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This small batch blueberry crisp bakes juicy blueberries under a buttery oat topping until golden and crisp. It’s ready in about 30 minutes and serves one or two.
Featured Comment
“I just finished eating (gobbling) this dish and it is absolute perfection!”
– Jennifer
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes (includes cooling)
- Equipment: 5×5-inch baking dish, 4×6-inch baking dish, or two 10-ounce ramekins
- Cook Method: Baked
- Servings: 1 to 2
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Sweet blueberries with a buttery, crunchy brown-sugar oat topping.
This mini blueberry crisp is a warm, homemade dessert you can pull together on a whim and eat straight from the dish while the berries are soft and bubbling.
Why You’ll Love This Small Blueberry Crisp Recipe
I’ll take a warm blueberry crisp any time of year. Fresh berries make it best in summer. Frozen ones work just as well the rest of the year.
This small blueberry crisp bakes in one dish in about half an hour, which is part of why I reach for it so often. Even at this size, I keep the topping generous, so there’s plenty in every bite. It makes a small batch I can keep it to myself or share.
As the crisp bakes, the blueberries soften and bubble. I like it best warm, spooned into a bowl with homemade whipped cream, though it’s just as good straight from the dish.
Small fruit crisps are some of my favorite desserts to make. My apple crisp for one and peach crisp for one use the same method, and my single serving blueberry cobbler and mini blueberry pie put blueberries to work a different way.
Ingredient Notes
If you have any ingredients leftover from this individual blueberry crisp, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Blueberries: Fresh blueberries hold their shape and taste brightest as they bake, which is why I reach for them when they’re in season. Frozen berries work too, but thaw and drain them first so the extra liquid doesn’t make the filling watery. With any extra, make a mini blueberry coffee cake or baked oatmeal.
Sugar: A few tablespoons sweeten the berries and draw out their juices, which thicken into a soft syrup as the crisp bakes.
All-purpose flour: Flour does two jobs here. A spoonful thickens the filling so it sets instead of running thin, and the rest gives the topping enough body to hold its crunch.
Lemon juice: A little lemon juice brightens the blueberries and balances the sweetness. Use any extra in a mini lemon cake.
Salt: A pinch of salt sharpens the fruit and balances the sugar in both the filling and the topping.
Old-fashioned oats: I use rolled oats because they make this a crisp rather than a crumble. They firm up in the oven for that crunch, where quick oats turn soft and steel-cut oats stay too hard. Leftover oats are good in small batch oatmeal cookies.
Brown sugar: Brown sugar gives the topping a deeper, molasses note and helps the oats clump together as they bake.
Butter: Softened salted butter binds the topping and helps it crisp in the oven.
Vanilla extract: A little vanilla rounds out and warms the topping.
Recipe Variations
A few simple swaps change the flavor or texture of this single serving blueberry crisp:
Mixed berry crisp: Use raspberries or blackberries in place of some of the blueberries for a tarter, mixed-berry filling.
Peach blueberry crisp: Swap half the blueberries for peeled, sliced peaches.
Nutty topping: Stir a tablespoon of chopped pecans or walnuts into the oat topping for more crunch.
Cinnamon topping: Stir ⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon into the topping, or add a pinch of ground ginger with it, for a warmer, spiced flavor.
Gluten-free blueberry crisp: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour, and swap the oats for certified gluten-free oats.
How To Make A Small Batch Blueberry Crisp
These step-by-step photos walk you through how to make a blueberry crisp for one or two. For the full ingredient amounts, see the recipe card below.
- Heat the oven. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) and let it come fully up to temperature while you make the filling and topping.
- Mix the filling. In a small bowl, stir the blueberries with the sugar, flour, lemon juice, and salt until the berries are evenly coated. Spoon them into a 5×5-inch or 4×6-inch baking dish, or divide them between two 10-ounce ramekins.
- Make the topping. In a second bowl, stir the flour, oats, and brown sugar together. Add the vanilla and the softened butter, then work the butter in with a fork until the mixture looks like coarse, damp crumbs that hold together when you press them.
- Add the topping. Scatter the topping evenly over the blueberries so most of the fruit is covered.
- Bake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is deep golden brown and the filling bubbles up around the edges.
- Cool, then serve. Let the crisp rest about 10 minutes so the filling can thicken, then serve it warm. Add a single scoop of vanilla ice cream, a spoonful of whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar if you like.
