This strawberry blueberry crisp is one of my favorite recipes for the Fourth of July because it's literally a red white and blue dessert!
Sweet blueberries and fresh strawberries are combined with a crunchy oatmeal and seed topping for a healthier crisp that can be made gluten free and dairy free.
Made into individual cups for baked in one big dish, you'll love how easy this strawberry blueberry crisp is to make.
The Best Strawberry Blueberry Crisp
What's the difference between a crumble and crisp? Well now, the terms are used interchangeably but in the past a crisp is a dish with baked fruit and oats in the topping that would "crisp" when baked.
Still, you'll find many recipes for crumbles use oats in the topping, so this could also pass for a strawberry blueberry crumble if that suits your fancy.
- Easy - This is the easiest crisp you'll ever make! It takes about 10 minutes to mix everything together and put it in the oven.
- Allergy-Friendly - With a few minor changes, this recipe is dairy free, vegan, migraine diet friendly, and gluten free which helps appeal to everyone at the BBQ!
- Low sugar - Compared to many other desserts this recipe is relatively low sugar.
- Summer dessert - It's great for a summer cookout when berries are in season.
- Holiday ready - This strawberry blueberry crisp is a patriotic dessert for Memorial Day or Fourth of July.
Ingredients
Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries - Fresh works better than frozen and defrosted because while they soften in the oven, they still hold a firmer texture. I also like that you can taste them and adjust the sweetness based on what you get. Feel free to use frozen in a pinch if you don't mind the crisp being a little softer.
Cornstarch - This acts as a thickener for when the berries release juices as they cook. It creates sort of a sticky berry sauce that coats everything.
Rolled Oats - Rolled oats are your basic oatmeal oats not steel cut or quick cooking, which are more finely chopped. This is important as the whole rolled oats create the "crisp" texture. You can find these specifically labeled gluten free if you have a celiac allergy or gluten sensivity.
Sunflower seeds - I prefer the flavor of sunflower seeds to pepitas in this recipe, but you can use both as I have done here. It's easy to buy them pre-toasted and unsalted from Trader Joe's. If you can only find salted, cut back on the added sodium unless you like a sweet and salty flavor. If you can only find un-toasted, you can cook them over low heat in a clean, nonstick pan till they're just lightly brown and fragrant.
Butter, Coconut Oil or Vegan Pressed Oil - The butter or oil is necessary to toast the oats well, getting them crispy and brown. I've used all 3 options for this recipe and they turn out great. Earth Balance makes additive-free vegan pressed oils which are MSG-free compared to many vegan butter substitutes.
Vanilla Ice Cream - My preference before being dairy free was to do Haagen Dazs vanilla, which has simple ingredients, zero gums or binders, and is downright delicious. McConnell's also makes a great one! Having to go dairy free, I've found myself loving Coconut Bliss, which is made of coconut milk but has very few ingredients.
How to Make
Step 1 - Prep the berries. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash the berries and trim the stems from the strawberries.
Step 2 - Make the base. Slice into smaller pieces and mix with the cornstarch and vanilla extract. Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish or a 1.7 qt gratin dish.
Step 3 - Make the "crisp". Combine the rolled oats, honey or sugar, sunflower seeds, kosher salt, and melted butter or oil. Stir to combine.
Step 4 - Bake! Sprinkle the rolled oat mixture on top of the berries and bake, uncovered, for 40-50 minutes until brown on top and bubbling at the sides.
Allow the strawberry blueberry crisp to cool for 5 minutes before serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Tips
To make the best berry crisp:
- Use fresh berries instead of frozen.
- Make sure your dish is large enough so the berries don't get too deep. You want an even crisp to berry ratio so you get a little bit of the oatmeal topping in every bite. Using a smaller pan or deeper dish won't fully crisp up the topping.
- Don't skip or skimp on the oil or butter. This is what makes the "crisp" topping.
- Feel free to add a little more flavoring to the crisp topping, whether it's a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg or grated fresh lemon peel (which isn't allowed on a migraine elimination diet, but ok for those introducing).
Serving Suggestions
What's a berry crisp without a little ice cream? This recipe would pair well with regular vanilla ice cream. I recommend Haagen Dazs vanilla bean or Cosmic Bliss for a dairy free version.
For something I little more decadent I highly recommend making this no churn mascarpone ice cream. I recommend serving the crisp warm with a scoop!
Storage and Reheating
To reheat - This strawberry blueberry crisp is best reheated in the oven at a low heat. I like to place it in the oven in a small baking dish while it's heating to 350 degrees. It's usually warmed through just a few minutes (about 3) after it reaches that heat.
Microwaving will also work in a pinch, it just won't crisp up the topping the same.
To store - The strawberry blueberry crisp can be stored on the counter for a day before moving to the fridge.
If I cook it earlier in the day, I leave it on the stovetop uncovered and just pop it into the oven at 350 degrees F for a few minutes before serving. Overnight, I cover with press-n-seal wrap.
The longer you store it, the more soggy the crumble topping will get. It definitely won't taste bad, just doesn't have the same texture.
Summer Berry Recipes
For more summer berry desserts like this strawberry blueberry crumble, check out these recipes.
If you make this, tag me #thedizzycook or @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram. And if you love the recipe, please leave a review below! Follow along on my Pinterest for more great recipes.
Strawberry Blueberry Crisp
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 2 cups fresh strawberries
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ¼ cup honey or brown sugar
- ¼ cup toasted, unsalted sunflower seeds, pepitas, or a mix
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup melted butter, coconut oil, or vegan pressed oil
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Wash the berries and preheat the oven to 350° F. Slice the green tops off the strawberries and cut into small, bite-sized pieces. Lightly butter or oil the inside of a 13x9inch baking dish and place the berries inside. Toss with cornstarch and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, mix together oats, honey, seeds, salt, and oil or butter till well combined. Place the oat mixture evenly on top of the berries. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 40-50 minutes, or until golden brown on the top and bubbling on the sides.
- Allow to cool, uncovered, for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm, topped with ice cream.
Notes
- Cornstarch can be substituted for all purpose flour in a pinch.
- Cooking times may vary so check your crisp around 40 minutes so the top doesn't get overcooked.
- For dairy free, I recommend your favorite coconut ice cream or Oatly.
- It's important to not use too small of a baking dish, otherwise the oat crisp to berry ratio will be skewed and the oat topping won't crisp up as much.
Ann says
So good! Love this recipe!