Blueberry Crisp

When it comes to summer desserts, there is absolutely nothing I look forward to more than a classic blueberry crisp. I’ve tried a lot of different versions over the years, and this is the one I keep coming back to again and again. From the sweet, jammy filling spiked with a hint of earthy ground coriander to the buttery, lemon-kissed crisp topping, it’s impossible not to go wild for this summertime classic.

It’s my go-to for casual backyard cookouts, fancy summer dinner parties, picnics and potlucks, or when I come home with way too many blueberries from the farmers market. It’s a dish you should serve to others, and it’s inevitable that someone will ask you for the recipe.

There are two equally crave-worthy components of blueberry crisp: the buttery, lemon-kissed crisp topping and the jammy, sweet blueberry filling with a hint or coriander. Here’s what you’ll need.

• Fresh or frozen blueberries
• Unsalted butter
• Lemon
• Old-fashioned rolled oats
• All-purpose flour (regular or gluten-free)
• Light brown sugar
• Granulated sugar
• Cornstarch
• Vanilla extract
• Ground coriander

The short answer is yes, you can use frozen blueberries to make blueberry crisp. With that said, fresh, in-season blueberries will always makes the absolute best blueberry crisp. When blueberries are in their prime they are unbelievably flavorful and sweet. But when fresh berries aren’t an option, an equal amount of frozen berries make a fine stand-in. Just be sure to thaw them first and drain off any liquid (this will prevent the crisp from being too liquidy).

There are two ingredients that make this the absolute best blueberry cobbler: lemon zest in the topping and ground coriander in the filling. Both are subtle, but add just enough flavor to be detectable (although it might take folks a moment or two to put their finger on it).

If you’ve never added ground coriander to baked goods, know that it’s a wonderful partner to blueberries! And if you don’t already have a bottle in your spice cabinet, this is a great reason to pick it up. Coriander comes from the seeds of the cilantro plant, although rest assured it tastes nothing like fresh cilantro. Instead, ground coriander is subtle and mellow, with an earthy, lemony aroma — which is why it pairs so well with jammy blueberries.

As for other ways to use ground coriander: it’s great sprinkled on roasted veggies, mixed into soups (especially lentil soup and sweet potato chowder), used as a rub for steak and spiced salmon, added to salad dressing, stirred into DIY taco seasoning, and mixed into marinades (try it with grilled tofu and grilled chicken), to name a few ideas.

Read more: Inside the Spice Cabinet – Coriander

If you ate a spoonful (or several) straight from the baking dish after coming out of the oven, nobody would fault you. While this crisp is positively delicious on its own, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or generous dollop of whipped cream really make it sing. The great news is that the leftovers keep well for days, and happen to make an extra-special breakfast, especially when paired with some Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or even a scoop of ricotta.