This fresh blueberry crumble is everything a summer dessert should be: jammy, bubbling fruit under a shatteringly crisp almond-and-coconut topping. The filling needs nothing more than blueberries, a little palm sugar, lemon, and cinnamon, while the crumb bakes separately so it stays crunchy right to the last spoonful. It's naturally gluten-free and grain-free, and it makes the house smell like a berry farm stand.
SERVES 6 TO 8
Ingredients
Blueberry Fruit Filling
6 cups (1440 ml) fresh blueberries
4 teaspoons (20 ml) tapioca flour
⅔ cup palm sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Coconut oil for greasing baking dish
Crumble
1 cup (240 ml) almond flour
½ cup palm sugar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (90 ml) coconut oil, cut into 6 pieces and softened
½ cup sliced almonds
Preparation
1.В В Adjust the oven racks to the lower-middle and upper-middle positions and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an eight-inch square baking dish with coconut oil and set on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (for easy cleanup). Line another rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.В В Combine all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer the fruit filling to the prepared baking dish and cover with foil.
3.В В Pulse the flour, ½ cup palm sugar, vanilla, and salt in a food processor until combined (about 5 pulses). Sprinkle the coconut oil and ¼ cup of the almonds over the top and process until the mixture clumps together into large crumbly balls (about 30 seconds). Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of almonds over the top and pulse to incorporate (about 2 pulses).
4.В В Turn the mixture out onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, breaking it into half-inch pieces (with some smaller loose bits), and spread into an even layer. Place the topping on the lower-middle oven rack and the fruit on the upper-middle oven rack. Bake until the topping is lightly browned and the fruit is warm at the edges and glistens (15 to 20 minutes).
5.В В Remove both the topping and the fruit from the oven. Uncover the fruit, stir gently, and sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top, breaking up any large pieces. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of palm sugar.
6.В В Bake the crumble on the lower-middle oven rack until the topping is well browned and the fruit is bubbling around the edges (about 25 minutes), rotating the dish halfway through baking. Let the crumble cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Making the Crumble Ahead
The topping can be prebaked, then cooled and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. The fruit filling can be assembled in the baking dish and held at room temperature for up to four hours before baking. To finish, bake the fruit by itself, then assemble topping and bake the crumble as directed.
Pro Tips
- Bake the topping on its own sheet pan first, exactly as the method describes — this is the secret to a crumble that stays crunchy instead of going soggy under the juicy fruit.
- Tapioca flour keeps the blueberry juices glossy rather than cloudy; if you only have arrowroot, use the same amount but add it at the very end of baking so it doesn't break down.
- Frozen blueberries work in winter — don't thaw them, just add 5 to 10 minutes to the covered fruit bake and drain off any extra juice before topping.
- The prebaked crumb keeps up to three days in an airtight container at room temperature, so you can do the whole topping ahead and assemble on the day.
- Let the crumble rest 10 minutes after baking so the fruit juices thicken into a spoonable sauce instead of running all over the plate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this blueberry crumble ahead of time?
Yes — bake the crumb topping up to three days ahead and store it airtight at room temperature. The fruit filling can sit assembled in the baking dish for up to four hours before baking; then bake the fruit, scatter the topping over, and finish as directed.
Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh?
Absolutely. Use them straight from the freezer and give the covered fruit bake about 5 to 10 extra minutes until the juices bubble. The topping bakes separately anyway, so the texture still stays crisp.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat uncovered in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes to re-crisp the topping — the microwave will soften it.
Is this crumble paleo?
Yes. It's sweetened with palm sugar and uses almond flour, tapioca flour, and coconut oil instead of butter and refined flour, so it's gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1. В В Adjust the oven racks to the lower-middle and upper-middle positions and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease an eight-inch square baking dish with coconut oil and set on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (for easy cleanup).
- Line another rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. В В Combine all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl.
- Transfer the fruit filling to the prepared baking dish and cover with foil. 3. В В Pulse the flour, ½ cup palm sugar, vanilla, and salt in a food processor until combined (about 5 pulses).
- Sprinkle the coconut oil and ¼ cup of the almonds over the top and process until the mixture clumps together into large crumbly balls (about 30 seconds).
- Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of almonds over the top and pulse to incorporate (about 2 pulses). 4. В В Turn the mixture out onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, breaking it into half-inch pieces (with some smaller loose bits), and spread into an even layer.
- Place the topping on the lower-middle oven rack and the fruit on the upper-middle oven rack.
- Bake until the topping is lightly browned and the fruit is warm at the edges and glistens (15 to 20 minutes). 5. В В Remove both the topping and the fruit from the oven. Uncover the fruit, stir gently, and sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top, breaking up any large pieces.
- Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of palm sugar. 6. В В Bake the crumble on the lower-middle oven rack until the topping is well browned and the fruit is bubbling around the edges (about 25 minutes), rotating the dish halfway through baking.
- Let the crumble cool for 10 minutes before serving. Making the Crumble Ahead The topping can be prebaked, then cooled and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. The fruit filling can be assembled in the baking dish and held at room temperature for up to four hours before baking. To finish, bake the fruit by itself, then assemble topping and bake the crumble as directed.
