Summer blueberries are so scrumptious in this Blueberry Cornmeal Crisp. Lemon and cornmeal, play off sweet blueberries and add fabulous flavor and texture to this blueberry crisp. This recipe is vegetarian, easily gluten free and easily vegan.
The Perfect Season for a Blueberry Crisp
What I love about crisps and crumbles is their versatility, ease and how they can be made quickly, stored in the fridge and popped in the oven as dinner is served.
When you’re sure you can’t wait anymore because its sweet aroma is wafting through the house, it comes out of the oven piping hot, ready to share with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
And there’s no better season to whip up a crips when summer fruit is at its peak. A blueberry crisp is among the easiest to prepare simply because the fruit is instantly ready to be added to the baking dish; no peeling, coring or slicing!
Blueberry Crisp with Cornmeal
A texture rich twist on a classic! Inspired by Tom Douglas Dahlia Baker’s blueberry cornmeal cake, this was my introduction to this fabulous combination.
Because cornmeal and blueberry pair so well together, a crisp is the perfect way to incorporate these two ingredients. The cornmeal lends a fabulous texture and light corn flavor.
For the crumbly topping I use oat flour, whole oats and cornmeal with a bit of brown sugar, butter, lemon and fresh thyme. Because crisps are so versatile, this recipe can be made with all purpose flour instead of oat flour or if gluten free, try gluten free oat flour.
DIY oat flour at home! See my How to Make Oat Flour recipe for details.
Quick Guide: How to Make this Blueberry Cornmeal Crisp
Simple ingredients and an easy preparation bring out the best in summer berries. A hint of lemon and a touch of optional thyme bring all the flavors together. In summary, here’s how to make this blueberry dessert (see recipe card for details):
- First, mix the cornmeal, oat flour or all purpose flour, and rolled oats together, then cut in the butter.
- Second, stir in the lemon zest and optional fresh thyme leaves. Set aside.
- Third, stir the blueberries and lemon juice together and transfer to a baking dish.
- Next, top the blueberries with the cornmeal/oat flour/rolled oat mixture.
- Last, bake!
Once the crisp has come out of the oven, allow it to set for about 10 minutes before sharing with vanilla bean ice cream. When the cold ice cream hits the warm blueberries, it turns into melty, rich and sweet goodness that you’ll love!
A Few Recipe Tips
- Make it Dairy Free / Vegan: Omit the dairy butter and use dairy free butter like Earth Balance (omit the added salt in the recipe).
- For a Gluten Free Blueberry Crisp: Use gluten free oat flour, rolled oats and cornmeal.
- The Baking Vessel: Bake the crisp in individual ramekins, an 8×8 baking dish or deep dish pie plate.
- Optional Fresh Thyme: I include fresh thyme in this recipe because it adds interest and flavor to the crisp, however, it can easily be left out if desired.
More Summer Dessert Recipes to Love
- Sweet Cherry Cake
- Blueberry Lemon Curd Hand Pies
- Strawberry Shortcake with Sourdough Biscuits
- Blueberry Rhubarb Pie Ice Cream Parfaits
- Blueberry Galette
The extremes of cold and hot, crunch and creamy, sweet and a bit of tart is the pinnacle of pastry. You get it all in this crisp!
Blueberry Cornmeal Crisp Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 C (65g) Thick Rolled Oats
- 1/2 C (60g) Oat Flour All purpose flour may be used here 1/2 C (75g).
- 1/2 C (95g) Corn Meal medium grind
- 1/2 C (100g) Dark Brown Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 8 Tbs (113g) Unsalted Butter cold, cubed into 1/4" pieces + 1 Tbs for Baking Dish **see note for vegan opt.
- 2 tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves (optional) chopped fine, use lemon thyme if you have it.
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Lemon Zest zested and 2 Tbs Juice
- 5 C (560g) Fresh or Frozen Blueberries about 2 1/2 pints
- 2-3 Tbs Maple Syrup or Brown Sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (177C).
- Use 1 Tbs of butter to coat the bottom and sides of desired baking dish. Use an 8x8, 4-10 oz ramekins or 9" deep dish pie plate. If baking in ramekins, line a sheet pan with parchment and bake on the parchment paper as the fruit tends to bubble over.
Prepare the Topping:
- In a mixing bowl, add the rolled oats, oat flour, corn meal, and sugar. Whisk together. Add the butter cubes and cut in until the mixture looks mealy. There will still be some larger chunks of butter. This is okay. Add the lemon zest, thyme (if using) and extract. Stir. The mixture will be crumbly. Rest in fridge while assembling the remaining ingredients.
Prepare the Blueberries:
- Toss the blueberries with lemon juice and maple syrup or sugar if desired. I don't typically add sugar to the berries due to the sweetness of the berries. But If your berries seem tart, you may opt to add the syrup or additional sugar.
- Pour the berries into the prepared baking dish. Transfer the crumb mixture over the top of the berries and spread evenly.
To Bake:
- Bake the crisp for 50 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and top is golden. If you prefer a darker top, turn your oven up to broil and broil for 1-2 minutes. Watch the crisp carefully as browning will happen fast.
- Allow crisp to cool slightly before serving. Delicious served with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
To Store
- Store in a lidded container in the fridge for up to three days. Re-warm at 350F for 10 minutes.
Can you ever beat a summer crisp? It’s just the perfect summer dessert. And yes, always topped with ice cream for the win Traci. Love the added thyme!
Hi, Traci! This recipe is my new favorite! SO delicious. It was the first reason I’ve had to use the lemon thyme in my garden 🙂 I really love the cornmeal and the lemony blueberries! Thanks so much ❤️
Hi Kelly! Thank you for your note! SO happy to hear you’re enjoying the crisp and you used lemon thyme from your garden! Aren’t cornmeal and blueberries so nice together?
This recipe looks yummy, except I can’t eat dairy. Do you have any suggestions for a topping that doesn’t use butter?
Hi Donna! You could use EarthBalance vegan butter or, although I’ve not tried it, you could try coconut oil. If you use coconut oil, measure it out then melt it and whisk in a Tbs of water before adding it to the dry ingredients. I hope this helps.
This is beautiful Traci! Your photos are always stunning..
Thank you so much Felicia! :D