If you love easy desserts, you will adore this apple and blueberry apple crisp recipe. The combination of the warm, sweet fruit and the crisp, buttery topping makes this the perfect dessert for late summer and chilly winter evenings.
Why you will love this recipe
- It has oats! I love adding extra fiber to my baking recipes whenever I can. That's why I always use rolled oats in my apple blueberry crisp. Oats bring a comforting nutty flavor and become nice and crispy in the oven.
- Crisps are perfect for feeding a crowd! Simply double or triple the ingredients and divide them between one or two oven dishes, or use a larger one.
- Apple and blueberry crisp is super quick and easy to make. All you have to do is toss your fruit into an 8-inch oven dish, make the crumble topping, and pop it in the oven! It takes no more than 10 minutes of prep time!
- Making fruit desserts is the perfect way to use up leftover fruit.
- The crisp is made with a few simple ingredients.
- You can enjoy apple blueberry crisp hot or cold!
- Are you like me and make apple blueberry crisp for the topping? You can double the ingredients for extra crunch!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Butter: Cold butter makes it easier to create larger crumbs, but you can make this recipe with room-temperature butter if you have less time. Make sure to use unsalted butter or omit the salt!
Sugar: Brown sugar adds a mild caramel flavor to the crumbs and helps the topping to become crispy and golden.
Oats: Rolled oats are my go-to for this recipe. They get crispier than quick oats and soak up some of the excess moisture from the fruit. Oats also add a subtle nutty flavor that goes perfectly with the apples.
Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice highlights the sweet flavor of the blueberries. Never use bottled lemon juice, though, as it just won't taste as good. If you only use granny smith apples, don't add the lemon juice.
Variations
You can use gluten-free flour and oats for this recipe. I've tried making the topping with oat flour, which was just as delicious!
Try different types of fruit! I love having blackberries in my desserts, but this recipe will work with other summer berries or hard fruit like blackberries, strawberries, red currants, and peaches!
Add chopped nuts! Add ½ cup of chopped nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans, for a little extra crunch!
How do you make apple and blueberry crisp?
Step 1: I always start with the crumble topping. Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.
Step 2: Next, add the butter and rub it into the oat flour mixture with your fingers. The goal is to achieve a mixture of small and larger crumbs, so avoid making them too small.
Step 3: Peel and core the apples, then cut them into large pieces. I have experimented with both diced apples and apple slices in this recipe. I prefer the apples to be soft so I always cut them into large cubes. Add the flour, cinnamon, and salt, and mix until well combined.
Step 4: Divide the crumb topping over the fruit, then bake the apple and blueberry crisp for 40-50 minutes in the center of the oven until golden.
My tips for the perfect apple and blueberry crisp
- Use cold butter. I like my crumble topping more like a streusel, so I always use cold butter. You can use softened butter, but I don't recommend adding melted butter to this recipe.
- Add different apples! My favorite apple for this recipe is a mixture of a sweet golden Delicious and a slightly sour Granny Smith, but I urge you to try and find your favorite combination!
- Use frozen fruit when it's not in season. Fruit can be expensive, especially when it's out of season. For this recipe, you can use frozen berries!
- You can prepare the topping in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready.
- As always, I strongly urge you to use a kitchen scale. This may be daunting if you've never used one before, but trust me, it will improve your baking and there will be fewer things to clean when you're done! You can find the metric measurements next to the imperial ones in the recipe card.
What to serve apple and blueberry crisp with?
If you're making this recipe as a dessert, I recommend pairing it with a few scoops of vanilla ice cream. Warm desserts and cold ice cream are a classic combination! But if you want to change things up a bit, I suggest serving your crisp with warm vanilla sauce, cinnamon whipped cream, chantilly cream, or crème diplomat.
Looking for something extra sweet? Transform the dessert by drizzling warm caramel sauce over your blueberry apple crisp!
I love the concept of having dessert for breakfast, and this recipe is ideal for that! Simply put the leftover crisp in a bowl and serve it with Greek yogurt, a handful of chopped nuts or seeds, and some additional fruit.
Frequently asked questions
Both a crumble and a crisp have a fruit filling, but the toppings are different. Crisps are made with a combination of oats and flour, which makes them extra crunchy, while a crumble has more of a crumb topping and is made without the oats.
Absolutely! Replace the butter with coconut oil or plant-based butter to make this apple blueberry crisp vegan.
I prefer using a combination of sweet and tart apples such as Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, and Granny Smith for this recipe, but feel free to use any type of apple that you love! If you only use tart apples, you might want to consider adding a little honey or sugar to the fruit.
Storage
After preparing your dessert, you can store any leftovers in the fridge for about 4-5 days. To prevent the dessert from drying out, be sure to cover it with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Keep in mind that the topping may become slightly softer as it absorbs moisture.
This dessert can also be frozen! Once the apple and blueberry crisp has cooled completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container. This will keep it fresh for about three months.
To heat up the dessert and make the topping nice and crispy again, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Then, reheat it in a preheated oven at 350°F (170°C) or microwave until warm.
More easy crisp, crumble, and cobbler recipes
Apple and blueberry crisp
Equipment
Ingredients
For the apple and blueberry filling
- 3 large apples
- 2 cups blueberries
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the crumble topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 stick butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 F (170 C)
How to make the crumb topping
- Add all the dry ingredients for the topping to a bowl and mix until completely combined.
- Rub the butter into the flour until you have large crumbs, and set aside while you prepare your fruit. This takes a few minutes when your butter is cold.
How to make the apple and blueberry filling
- Peel and core your apples and cut them into large cubes. You can use apple slices, but they will stay a little crispier than diced apples.
- Wash your blueberries and dry them.
- In a mixing bowl, add your fruit and dry ingredients, mix until combined, and put the fruit into an 8-inch dish.
- Divide the crumb topping over the fruit and place the baking dish in the center of the oven.
- Bake your apple and blueberry crisp for 40-50 minutes. You'll know when your dessert is ready when the crumbs are golden, and the fruit softens.
Notes
- If you want a more streusel-like topping, use cold butter!
- Make it vegan! Substitute the butter for plant-based butter or coconut oil.
- You can use honey instead of sugar.
- Use different apples for the best results.
- This recipe also works with other fruits like strawberries, peaches, and blackberries.
This is the tastiest bluberry apple crisp I have ever tasted. Gosh we ate a lot.
I love how easy and delicious this recipe is. The tangy taste of blueberry and sweet taste of the apple make this dessert more delicious!
My family loves anything made with blueberries and apples together, and they loved this dessert so much. So easy and comforting. Terrific recipe. Thanks!!