Martha Stewart blueberry crisp from marthastewart.com bakes three full pints of blueberries under a buttery oat topping at 375°F for about 1 hour. And the dessert serves 8 at approximately 310 calories per serving in about 1 hour and 15 minutes, since the filling and topping each take under 10 minutes to assemble.
Where most crisp toppings mix cold butter into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter, Martha creams softened butter with sugar first and then stirs in the flour and oats. So the topping bakes into tender, clumpy pieces instead of uniform crumbs, because the creamed butter holds its shape in larger clusters during the hour in the oven.
Squeezing the topping pieces into clumps with your hands before scattering them over the filling is the step that creates the crispy, uneven texture on top. And if you just sprinkle loose crumbs, they bake flat and thin instead of forming those chunky golden clusters that give each scoop its signature crunch.
Source: Martha Stewart (marthastewart.com)
Martha Stewart Blueberry Crisp
Course: Desserts4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalBlueberries toss with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt before filling an 8-inch square dish. Then creamed butter and sugar mix with flour, oats, and baking powder, and the clumpy topping scatters over the fruit before 1 hour at 375°F turns everything bubbly and golden.
Ingredients
- For the filling:
6 cups blueberries (3 pints)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- For the topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats (or chopped nuts such as almonds)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
Directions
- Preheat the oven: Heat to 375°F.
- Mix the filling: Then toss the blueberries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl.
- Fill the dish: Once tossed, transfer the berry mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish.
- Combine the dry topping ingredients: In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Then cream the softened butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
- Combine the topping: Once creamed, stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.
- Form the clumps: Then use your hands to squeeze the topping into uneven clumps.
- Top the filling: Once clumped, scatter the topping evenly over the blueberries.
- Bake until bubbly: Then bake for about 1 hour until the filling bubbles in the center and the top is golden brown.
- Watch for browning: If the topping darkens too fast, tent the dish with foil for the remaining time.
- Cool before serving: Then transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes before scooping.
FAQs
Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh?
Frozen berries work any time of year, though they release more juice during baking and the filling may turn out looser. And the source page suggests adding an extra teaspoon of cornstarch if you prefer a thicker filling, since frozen fruit carries more water.
But do not thaw the berries before assembling, because they hold their shape better going into the dish frozen. Since the 1-hour bake time gives them plenty of time to soften, starting frozen actually prevents the filling from turning to jam too early.
What makes a crisp different from a crumble?
The source page explains that oats in the topping are what define a crisp, while a crumble leaves them out for a more tender, biscuit-like texture. And the oats here absorb butter during baking and toast into a chewy, nutty layer that a flour-only crumble cannot replicate.
You can also swap the oats for chopped almonds, which the source page lists as an alternative. Since nuts toast in the oven the same way oats do, the finished topping still has that crunchy contrast against the soft filling.
Why does the topping include baking powder?
The small amount of baking powder lightens the topping so it bakes puffy instead of flat and dense. And without it, the butter and flour compress into a solid crust that cracks when you scoop instead of breaking into tender, airy pieces.
But do not add more than the 1/2 teaspoon listed, because too much leavening makes the topping rise like a cake and lose its crumbly character. Since the balance between crispy and tender is the whole point, the baking powder works best as a subtle lift.
How should I store and reheat leftovers?
The source page says to cool completely, cover the dish with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. And reheating in a 350°F oven crisps the topping back up, which is the source page’s recommended method over microwaving.
But the topping softens the longer it sits in the fridge, so eat the crunchiest portions on day one. And for another make-ahead dessert that stores well, the martha stewart banana bread wraps in plastic for up to 4 days at room temperature, so both recipes cover different dessert needs across a full week.
Can I make extra topping and freeze it?
The source page recommends making extra batches of the topping and storing them in freezer bags for quick assembly later. And the frozen topping goes straight onto fresh fruit without thawing, since the oven melts the butter clumps as it bakes.
So whenever berries are in season, you can pull a bag of topping from the freezer and have a crisp in the oven within 5 minutes of prep. Since the filling is just fruit, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon, the topping is the only component that takes any effort to prepare.
