Gluten Free Berry Crisp

Gluten Free Berry Crisp

I never get tired of making crisps, such as my Healthy Apple Crisp and this gluten free Berry Crisp recipe. Crisps are the ultimate comfort dish, served with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream, and they are such a treat loved by those young and old.

I made this into a healthy berry crisp (while still being delicious), by making it refined sugar-free. I used maple syrup and coconut sugar to sweeten it, two of my favorite alternative sweeteners. Blueberries and blackberries were on sale at my local health food store, and I decided to stock up, but you could use any combination of berries that you like. I made this delicious Berry Crisp recipe and froze the leftovers to make Blueberry Pineapple Bread and a Blackberry Smoothie.

FOR THE FULL LIST OF INGREDIENTS, SCROLL TO SEE THE RECIPE CARD AT THE END. BUT BEFORE YOU SCROLL, CHECK IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE BLURB.

Cobbler vs. Crisp?

I’m sure we have all heard of cobblers, crisps, crumbles, and more, and they all seem fairly similar. With them all involving fruit baked with some sort of crust, they are indeed quite similar.

• Crisps and Crumbles: These have a crumbly streusel topping, instead of a batter. The topping is made with a combination of flour, butter, and sugar, and optionally nuts and oats. Instead of cane sugar and butter, I used coconut sugar and coconut oil, but vegan butter and your favorite type of sugar will also be acceptable.
• Cobblers: These have a biscuit topping, or a batter with a cookie or biscuit-like consistency. I made my Strawberry Cobbler with a gluten-free vegan biscuit dough.

Gluten Free Crisp Ingredients

• Berries: I used blackberries and blueberries, but this would also be delicious with raspberries or strawberries.
• Tapioca Starch: When heated, this starch will make the fruit and its liquid thicken up.
• Maple Syrup: Sweetens the tart berries and adds a wonderful flavor.
• Lemon Juice: I like to add a touch of lemon juice to baked recipes with berries to round out the sweetness.
• Vanilla Extract: This is essential in baked goods!
• Walnuts: When pulsed in the food processor, this adds the perfect bite to your crumb topping.
• Coconut Flour: This is the base of the crumb topping.
• Coriander: This is a wonderful spice in baked goods.
• Sea Salt: I use a pinch of salt in all my baked goods to bring out the flavors.
• Coconut Oil: When used while solid, which is below 76℉ (chill in the fridge for a few minutes if necessary), coconut oil acts as an easy and less refined alternative to butter.

How To Make Vegan Berry Crisp?

To make this delicious summer berry crisp, I toss the berries with tapioca starch in a large bowl, stir in maple syrup, lemon, and vanilla. Then walnut is processed in a food processor, coconut flour, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla, coriander, salt and solid coconut oil, added for a delicious and crumbly topping.

The gluten-free berry crisp is then baked until sweet berries are bubbly. It is delicious served warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or Coconut Whipped Cream.

When Are Blueberries In Season?

You can find juicy delicious blueberries all year-round in stores because they are grown both in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. This means that when they are out of season here, they are imported from other countries.

However, nothing beats the flavor you’ll experience from getting blueberries that are freshly picked mere hours or days before you buy them from a farm, farmer’s market, or local store. If you have access to blueberries grown nearby, the best time in the US will be April to September, roughly over summertime.

When Are Blackberries In Season?

Blackberries have a similar setup to blueberries, where they are usually found year-round, however I find most imported blackberries to be quite sour. This is a berry that taste the best when allowed to fully ripen on the bush. 

Nothing beats a blackberry picked straight off of the bush and eaten, and if you have children they will thoroughly enjoy a U-Pick farm or even you growing your own as a fun project. The best time in the US to get the sweetest blackberries grown locally is from June to August, but they can also be found a bit earlier and later.

I will note that especially for baking, even though berries are considered summer fruits to be put in summer dishes, absolutely nothing should stop you from using what you have, or even frozen berries. If you feel like having a berry crisp, cobbler, or pie in December? Knock yourself out! :)

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