Low-Carb Berry Crisp
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When you’re looking for a low-carb snack or dessert, check out this berry crisp recipe with a delicious sugar substitute. It pairs juicy berries with a cinnamon-spiced crumble topping that’s to die for.
I’m eating low carb pretty much all the time now and I love it. But let me tell ya, a girl has needs. Fortunately for me, delicious recipes like this berry crisp one can be low carb and I have found that eating low carb is one of the easiest ways of eating I have ever adopted. So today, we are going to address my need for fruit crisps because it was just about getting the best of me and I hit it out of the park with this little experiment of mine.
Oh mercy, this healthy berry crisp recipe is so so so good! Plus, it’s so quick and easy to make. All you have to do is mix together the topping, blop it on top of the berries, and bake for 30 minutes. I really enjoyed the added flavor my low-carb ingredients gave to the crisp topping, which is made from pecans, cinnamon, vanilla, butter, sweetener, and almond flour/meal. It’s slightly spiced, deliciously crumbly, and just the right amount of sweet. Expect a taste explosion when you pair this crumble topping with the juicy and tart berries.
In place of vanilla ice cream, I poured a little heavy cream over my serving like my ancestors used to do, and that tasted like melted ice cream and just sent this over the top. Heavy cream is a welcome bonus when you are eating keto! Another option is pairing it with Greek yogurt. Whichever topping you choose, I hope you enjoy this low-carb summer berry crisp when that sugar craving hits!
Recipe Ingredients
- Almond meal/flour
- Sweetener of your choice (Stevia, Swerve (used here), Monk Fruit, etc)
- Softened butter
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Chopped pecans
- Frozen or of your choice (don’t be scared to make a or either).
How to Make Low-Carb Berry Crisp
Place the berries on the bottom of a pie plate.
Sprinkle just a bit of sweetener over the if you like. I added a teaspoon of Swerve.
Note: It depends on your berries whether or not you will end up with a lot of juice in the bottom of your pie plate. My blackberries burst forth with juice with each bite but they weren’t drowning in it like you are used to seeing with super sweet crisps and cobblers. They were so good, though! SOOOO GOOD!
In a medium bowl, place the almond meal, cinnamon, sweetener, vanilla, and butter.
Cut this together with a fork until it looks kind of like the picture above.
It won’t be dry like a normal crisp topping but will be a bit more like cookie dough.
Now stir in the chopped pecans.
IT IS SO GOOD! I could just eat the bowl. Also, once you taste it you can decide if you want to add more sweetener at this point.
Now pinch off bits of this and blop them all over the top.
Blop! Blop! Until the top is all covered.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until it is golden brown on top.
A few minutes before it is done, send your entire family out of the house on an errand. 😉
And that’s it! Enjoy a delicious low-carb berry crisp!
Storage
Store leftover crisp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat quickly in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
- Frozen berries are fine to use in this fruit crisp instead of fresh berries. Just add a few minutes extra to the cooking time.
- You can also make a mixed berry crisp by using a variety of fresh or frozen berries, like blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries.
- Substitute the pecans for walnuts, sliced almonds, or chopped pistachios.
- This is a gluten-free berry crisp recipe already. To make it a vegan fruit crisp, swap the butter for coconut oil.
- If you like, add 1 tablespoon of orange juice or lemon juice to your berry filling in the pie dish. It complements the berries so well!
- If you want more of a crumble-like streusel topping, you can add 1/2 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats. We’re just trying to keep this low carb, ya know?
- To double the recipe, simply double the ingredients and make it in a 9×13-inch baking dish instead. The cooking time will increase to about 40 minutes.
- If you’re not on the low-carb train, feel free to use or instead.
Recipe FAQs
What kind of almond flour do you use?
Almond flour or meal is a very nutritious gluten-free alternative to wheat flour. It can be a little tricky to bake with but for our purposes here it’s great. I have also found it at every other grocery store I shop at. Walmart has it near the flour and Kroger has it in the health food section. This is basically ground almonds and is WONDROUS as a crisp topping because of the toasted nut flavor it adds.
What sweetener should I use in my crisp?
When it comes to sweeteners, you can use Stevia. But in this recipe, I am using Swerve because it essentially has zero net carbs. Swerve is a little pricey but a little goes a long way.
Why use berries in this crisp recipe?
Fruit is pretty carb-rich so I have been avoiding it, but berries are among the lowest carb fruits and are okay once you get the ball rolling and have been eating low carb for a while. Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries – whatever cranks yer tractor is fine here.
