The summer I turned sixteen, I was a mother’s helper on Nantucket. The family I was babysitting for had deep roots on the island that went back several generations, and they loved to cook and eat.
I used to take the station wagon packed with beach gear and kids from the house on Fair Street across the island to the grandparent’s beach house at Wauwinet. I would bring lunch for the kids, and we would spend the day on the beach, collecting shells and playing in the tide pools. When it was time for lunch, we would go up to the house, rinse our sandy feet off with the hose, and sit on the screened porch overlooking the dunes while eating.
One day I opened the refrigerator to get lunch, and there was a half-eaten blueberry dessert with a note that said, “Kristen, please help yourself and share with the kids.” I cut a slice, took a bite, and swooned.
This is the simple recipe from that summer. Sometimes I make it with blueberries and peaches or top it with fresh raspberries instead of blueberries. It is delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of whipped cream, in fact, its quite delightful in the morning with a cup of coffee.
Enjoy this treasured recipe and follow my Instagram https://instagram.com/kristencoffield for culinary inspiration and Active Grandparenting tips.
Blueberry Kuchen Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour plus 2 tbsp
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tbsp
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 stick lightly salted butter softened
- 3 cups fresh blueberries well rinsed
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- confectionary sugar for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a food processor, combine 1 cup of flour, 2 tbsp sugar and softened butter. Pulse until mixture is coarsely combined. Add 1 tbsp vinegar and continue to pulse until dough forms a ball.
- Using your fingers, press the dough into the bottom of a 9" springform or tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough gently 1" up the sides of the pan.
Combine 2 cups of blueberries in a bowl with 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tbsp Flour and ground cinnamon. Combine well and pour berries and sugar-flour mixture into prepared crust.
- Bake in center of preheated 400-degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until berries are bubbly and crust is golden.
- Remove from oven, top with remaining berries and sprinkle with confectionary sugar.
Serve as is or top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of whipped cream.
Kristen Coffield
I am the Founder of Active Grandparenting™ & The Culinary Cure™ and Author of Active Grandparenting. I am a passionate advocate for food as medicine, life navigator and culinary coach. This is my space for sharing what excites, inspires and motivates me to live my best life. It began as a recipe blog for nourishing, simple, weekday meals and has become something much bigger… a guide to resilient wellness. I am excited to share my knowledge of how daily habits can cumulatively help you to live like you mean it and age like you want to.
This is the closest recipe that I have seen to my Grams and her Grossie’s. Thanks so much for posting it. Will be making it for dessert tonight – even thoi’ it’s January. Will be using frozen blue berries.
Blueberries freeze well so that’s a great idea!
Kristen, this sounds delicious! I’m wondering if you’ve tried it with almond flour or some other healthy flour alternative. Same concern with the sugar. I only have coconut sugar and maple syrup in my pantry.
Have been making blueberry kuchen for years. I add a cup of fresh blueberries on top after baking.
Perfect!
Wouldn’t you leave some blueberries out and make a custard with the blueberries mashed a little? Kuchen is German Coffee Cake. My mother was the kuchen queen while I was growing up. She would make kuchen for me while I was working of the farm. She was the best in South Dakota. Lol
Hi John,
The recipe calls for fresh berries on the top. Please share your mothers recipe I would love to try it!
Best,
Kristen
Neely’s houses have special memories for us. Will make this soon! Haven’t been back to Nantucket in ages!!!
It was her moms house in Wauwinett!
Am in NY for 6 months every year and cant find my recipe for Kuchen which I have in Florida. THIS IS THE RECIPE!!!!!! I add another cup of berries on top after it is baked. Actually, I put more berries in to begin with. Fast beautiful and so easy. Everyone’s favorite.
Andrea,
The fresh berries own top make it special especially when the blueberries are in season. So glad you left me this lovely comment, the recipe is a family favorite and sounds like a favorite for your family too!
Eat Well. Be Well.
Kristen
I have been making this exact recipe since 1980 when it appeared on the cover of Womans Day. Always make it for Fathers Day and it’s been a hit ever since!
Fran,
I don’t know if you read the little story behind how I came by the recipe. But it was the summer of 1975 when I was a mothers helper on Nantucket that I pried the recipe from the family matriarch and was sworn not to share it, which I didn’t do for 45 years!
I love knowing that it was one the cover of Woman’s Day in 1980, and that it’s a favorite of yours too!
Eat Well. Be Well.
Kristen
I also have been making this exact recipe from 1980 Woman’s Day. My family’s favorite dessert in the summer. The best! Thank you.
I have loved hearing from so many Blueberry Kuchen fans about the origin of this recipe. But what’s interesting to me is I got the recipe before that from the mother of the family I was a nanny for in 1975/6.
Can you use cherries for this recipe?
I’ve never made it with cherries. You could do the bottom baked part with blueberries then put fresh pitted cherry halves on top!
