Gluten-Free Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp (Vegan, Allergy-Free)

This delicious Gluten-Free Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp is so easy to make! A healthy seasonal dessert that's vegan, allergy-free, and perfect to serve warm with a scoop of your favorite dairy-free ice cream! Juicy blueberries paired with crisp and tart rhubarb baked to sweet perfection and topped with a buttery cinnamon oat crumble!

Like a juicy, sweet, summer fruit pie with a little less crust, and way easier to make! This blueberry rhubarb crisp is rich in color, sweet, fruity, and a delicious alternative to the more classic strawberry rhubarb combo! When rhubarb comes into season from April through July it'd be a crime not to use it in mouthwatering ways like a perfect crisp! This gluten-free crisp is so easy, practically a dump-and-go recipe, topped with a buttery sweet crisp and baked to bursting fruity juiciness!

Is Rhubarb a Fruit or Vegetable?

Psych! Rhubarb is actually a vegetable, even though most people use it as a fruit (kind of like how people use tomato and avocado). Actually, "a New York customs court judge ruled in 1947 that it is legally a fruit, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officially classifies it as such," even though it's part of a hardy perennial vegetable family, Rheum. So you can feel extra healthy by eating a "vegetable" for dessert!

What Does Rhubarb Taste Like?

Now you're curious about the taste! First, you only ever eat the pinkish and green stalks (like celery stalks), which is how you'll find it sold in stores by the bunch. However, if you grow it in your garden at home, you must remove the leaves as they are toxic (we all love toxic food here, as you know). The raw stalks are crisp, tart, and sour, not something you'd want to eat raw. That's why cooking the rhubarb down is key! When you cook it, the sugars come out of the skin and the rhubarb turns into a sweet fruity mush. Perfect for jams, pies, and crisps!

Why Blueberries and Rhubarb

This crisp is not your average rhubarb crisp! Since rhubarb is typically less sweet, people usually add another, sweeter addition, like strawberries which also have the same reddish-pink color. Blueberries on the other hand are just (if not sweeter) and have their own rich and deep magenta-purple color which goes well with the rhubarb! A delicious and underused fruity combo that you'll be loving with this recipe!

This Recipe Is Also:

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
• Low Sugar & Naturally Sweet
• Kid-Approved
• Simple and Easy
• Perfect For Spring or Summer Desserts or Brunch

Ingredients You'll Need

For the Fruit Filling:

• Rhubarb Stalks: Fresh, in-season, just cut, beautiful rhubarb stalks! Whether you get them from the farmer's market, your backyard garden, or Walmart (go-figure, that's where I got mine!). If you must use frozen, make sure you allow it to completely defrost and drain out any excess liquid before making your crisp (but don't squeeze it, drain on paper towels). Otherwise, your crisp will come out way too watery.
• Blueberries: Again, fresh is best and you'll only need to buy 1 pint, already perfectly portioned for this recipe. If you use frozen blueberries, again, make use to thaw and drain. Your crisp may end up being extra liquidy though. You can increase the starch in the recipe as needed.
• Starch: You can use cornstarch or arrowroot starch here to help thicken the fruit mixture. This helps keep the fruit filling nice and jammy instead of overly watery. You may need to double the amount if you chose to use frozen fruits.
• Granulated Sweetener: Before baking the crisp, you'll be tossing the rhubarb and blueberries with the starch and sweetener. This ensures the fruits are perfectly sweet throughout the crisp and ready to be baked down in the casserole dish.

For the Crisp Topping:

• Certified Gluten-Free Rolled Oats: Celiac-safe oats, please! If oats are completely off-limits you can try using some quinoa flakes instead! Oats really are best for a crisp topping.
• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: Any gluten-free flour you have will be fine here for the crispy topping.
• Vegan Butter: We can't have a buttery crisp topping without the vegan butter! This holds it all together and makes that topping pure decadence!
• Cinnamon + Light Bown Sugar: Cinnamon and some brown sugar sweetener give this fruity dessert a deeper sweet and cozy flavor without overpowering the fruits' natural sweetness! You can even try a dash of ginger or allspice instead!

How to Make Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp

1. Mix together the chopped rhubarb, blueberries, starch, and sweetener.
2. Transfer the fruit filling to an 8x8 casserole dish and let it sit while you make the crisp topping.
3. Mix together the oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
4. Add a stick of melted vegan butter.
5. Mix the crisp topping together until thick and combined (it will smell like delicious oatmeal!)
6. Then spread the sticky oat crisp over the top of the fruit before baking in the oven.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• If using frozen fruit, make sure to defrost and drain on paper towels before tossing with the sugar and starch. Increase the amount of starch you use by an extra tablespoon or two to ensure a thicker filling!
• You can adjust the amount of sweetener you use in this recipe depending on your preference and the sweetness of the berries you have (sometimes a batch of blueberries can be sour!)
• If using a shallow casserole dish, you'll want a larger size than 8x8, otherwise, your fruity filling may bubble over the sides while baking in the oven. (You can also place foil or a sheet pan underneath the dish, however, this may increase baking time.)
• The longer you bake the crisp, the sweeter and mushier the fruit will be (this is mushy in a good way!)
• To ensure a crispy oat topping, turn your oven temperature up to 375°F for the last 5 to 10 minutes!
• Allow the crisp to rest before serving. This lets the fruity filling thicken and cool down enough for the flavors to become more pronounced before diving in!
• Serve it with a cold scoop of your favorite dairy-free vanilla ice cream (not optional)!

Storage & Freezing Instructions

• Once the crisp is completely cool, you can cover the casserole dish with foil and store leftovers in the fridge for up to 7 days. Reheat portions as needed in the microwave.
• You can freeze an unbaked crisp, prepare the crisp up to the baking point and instead, tightly wrap the casserole dish in plastic wrap and foil before storing it in the freezer for up to 5 months. When ready to bake, let it thaw overnight in the fridge before baking, uncovered, as instructed in the recipe. If it did not fully thaw in the fridge, let it sit out at room temperature before baking.
• You can freeze a baked crisp after it has cooled completely at room temperature. Wrap the casserole dish in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 5 months. To reheat, you can let it thaw in the fridge and then bake uncovered in the oven at 325°F until warmed through.

Other Fruity Desserts To Try:

• Classic Apple Crisp
• Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler
• Skillet Blueberry Crisp For Two
• Southern Vegan Banana Pudding
• Strawberry Shortcake
• Strawberry Crisp

Print

Sweet, gooey, crispy, warm, and cozy! This may just be the best way to use that rhubarb you see at the market but never know how to use!

So tell me:

+ What's your favorite thing to make with in-season rhubarb?

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