into small pieces on top of the berry mixture before adding the crumble for a fun twist. I like to add some Lily's sugar free chocolate chips.
John says
Best tasting blueberry crumble ever!
Emily Greene says
Love these, thanks again!!!