Vegan Blueberry Crumble
This fresh vegan blueberry crumble recipe is as beautiful as it is delicious. A thick blueberry sauce is topped with oats-infused crumble topping. It’s an easy recipe that’s a real crowd favorite too!
Love crumbles? This vegan apple crisp is delicious!
I love how easy crumbles are to make. That’s why this easy blueberry crisp recipe is such a favorite. It’s sort of like a berry pie without rolling out a crust.
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Lemon juice and zest is added to the filling to brighten the flavor and cut the sweetness
- Flour is used as a thickener in the filling, making a rich filling with just the right amount of sauce
- Melted vegan butter is added to the crumble topping to give it a buttery flavor and to give it the perfect texture that’s tender and yet crispy on the edges.
What Blueberries are Best?
Look for blueberries that are plump and smooth-skinned. The color of the berries is an indicator of ripeness (not the size of the berries), so choose berries that are deep purple-blue. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries with this recipe. Frozen blueberries are great because they’re frozen at the peak of ripeness, and they hold their shape better while cooking.
Key Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Lemon — We’ll use both the zest and the juice of the lemon.
- Oats — I used rolled oats for this recipe, but you can substitute instant oats.
- Chia — We’ll add some ground chia seeds to create a thicker texture. You can use whole chia seeds; I just prefer ground because it creates a smoother finished texture.
- Syrup — I used maple syrup, but you can substitute agave nectar.
- Milk — We’ll use almond milk for the best overnight oats! Substitute your favorite plant-based milk.
- Yogurt — I love adding some plant-based yogurt (plain, unsweetened) for an even more tangy flavor.
- Protein Powder — I add some vanilla protein powder for increased flavor and nutrients. If your protein powder is not sweetened, you may want to add an extra teaspoon or two of sweetener.
- Cornstarch — We’ll use cornstarch to thicken the lemon curd topping.
- Turmeric — A pinch of turmeric makes that lemon curd sunny yellow.
- Flour — You can use all-purpose, whole wheat pastry flour (different than whole wheat flour) or even gluten-free flour.
- Brown sugar — Use light, dark, or homemade brown sugar.
- Rolled oats — This is also referred to as old-fashioned oats.
- Chia seeds — We’ll add a few chia seeds in the filling to help thicken the sauce. This is an optional ingredient, but recommended.
- Ground cinnamon
- Vegan butter — Use any storebought vegan butter or margarine, or make your own dairy-free butter.
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch
- Lemon zest
- Chia seeds — We want the sauce to be thick, and chia seeds are a great way of achieving that.
- Frozen blueberries — This blueberry crisp is made with frozen blueberries, but you can use fresh. I love the convenience of frozen blueberries.
- Lemon juice — Use freshly squeezed or bottled lemon juice.
How to Make Vegan Blueberry Crumble
I love the simplicity of a blueberry crumble. It’s a thick saucy blueberry mixture on the bottom with a crumble topping. Here’s how to make it:
- Make the crumble topping by stirring flour, oats, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter.
- Make the filling thickener by stirring the sugar, flour, cornstarch, lemon zest, and chia seeds in a bowl.
- Add blueberries to a large bowl and pour the thickener mixture over the top. Stir gently to combine.
- Sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss gently to combine.
- Spoon the blueberry filling into a 9×9-inch baking dish or casserole dish.
- Top with crumble topping.
- Bake for 50 minutes, until the sides are bubbly and the crumble is golden brown.
- Cool the crumble for 3 hours at room temperature after baking. This allows the filling to thicken properly.
Marly’s Tips
Use these expert tips to make this easy blueberry crumble so tasty and delicious every time:
- Add ½ teaspoon of lemon extract to the filling to create a blueberry lemon crisp.
- Make this into a gluten-free crumble by using gluten-free baking flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
What’s the difference between a crumble and a crisp?
Both a crumble and a crisp are used to describe a delicious fruity dessert with a streusel-like topping. A crumble has a denser, thicker crust on top. However, others have noted that crisps include oatmeal, whereas a crumble does not. Either way, clearly the lines have blurred between the crisp and the crumble, and today just about anything goes.
Serving a Crumble
Serve a blueberry crumble by spooning it into individual serving plates and top it with vegan ice cream or some coconut whipped cream. Then drizzle some of the blueberry sauce at the bottom of the pan over the top of the ice cream for a dramatic finish!
Make-Ahead Tips
This quick blueberry crumble is a perfect make-ahead dessert recipe! Bake this the day before your event, then allow it to cool completely.
Next, cover and place the crumble in the fridge.
When you’re ready to serve? Sit it out at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour. Then reheat in the oven at 350°F and cook the crumble for 15 minutes or so, until it’s thoroughly heated.
Storage Tips
Cover the crumble and refrigerate it for up to 5 days. You can freeze it as well. Follow the instructions to make the crumble, but do not bake it. Cover and wrap the unbaked crumble in a freezer-safe container. This will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. The day before you’re ready to serve, place it in the fridge to thaw out overnight. Then follow the steps above to bake it.
Best Blueberry Desserts
Sure, this vegan blueberry crumble is amazing. But if you love all the vegan blueberry desserts, you’ll want to try these vegan desserts and snacks, too:
Here are even more delicious blueberry desserts. Here you’ll find healthy, easy, and even indulgent desserts to tickle your taste buds!
That’s it for this recipe for blueberry crumble!
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Vegan Blueberry Crisp
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 10 tablespoons vegan butter melted
Blueberry Filling
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 5 ½ cups frozen blueberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
For the Crumble
- In a bowl, stir together the flour, oats, sugar, and cinnamon. Pour melted butter over the to and stir to combine.
For the Blueberry Filling
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch, lemon zest, and chia seeds. Add blueberries to a large bowl. Pour flour mixture over the top. Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss gently to combine.
- Spoon the blueberry filling mixture into a 9×9-inch baking dish or casserole dish. Top with crumble topping.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes until the sides are bubbly and the crumble is golden brown.
- When done, remove it from the oven. Set it aside and allow it to cool for 3 hours at room temperature. This allows the filling to thicken properly.
- If there any leftovers, cover and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I couldn’t find the tip for making it gluten-free.
Thanks, Ginger! The gluten-free tips have been added. Hope you enjoy!