If you're looking for an easy, gluten-free dessert that feels both comforting and special, you've come to the right place. My Almond Flour Berry Crisp combines a rustic, shortbread-like topping with a vibrant, sweet berry mixture. With just 20 minutes of prep, you can have a delicious dish ready to enjoy in under an hour. Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream make a great topping for this berry crumble!
Why You'll Love This Gluten-Free Crisp
- The "Shortbread" Topping: Unlike oats or flour which can get dry, this almond flour topping bakes up like a buttery, soft shortbread cookie crumbled over the fruit.
- Uses Frozen Berries: No washing or chopping required. You can pour the berries straight from the bag into the baking dish.
- Refined Sugar-Free: Sweetened entirely with pure maple syrup for a rich, caramel-like flavor that pairs perfectly with the nuts.
What You Will Need:
- 1 ½ cups of almond flour
- ⅓ cup of pure maple syrup or ⅓ cup of granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 5 tablespoons of melted butter
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- ¼ cup of crushed pistachios or pecans
- 3-4 cups of frozen berry mix
The Topping for the Berry Bake
The topping could not be easier! Just add all of the topping ingredients and to a bowl. Mix until just combined. I have substituted crushed pecans for the crushed pistachios and the bake tasted great. Leave them a bit crumbly. I originally was trying to make a crumble. The dough ended up coming together resembling a shortbread dough. I tasted the uncooked dough and it tasted incredible! So I just went with it! I am going to use the basic recipe for a start to cookies in the future. Almond flour is readily available and is easy to work with!
The Berries for the Crisp
The preparation of the berries is just as easy as the preparation of the topping! My wife and I purchase bags of frozen mixed berries for our smoothies. I personally feel the berries are sweet enough. If you want to sweeten the berries, just add a bit of sugar or pure maple syrup. Pure maple syrup is not pancake syrup. Pancake syrup will not work in this recipe. Please be sure to read the label when purchasing. Pure maple syrup has a lower glycemic index than sugar. The ratio for sugar and pure maple syrup is 1:1.
Putting it All Together
I use an 8x8 or a 9x9 pan and place the frozen berry mixture on the bottom of the pan. Next, break off pieces of the topping on the berries. The look is kind of rustic, but I wanted the berries to cook through a bit to the top. This is such an easy recipe that experimenting will still result in a great tasting dessert!
Tips for Almond Flour Crumble
- 1. The "Clump" Technique Almond flour doesn't flake like regular flour; it forms a dough. To get the perfect topping, mix the ingredients until a dough ball forms, then use your fingers to break off small pieces and scatter them over the fruit. This creates delicious, bite-sized cookie clusters.
- 2. Choosing Your Pan I originally baked this in a glass loaf pan for a deep, thick layer of fruit. However, you can also use an 8x8 square baking dish if you prefer a thinner layer of fruit with more crispy topping coverage.
- 3. Maple Syrup vs. Pancake Syrup This recipe relies on Real Maple Syrup. Do not use "pancake syrup" (which is corn syrup). Real maple syrup is thinner and helps hydrate the almond flour properly so it crisps up instead of burning.
Love baking with almond flour? Try my savory almond flour cheesy biscuits next!
Please try some of my other dessert recipes!
FAQ's
Yes, absolutely! This recipe is entirely gluten-free as it uses almond flour for the topping instead of traditional all-purpose flour.
Yes, you can use fresh berries in this bake! If using fresh, you might want to adjust the amount of added sugar or pure maple syrup based on the sweetness of your fresh fruit.
Pure maple syrup is preferred for its natural flavor, consistency, and lower glycemic index compared to pancake syrup, which is typically corn syrup-based. Pancake syrup will not work as a substitute here.
Yes, you can! The recipe mentions that crushed pecans are a great substitute for pistachios, adding a different but equally delicious flavor and richness to the topping. Feel free to experiment with your favorite nuts.
Once cooled, store any leftover almond flour berry dessert bake covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. You can reheat individual portions gently in the microwave or oven.
Recipe
Almond Flour Berry Crisp (Easy Gluten-Free Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup or ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon of fine sea salt
- 5 tablespoons of melted butter
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- ¼ cup of pistachios or pecans crushed
- 3-4 cups frozen berry mix
Method
- Mix all topping ingredients together until well combined. It will resemble a rough shortbread dough.
- Place the frozen mixed berries in the bottom of a baking dish.
- Break the topping dough into small crumbles with your fingers and sprinkle evenly over the berry mixture.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.
Nutrition
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Key Takeaways
- Enjoy a gluten-free almond flour berry bake topped with a shortbread-like crust and sweet berries.
- Use almond flour, maple syrup, and berries for a simple, delicious dessert in under an hour.
- Experiment with toppings and feel free to substitute nuts based on your preference.
- Pure maple syrup is essential for sweetness; avoid pancake syrup for this recipe.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days, reheating as needed.
