My mom perpetually stocks her fridge with fresh blueberries. Many mornings, she pours herself a small bowl of cereal, usually something containing bran flakes and granola clusters with some slivered almonds as well, and she drops in a handful of those blueberries after pouring in her vanilla almond milk.
Have you ever added fresh fruit to a bowl of cereal? When you get a bite with everything—that soft, sweet, juicy burst paired with the slightly crisp flakes or crunchy granola clusters and the cold liquid from the milk—oh my yummm. It’s worth rolling out of bed for, every single time!
When the temperatures started rising here in California earlier this month, Mom also began fixing herself one of her favorite summertime treats in the evenings with that same fruit: berries athenaeum. It’s one of the dessert options on the menu at the Athenaeum, a club-style restaurant owned by the college in southern California where she completed her undergraduate degree, and it’s very simple and straightforward.
Add vanilla bean ice cream to a bowl, top with fresh berries, and, if desired, drizzle that with a little Grand Marnier and finish with a cookie, traditionally a classic hazelnut pirouline.
Mom generally sticks to the ice cream and berries… And after bringing a coworker to the Athenaeum a few years ago for dinner during one of their business trips to the college, that sweet lady started making berries athenaeum at home too!
So when I gave Mom and Dad this Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Crumble last Friday, she topped her first slice with vanilla ice cream, just like with her favorite easy dessert. And by the end of the weekend, every last crumb had disappeared from the pan!
But since the crumble contained no refined flour or sugar… And a full serving of fruit in every slice… And just 127 calories… My parents didn’t feel guilty about that at all!
To make this healthy crumble, you’ll start with the topping. It’s super simple! Just whole wheat flour, old-fashioned oats, and cinnamon held together with a little sweetener and melted butter. Yes, melted butter! Traditional recipes require you to cut cold, cubed butter into that mixture, but… That takes more effort. (And makes my muslces tired, especially if I already finished an arm workout earlier in the day! ?) It’s much easier to stir in melted butter, so we’re doing that instead!
As for the sweetener, you’ll use pure maple syrup instead of granulated or brown sugar. Be sure to use the good stuff! Avoid pancake syrup or sugar-free syrup; those contain corn syrup or artificial ingredients, which we’re avoiding in this healthier recipe. The only ingredient on the label should be “pure maple syrup.” It’s generally sold in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs, and I’ve also bought it online.
For the fruit, both fresh and frozen blueberries will work! This means that it’s completely possible to enjoy this crumble all year round… Which makes me one very happy girl. Fruit crumbles are one of my favorite desserts because they’re basically healthy enough for breakfast! Lots of fruit + “granola” topping made of wholesome ingredients = breakfast food, right?? (Just say yes!)
Because the blueberries release lots of juice while baking, you’ll mix them with cornstarch before adding them to the pan. The cornstarch thickens those juices, especially while the crumble cools, so it’s very important to let the crumble cool completely to room temperature before serving so the cornstarch can do its thing. If you prefer eating your crumble warm, I still highly recommend letting it cool completely, then reheating individual portions!
And topped with a little vanilla ice cream… Or, umm, how about vanilla frozen Greek yogurt for breakfast?…
Pure bliss. And when you bake this, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees that I’ll see the notification from you! ?) I’d love to see your blueberry crumble and feature it in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Crumble | | Print |
- ¾ cup (75g) old-fashioned oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- ¼ cup (30g) whole wheat flour or millet* flour (measured like this)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp (30mL) pure maple syrup, room temperature
- 1 ½ tbsp (21g) unsalted butter, melted
- 6 cups (840g) blueberries (see Notes!)
- 3 tbsp (24g) cornstarch
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat an 8”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- To prepare the topping, whisk together the oats, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour in the maple syrup and melted butter. Stir until fully incorporated.
- To prepare the filling, toss the blueberries with the cornstarch in a large bowl until completely coated.
- Transfer the filling to the prepared pan, and sprinkle evenly with the topping. (The topping tends to clump, so try to break it up into fairly small pieces.) Bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes or until the juice is bubbling at the sides of the pan. Cool completely to room temperature; then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving to allow the juices to fully thicken.
Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
For a vegan version, substitute Earth Balance buttery sticks for the best results. Coconut oil will also work, but the flavor and texture of the topping will be slightly different.
Both fresh and frozen blueberries will work. If using fresh, then add 3 tablespoons of water to the blueberry filling, just before adding the cornstarch. If using frozen, do not thaw them. Toss the frozen blueberries directly with the cornstarch, and bake the crumble for closer to 55-65 minutes instead.
If you prefer to enjoy your crumble warm, then reheat individual portions once it has chilled in the refrigerator.
{gluten-free, vegan option, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Blueberry Almond Crumble
♡ Peach Crumble
♡ Almond Berry Crumble
♡ Strawberry Poppy Seed Crumble
♡ Blueberry Mango Crumble
♡ Blueberry Breakfast Crumbles
I just made this and it’s in my oven right now! Can’t wait to try it, it looks Delish! I didn’t have enough frozen blueberries so I used frozen strawberries too. I love how healthy and clean this recipe is, thank you so much for posting it !
It’s my pleasure! I’m honored that you’d want to try my recipe, and I really hope you enjoyed your crumble! 🙂 I love your idea of mixing strawberries and blueberries. I need to remember to try that sometime too!
Does this freeze well?
I’m honored that you’d like to try my recipe, Sharon! I haven’t tried freezing this blueberry crumble, so I’m not sure and don’t want to lead you astray. I’d love to hear what you think if you decide to try making it!
I made your recipe, but the oatmeal topping was too hard. So, I mixed it all together with the blueberries; and it was delicious. Perhaps I won’t bake it as long the next time. But, it will definitely be a permanent recipe in my kitchen!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this crumble! It means a lot that you think it’ll be a permanent recipe in your kitchen. That’s the best kind of compliment there is — thank you for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
I have a horrible sweet tooth and can’t break a habit of dessert after dinner. This has been a delicious and healthy alternative to scratch that itch. Thank you,
I’m so glad you enjoyed this blueberry crumble, Sarah! It means a lot that you’d take the time to let me know. (And I know that feeling and that itch all too well! 😉 )
I would like to serve this in individual ramekins. How would that affect the baking time? Thank you!!
If you use nine 1-cup ramekins, then I’d recommend checking on them after about 25-30 minutes. They may take a bit longer to finish, but it’s easier to put the ramekins back in the oven than save burnt crumble! 😉 Just like with the full-sized crumble, they’ll be done when the juice is bubbling around the sides of the ramekins and the streusel topping feels really firm. If you’re using frozen blueberries, the ramekins may take slightly longer as well.
I’d love to hear how your individual blueberry crumbles turn out if you try that, Sharon!
So delicious!
I halved the recipe and put them in 4 ramekins for breakfast. Topped with a vanilla yogurt. So good! Added a little extra crumble too 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Amy! Thank you for taking the time to let me know — and for sharing your recipe modifications as well. I always love hearing what tweaks work! (I wouldn’t turn down a little extra crumble either! 😉 )