Easy Lemon Blueberry Crisp
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Perfectly sweet and lightly lemony, this bubbling berry crisp is ideal for all of your summer entertaining needs. With a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into every bite, it’s always a crowd pleaser!

Several months ago I watched Dorie Greenspan make madeleines on the Martha Stewart Show. While the madeleines looked divine, what struck me most from her demonstration was her handling of the lemon zest. Rather than whisk the zest directly into the dry ingredients, she placed it in a small bowl with the sugar and massaged the two ingredients together with her fingertips until she had created a moist and fragrant citrus sugar, a technique, she says, that serves to release oils from the zest into the sugar, making the lemon flavor twice as pronounced.
I still haven’t made the madeleines, but, when I remember to, I employ this citrus-sugar technique when appropriate when I’m baking. While it’s not critical — freshly grated zest, massaged into sugar or not, always adds a nice flavor — I have found that the technique does heighten the citrus flavor, which is especially nice in cakes and muffins and cobblers. Moreover, making the citrus sugar is kind of fun. Try it. It smells so good! And it makes just about the best fresh squeezed lemonade you could ever imagine.
The most recent dish I’ve given the citrus-sugar treatment to is my mother’s blueberry crisp, one of my favorites. Like most crisps, this one takes no time to prepare, and if you have a food processor, the topping — a mixture of flour, sugar, almonds and butter — comes together in seconds. The absence of oats and brown sugar in this crisp topping makes it particularly light and allows the lemon-sugared blueberries to really shine.
Lemon-Blueberry Crisp, Step by Step
To prepare the berries, place 6 cups of blueberries in a 10- to 11-inch gratin dish or a 9×13-inch baking pan and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch:
Toss to coat the berries in the starch:
For the crisp portion of this recipe, you’ll need flour, almond flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and, not pictured, a stick of butter and a lemon:
Measure out the dry ingredients…
Then zest in a full lemon:
Transfer the dry ingredients to a food processor:
Whirl until blended…
… then add 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) of cold, cubed butter:
Blend until a dough forms:
Then crumble it over the blueberries…
Bake until bubbling and golden brown:

Then spoon the warm crisp into dishes and top with ice cream:
Easy Lemon Blueberry Crisp
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8-10 servings
Description
This lemon-blueberry crisp takes no time to prepare, and if you have a food processor, the topping comes together in seconds. The absence of oats in this crisp topping makes it particularly light and allows the lemony-almond flavor to shine.
Notes:
- This post was very recently updated: May 23, 2025. If you are looking for the old version, find it here.
- Baking vessel: I previously made this in a 9×13-inch baking dish, which works beautifully. Recently I’ve been making it in this 10.5-inch tart pan.
Ingredients
For the berries:
- 6 cups (850 g) blueberries, washed and stemmed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
For the topping:
- 3/4 cup (96 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup (56 g) almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup (113 g) cold, unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Place the blueberries in a 10- to 11-inch gratin dish or a 9×13-inch baking pan. Toss the berries with the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch until they are evenly coated.
- Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, almond flour, and salt in a food processor. Zest the lemon into the processor. Purée until the dry ingredients are combined. Add the butter and purée again just until the mixture begins to clump — it will be mostly smooth. Crumble the topping over the blueberries. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the crisp topping is browned and the blueberries are bubbling. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
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86 Comments on “Easy Lemon Blueberry Crisp”
I don’t have almond flour. Suggestions for substitute? Are you able to use all purpose for the whole crisp?
What is the purpose of using almond flour?
Thank you. I love your recipes.
Hi! Do you have almonds? The original recipe actually calls for almonds that you purée in the food processor. If you have 56 grams of almonds, use that: purée them in the food processor until they are fine, then add the remaining dry ingredients. If you don’t, I think using 56 grams more flour will work out just fine 🙂
Can you replace the almond flour with regular flour?