Expert Tips
Soften the butter before you cut it in. Soft butter bakes into a crisp, crumbly topping, while melted butter soaks into the oats and bakes flat.
Bake on a rimmed sheet pan. The filling can bubble over the sides, and a sheet pan catches the drips and makes the hot dish easier to lift out.
Taste a few berries before you add the sugar. Blueberries swing from sweet to tart depending on the batch, so use a little less sugar for sweet berries and a little more for tart ones.
Check the topping near the end. If it’s browning faster than the filling is bubbling, lay a piece of foil loosely over the top so it doesn’t over-brown before the fruit is done.
Troubleshooting
If your blueberry crisp isn’t turning out quite right, here’s how to fix common issues like a runny filling, a topping that won’t crisp, or a filling that’s still loose after it cools.
Why is my blueberry crisp runny?
Your filling needs a few more minutes in the oven and time to cool. Blueberries give off a lot of juice, so if it looks soupy, bake it another 5 to 10 minutes until it bubbles thickly, then let it cool, since the filling sets as it cools.
Why isn’t my topping crisp?
Your topping likely needs a few more minutes to bake. A topping that’s still pale or soft was usually pulled before it set, so bake it a few minutes longer, watching closely, until golden.
Why is my crisp still watery after it cools?
Your filling needed a little more thickener. Very juicy or frozen berries can release more liquid than one tablespoon of flour can set, so next time add an extra teaspoon of flour; this batch will firm up more if you chill it.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead: Assemble the crisp, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 12 hours before baking. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before it goes in the oven.
- Store: Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Freeze it before baking for the best result. Assemble, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then bake.
- Reheat: Warm it in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or microwave a portion in short bursts.
Frequently Asked Questions
A crisp has oats in the topping, while a crumble usually doesn’t. Both bake fruit under a buttery streusel, but the oats give a crisp its crunch. A cobbler is different again, topped with a biscuit-like dough.
Yes. It makes one or two servings, so you can eat it on its own or split it.
Yes. Use about 1½ teaspoons of cornstarch in place of the tablespoon of flour, since cornstarch thickens about twice as strongly.
Yes. Double all the ingredients and bake in a 6×8-inch dish, which serves about four.
Yes, but then it’s a crumble rather than a crisp. Leave out the oats and use a bit more flour and butter to keep the topping crumbly.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you make this small batch blueberry crisp, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Rate the recipe and leave a comment below, and tag your photos (@onedishkitchen) on Instagram.
RELATED: The Best Cookie Recipes For One
Small Batch Blueberry Crisp
Equipment
- 5-inch baking dish or a 4×6-inch or two 10-ounce ramekins
Ingredients
- 6 ounces blueberries (about ½ pint)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the topping
- 6 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¼ cup old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons salted butter – softened at room temperature
- Optional topping: vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the sugar, flour, lemon juice, and salt until evenly coated.
- Spoon the blueberry mixture into a 5×5-inch or 4×6-inch baking dish, or divide it between two 10-ounce ramekins.
- In a second bowl, stir the flour, oats, and brown sugar together, then add the vanilla and softened butter and work them in with a fork until crumbly.
- Scatter the topping evenly over the blueberries.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling bubbles at the edges.
- Let the crisp cool for 10 minutes, then serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if you like.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This was lovely! I halved it, and used 1 tbsp of butter in the topping instead of 2 like halving called for. I found that for me, that halving it was a perfect amount for one. I had a little vanilla ice cream with it and this dessert his the spot. I’ll be making it again!
Wonderful! I’m so happy you enjoyed the crumble.
Love your recipes!
Thank you so much!
Easy to make, and so yummy
Very easy recipe to follow. It was real yummy too. Easy to add some of your own touches as well. I had enough for me and enough to share with a neighbor. Thanks, One Dish Kitchen!!
This was so easy to prepare…I made it for the hubby but I was able to get a couple of bites…it brought back memories of when my Mother use to make crumbles…I used blackberries in place of the blueberries…delicious…thanks for sharing your recipe…
I just finished eating (gobbling) this dish and it is absolute perfection!
Great recipe.
Yum I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious!
Could you use rhubarb instead of blueberries
You can, Muriel. You might need to bake the crumble a bit longer though. Check for readiness after 25 minutes and continue baking and checking at about 5 minute intervals until completely done.
Thank you
I make this once a week. Easy and great when I need something sweet. For me this is two desserts.