It’s berry season! And I can’t think of any better way to celebrate than with a crisp.
Because many of you are gluten-free and some grain-free, I decided to tackle a crisp that was completely grain-free! However, if you have a nut allergy, you can easily substitute oats or even coconut. This is a very flexible recipe that also happens to be insanely delicious.
This recipe is simple, requiring just 10 ingredients and 1 bowl to prepare.
The berries are added directly to a baking dish then topped with maple syrup, arrowroot starch (to help thicken the berry juice), and lemon juice for a bit of brightness and acidity.
Next comes the crisp, which is kept grain-free with a mixture of almond flour, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans. It’s also naturally sweetened with coconut sugar (!!), which keeps this recipe refined-sugar-free!
Just 40-45 minutes in the oven and this beauty is ready to enjoy. It gets crisp and golden brown on top, and the juices from the berries meddle and create a lovely “sauce.” Oh, mama.
I hope you all LOVE this recipe! It’s:
Easy to make
Berry-packed
Naturally sweetened
Warm + comforting
Crisp on top
& Entirely delicious
This would make the perfect summertime dessert for dinner parties, BBQs, and celebrations or an easy weeknight treat. It’s delicious on its own, but it would pair perfectly with some Coconut Whipped Cream or Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream.
For more berry/crisp recipes, be sure to check out our Best Ever Vegan Apple Crisp, Gluten-Free Strawberry Nectarine Crisp, Easy Peach Crisp, Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars, and Vegan Berry Pop Tarts!
If you try this crisp, let us know how it goes! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to take a picture and tag it @minimalistbaker on Instagram! We love seeing what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Grain-Free Berry Crisp
Ingredients
BERRIES
- 7-8 cups mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries)
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp arrowroot starch (or cornstarch or gluten-free flour)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
CRISP
- 1 cup almond flour (or almond meal)
- 2/3 cup shredded or desiccated coconut (or sub almond flour or rolled oats if OK with grains)
- 1 cup roughly chopped pecans (or other nut of choice)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or organic cane sugar)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 4 Tbsp coconut oil or vegan butter
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and add fruit directly to a 9×13-inch or similar size dish (I like this one from World Market // adjust number/size of pans if altering batch size). Top with maple syrup, arrowroot, and lemon juice and toss to combine.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the almond flour, coconut, pecans, coconut sugar, and salt. Stir to combine. Then add coconut oil (or vegan butter) and mix again (with a spoon or your hands) until evenly distributed. Taste a little and see if it’s sweet enough for you. Add either more coconut sugar or a little maple syrup (I added 2 Tbsp (30 ml) more maple syrup).
- Spread the crisp topping evenly over the fruit. Bake uncovered on the center oven rack for 40-45 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
- Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve as is, or with Coconut Whipped Cream or Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream! Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
Video
Notes
*Recipe is loosely adapted from my Gluten-Free Nectarine Crisp.
Nutrition (1 of 8 servings)
Jazmine says
Can this be made with frozen berries?
Yes, frozen berries should work!
Alistair says
Minimalist Baker is my favorite blog. I try all the recipes i can and they are very, very good!
Fantastic blackberry crisp!! I don’t use sugar so sweetened entirely with maple syrup. Worked great.
Thanks so much for the kind words and support, Alistair! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Sarah Sherman says
Excellent recipe, I adore this dessert!
My family and friends love the finished product. Just a couple of tips to take it to the next level: chop up some fresh sage and mix it with the berries. Also add some vanilla extract, and cinnamon to the crisp topping. Perfection!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Sarah!
NicoleA says
This was so simple and perfect! I used frozen berry mix, and halved the recipe. Perfect with ginger tea too! I had a lot of topping remaining. So, I look forward to making another batch and bringing it to a holiday get together!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Nicole. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Lauralee says
Yummy! This was a hit at a family potluck. I used strawberries and blackberries, swapped the almond flour for oats and a little extra maple syrup for the oil. Thank you for another marvelous recipe. :)
Whoop! Thank you for another lovely review, Lauralee! xo
Allyne says
This was a hit! So easy, took almost no time and delicious! Will definitely make again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Allyne. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Sam says
Can you use frozen berries for this instead of fresh?
Frozen berries should work!
Gina says
This recipe is a true crowd pleaser and not just for vegans. We served it at a Memorial Day BBQ and it was a hit. Our 14-year-old neighbor had 2 portions and then asked to take some home with her! I followed the recipe as written, adding just 1 TBSP of maple syrup to the crisp, which was just the right amount of sweetness. Compared to other vegan berry crisp recipes, the addition of coconut to the crisp was different and very nice.
Amazing! We’re so glad to hear it, Gina. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Gwendolyn Lewis says
This is such a delicious dessert! We even ate some for breakfast.
So glad you enjoyed, Gwendolyn! Thanks so much for the review!
Michelle says
Absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe except I added three peeled chopped pears to the berries. I served it with coconut whip cream. So so good!
Yum! Thanks so much for the great review, Michelle!