What do you serve with berry crisp?
Serve your crisp with whipped cream (here’s our homemade recipe), vanilla ice cream, Greek yogurt, or heavy cream.
Here are more delectable crisp recipes:
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups berries
- 1 teaspoon Swerve for berries* can use Stevia, Monk Fruit, etc
Topping
- 1.5 cups almond meal/flour
- 2 tablespoons Swerve*
- 1/2 cup softened butter can use ghee or coconut oil as well
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Place the berries on the bottom of a pie plate and sprinkle with a teaspoon (or so) of sweetener. Set aside.2-3 cups berries, 1 teaspoon Swerve for berries*
- In a medium bowl, place the almond meal, sweetener, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla. Cut together with a fork until a dough is formed. Cut or stir in pecans until well incorporated.1.5 cups almond meal/flour, 2 tablespoons Swerve*, 1/2 cup softened butter, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- Using your fingers, pinch off bits of the topping and place them all over the top of the berries. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve with heavy cream poured over the top (in place of ice cream/whipped cream) if you like, or on its own.
Notes
Nutrition
We are all worms. But I believe that I am a glow-worm.
~Winston Churchill
Made this with blueberries and it was very good! My girlfriend has been eating this way for a couple of years and she refers to it as Paleo. Mostly meat and veggies, like you indicate. We are going to bite the bullet and give it a try…couldn’t hoit!
Thanks, Christy!
I am so glad you liked the cobbler Jennette!!! Y’all will do great, I can’t wait to hear results!!
This looks wonderful! We have blackberry bushes in our yard, and they will be getting ripe in the next week or two. I’ll have to give this a try!
I hope you enjoy it Marybeth!!
Lucky you MaryBeth. I had to pay $10.46 for 18 oz. of berries.
I made this crisp and loved every bite. I put a piece of it in the freezer for one of my sons, and then ate his slice also.
Christy, thank you so much for the low carb recipes. I’m new to eating very low carb and the post on how you adapt recipes have helped me so much. Looking for my blood sugar numbers to be lower.
Didn’t care for this at all. Very disappointing after spending $12 just for the almond flour and Swerve. Usually love your recipes but not this one. 🙁
I’m sorry you were disappointed. We really enjoyed this. Of course, it isn’t going to taste as good as the full carb, full sugar version 🙂 After a few months of no berries, no crisp, and no cobbler, my husband and I loved every bite of this low carb dessert.
Almond flour and swerve have a ton of uses in a low carb kitchen!
You say you usually love my recipes but this is the first time you’ve left a comment. Please come visit other times, too, not just when you have something disappointing to share. Both of us are missing out in that case.
Can I use coconut flour instead of almond?
I am sure that would work, I have never tried it using the coconut flour though.
Oh no gobto walmart to get almond flour.
This recipe sounds wonderful and plan to make soon. I don’t call Low Carb a diet because it is my way of eating now. I feel so much better. No heartburn anymore–joints feel better and not so stiff. So glad to hear about the Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom Bars. Since eating low carb have not stopped by the ice cream freezer but will sure look for it now. Thank you for sharing with us.
It does change your life doesn’t it?
Christy
You are such a doll to share this with us! I am planning to do low carb very soon but to be honest,
I HATE MEAL PLANNING! Your recipes are making things so much easier!
Now, where is the low carb vanilla ice cream that goes on top of this?!
Hey! I talk about the ice cream in the post. Pour a bit of heavy cream over your crisp and you’re jamming away – so good!
There are also several low carb ice creams out there. Rather than an ice cream in a tub, though, my husband and I have come to love the Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom bars. We get the ones that are vanilla ice cream coated in a chocolate crunch coating. I think they are about 4 carbs each – and wonderful!
Thank you for your comments about stevia. It tastes really awful to me, but people who use it don’t understand that when I tell them!
I have encountered the same thing. I really and truly believe it tastes good to some folks but I just don’t think it is like that for everyone.
Same. I’ve tried it in my coffee, and I just can’t tolerate it. Thanks for the Swerve tip. I’ve never heard of it. Will give it a try!
I had to get use to stevia. My in laws use it in their tea and I couldn’t drink it at first but once I went keto it taste so sweet to me now! But I want to order the swerve and try it also.
I like stevia in certain things but not others. For me it’s great in iced tea but not in coffee. Since it is twice as sweet as sugar if you use less -say half a packet – it adds a sweet note without the aftertaste. I use it in whipped cream, and on berries. A packet in my home made bolognese gives the tomatoes a little pick me up.