Stay Strong,
Kristen
I have been making this EXACT recipe since I thought the mid 70’s when I thought it appeared on the cover of the now defunct Ladies Home Journal. But after seeing your comment, it was probably Woman’s Day magazine in 1980! As soon as I saw the photo on the cover, I knew my family would love it. Among my circle of friends and family, I have become known for the “Blueberry Dessert” as they call it. My daughter who is an adult has also taken up the tradition of baking it as well every summer. I live in New Jersey, a blueberry state, as they are a staple in the summer. Each year my daughter and us meet in North Carolina at Carolina Beach, since she now resides in Oregon (also a summer berry paradise) and I’m instructed to bring my best springform pan with me to do some baking. This family tradition will live on. I prefer topping with whipped cream, while other members of my clan like the vanilla ice cream. You can’t go wrong either way or just plain naked.
This is such a great comment!
I got the recipe in 1976, for sure because I was a mother’s helper my junior year in high school.
I love that this recipe is a tradition for you too!
Thank you for reaching out and enjoy my newsletter :)
Stay Strong,
Kristen Coffield 🍋💦💪
I love that this recipe has a long history and is a strong tradition for your family too!
Stay Strong,
Kristen 🍋💦💪
I first started making this recipe in the early 80’s. I may have discovered it in Woman’s Day as someone else commented. I lost the recipe and haven’t made it in probably 25 years. I remembered it last week and decided to google it. This is the exact recipe!! Thank you so much. I’m making it for the 4th of July next week. I’m so tickled!
I am so delighted you found me and this easy, delicious recipe! Last year USA Today reached out and asked to use it in their Red, White and Blue Desserts article. I was thrilled to learn of its origin as I was given the recipe in 1976 from a family on Nantucket.
Be sure to send me a pic of your beautiful kuchen.
Eat Well. Be Well.
Kristen
I just made a very similar kuchen that I found on a website that had 7 recipes for wineberries (which we have in abundance this year). Unfortunately, I took it to be accurate, even though I thought, “wow, 475 degrees for 10 minutes, and then for 50 additional minutes once the berries are on top seems REALLY hot for REALLY long!” Well, I could smell something was wrong less than 20 minutes into the additional 50. The crust was already starting to get quite dark, so I promptly turned off the oven, and looked for a different kuchen recipe. 400 for a total of 40-45 minutes sounds much more reasonable. I’ll have to give that a try next time!
Always a bummer to burn all that deliciousness.
My recipe is tried and true and make sure your pan is in the center of the oven please :)
Let me know if it works as well with wineberries as it does with blueberries.
Zestfully Yours,
Kristen
Hi Kirsten
I live in British Columbia and fresh blueberries are cheap and at their peak right now. I made your delicous recipe and it was absolutely fantastic! My favourite recipe for blueberries. Thank you so much for sharing. I will take a look at all your other recipes later. Have a great day………..
Dear Cathy,
I am glad the recipe exceeded your delicious expectations! It’s a keeper for sure and to me, it just tastes like summer. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and may I suggest you try my Celery, Celery and Walnut Salad (https://theculinarycure.com/celery-celery-leaf-walnut-salad/) which is simple and delicious for summer.
Zestfully Yours,
🍋Kristen
for got to rate 5 stars plus!
Yes, it was delicious even though somewhat overbaked. I also made one using black raspberries, with fresh wineberries on top. Also delicious. The possibilities are endless!
I made this for a company potluck. Usually, I test dishes before serving them to other people, but this recipe looked so easy that I decided just to wing it. It was delicious, and there weren’t any leftovers. This recipe is definitely a keeper, and I look forward to making it again, not only with blueberries but other kinds of fruit.
Dear Sharon,
It’s a FAVORITE recipe and as you found, easy too. We make it with peaches and nectarines with great success.
Let me know if you create a version worth sharing.
Zestfully Yours,
Kristen Coffield 🍋
I am so excited to make this recipe. I followed the dough exactly as directed and the dough was SOFT and sticky. after I coarsely combined and butter, flour and sugar…I added the “white wine vinegar” and a ball formed for a brief second, then it became sticky and soft. The ball was so quick…that it fell apart within 2 seconds….
Any reason for this? I live in Hawaii and wonder if the humidity is effecting the butter? I attempted this twice and now I placed the mixture in the fridge to see if cooling it a bit might help?
I am not sure what else I am doing wrong. I really AM excited at trying to receive myself. My dads wife made this for me a few weeks ago and I googled to share with my Ohana!
Aloha Folks…. I posted last year about my dilemma with my crust/butter being sticky. Kristen, (the author) was so kind to respond to my inquiry immediately! And she also agreed that it might be the humidity in Hawai’i. She suggested that I simply place butter straight from fridge into the food processor! And Voila…..it worked. My ball formed BEAUTIFULLY. I have since made this recipe seamlessly 7 -8 times. I love it. Making it again tonight…..It’s a family favorite. Such a treat.
And Kristen is so wonderful! Aloha and mahalo for this little community!
I am thrilled to hear the recipe has been a great success for you and the tips helped.
Zestfully Yours,
Kristen Coffield 🍋
I am so glad to hear it turned out GREAT!
Let us know if you ever try it with any local fruits.
Thank you for sharing
Zestfully Yours,
Kristen Coffield 🍋