Blueberries and crème fraîche are one of the ultimate power couples. They go down in history next to other great power couples like Michelle and Barack, Batman and Robin, and Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

I found some crème fraîche on sale at the grocery store the other day so I decided to mix it into oatmeal with homemade blueberry syrup and some lemon zest. The citrusy lemon pairs well with the tartness of the berries and cream, and it balances the sweetness from the syrup.

I also sprinkled some almonds on top of the oatmeal because I like a little crunch in my breakfast. When you’re working with fruit-based dishes, I’ve found that texture is everything. It helps to have something crunchy with berries.

ANYWAY. I would highly recommend making this as soon as possible. I used the same blueberry syrup recipe that I used a few weeks ago when I made honey cornmeal pancakes. If you have extra, you can put it in a Mason Jar and store it in the fridge. Mine usually keeps for a couple weeks.

Here’s a song to get you started on your oatmeal-making journey. It’s good for days when you feel like you have a billion things to do so you put off everything to write about oatmeal.

And here’s another song from my new Christmas playlist. I usually don’t celebrate Christmas because my family celebrates Hanukkah, but this year I decorated for the holiday at work and I’m going to a bunch of Christmas parties. Can we all agree that “Last Christmas” is the best Christmas song of all time? The only acceptable answer is, yes.

Blueberry Crème Fraîche Oatmeal

Ingredients

for the syrup:
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup warm water
1 tsp lemon juice
lemon zest

for the oatmeal:
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup almond milk
2 Tbsp crème fraîche, plus more for topping
zest from half a lemon
1/4-1/2 cup blueberry syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)
blueberries and sliced almonds for topping

Directions

First, make the syrup. Combine the blueberries, maple syrup, warm water, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, stirring the mixture occasionally. Remove from heat and pour into a Mason Jar for storage.

To make the oatmeal, bring the oats and almond milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat for a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens to your taste. Add blueberry syrup, crème fraîche, and lemon zest. Top with more lemon zest, blueberries, sliced almonds, and a dollop of crème fraîche. Enjoy!