I have not tried, but my guess is yes… go for it 🙂
Hello Ali. It’s Gary Vineyard from Poway, CA (north of San Diego, 20 miles). I’d like to answer the comment from the woman who didn’t like you using Taco Seasoning.
FIRST: If you don’t like something, don’t eat it.
SECOND: As a chef, I would like to let that lady in on a secret…we use packaged mixes all of the time…some call it cheatin’, but if it ain’t breakin’ the rules it ain’t cheatin’.
I have the pleasure of knowing Ali via mail since she started, and I’ve used many of her recipes without ONE FAIL TO DATE. So I’m VERY confidentd in her knowledge and presentation. Now that, by no means, says I cook all of her stuff. Some I don’t like but, you know what? I don’t complain or choose not to try it.
HELLO ALI AND FAMILY THE VINEYARD FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO WISH YOU HAPPY MEMORIAL WEEKEND. I KNOW YOUR HUSBAND IS A MARINE AND ONE VET TO ANOTHER…WE MADE IT OUT. SEMPER FI.
Thank you, Gary! I appreciate you taking the time to write and share all of this, and thank you for your kind words, and thank you for your service, too 🙂 🙂 🙂
I made this tonight. I subbed blackberries because we just picked 6 pounds of them. I used King Arthur measure for measure flour and also added a small egg ( because last time I made a crumble with gf flour and no egg it was like eating hockey pucks). This was amazing. 100/10. As soon as I get 6 cups of blueberries I’m trying it with that. Amazing recipe and I love that it’s not too sweet, perfect with ice cream.
Hooray! Great to hear. Thanks so much for writing and sharing your gluten-free notes — so helpful for others 🙂
I would like to add to Gary from California’s comment. While I am not classically trained I have had the privilege of training and working with many talented chefs for many years and had my own private chef business. Sometimes dishes that have lots of flavor don’t require a page of ingredients. Ali’s quick tip for chicken thighs with quality taco seasoning is both delicious and quick. So kudos to you, Ali. We ALL need those “back pocket” recipes in our rotation😊
As a side note thank you to your husband and the family that supports him while serving our country. So grateful for it 🇺🇸
Awww, thank you, Aimee, for your kind words. Means a lot 💕💕 And I agree completely: sometimes the tastiest recipes are the simplest and sometimes the most complicated recipes are not worth all of the effort.
Ali, would like to try this blueberry crisp recipe, however, with the fresh blueberries becoming so large lately, I like to use frozen wild blueberries. Thoughts on the frozen blueberries in this crisp?
Thank you Ali
Hi! I think frozen berries will be great here. Go for it 🙂
Thanks Ali
Another point to take into concideration is the fact that the wild blueberries have a much higher content of anti-oxadints. Bite the berry and if the flesh of the berry is not the same color as the berry, it has no antioxidant content. Choose to be healthy with the wild!
Hello lovely! The recipe calls for lemon, but you don’t have it listed in the ingredients 🙂 making it tonight. hope you are all well
Hieeee. So nice to see your name here always… the lemon is there, between the salt and butter… let me know if you still can’t see it. Hope it turned out well. Love to all of you 💗
You know what neither Amelia or I saw that! Funny. It was delicious. She actually put some lemon juice in with the blueberries and a little zest too, in addition to in the topping.
It was a huge hit.
As always.
Love to you all
Love these lemon ideas! And I’m glad it was a hit. Give Amelia a squeeze for me! xo
Hi: Can this be made in advance and if so, up to what step can be prepared in advance
Yes, the whole thing can be assembled and stuck in the fridge (wrapped well or tucked into a large bag) at least 24 hours in advance.
Thank you. It’s so delicious!! 10/10
Great to hear 🙂
Hi there, I’ve made so many of your recipes and this one didn’t work too well. Is there supposed to be some sort of liquid in the flour mixture? Mine didn’t clump at all.
Oh no! I don’t add any liquid to the berries: just the cornstarch — I find the berries release enough liquid on their own to create a nice stewy filling. When you say it didn’t clump at all, was it too liquidy? Any other changes to the recipe?