Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
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Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp – it features a crunchy oatmeal crisp topping paired with a vibrant, fresh and fruit strawberry rhubarb filling. This heavenly dessert creates an unforgettable combination of sweet and lightly tart, and it finishes beautifully with an indulgent scoop of rich vanilla ice cream.
Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Recipe
Have you ever tasted the strawberry rhubarb flavor combination before? Once you do you’ll instantly fall in love! It’s reminiscent of a strawberry lemon combo but with more uniqueness and depth to it.
My favorite way to eat rhubarb is baked into a dessert, paired with fresh strawberries of course. There are so many things I want to try with this combination like a strawberry rhubarb compote for angel food cake, a strawberry rhubarb crumb cake, or combining the two together for a syrup to serve over buttermilk pancakes.
Someday I’ll get there, but for now it’s all about this truly delicious strawberry rhubarb crisp.
This strawberry rhubarb crisp is deliciously saucy with just the right amount of sweetness, and the contrast in textures is spot on. You get a tender and juicy fresh fruit filling blanketed with a crispy oat crumble highlighted with butter and sweet brown sugar notes.
This fruit crisp is a must try spring and summer dessert recipe! Just don’t forget the ice cream, because it’s the ultimate finishing touch for this.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Ingredients
For the strawberry rhubarb filling, you’ll need:
- Fresh strawberries – for best flavor and texture I don’t recommend frozen.
- Fresh rhubarb – this is a seasonal ingredient so be on the lookout for it spring through summer.
- Granulated sugar – this sweetens up the tart flavors of the rhubarb.
- Orange zest and juice – a great flavor pairing with the strawberries and rhubarb.
- Cornstarch – a key ingredient to thicken up the fruit filling.
And for the oatmeal crisp topping, you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour – I like to use unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Old fashioned rolled oats – quick oats may be substituted the texture will just be slightly different.
- Light brown sugar – the molasses in the brown sugar adds nice flavor to the topping and encourages browning.
- Salt – don’t forget to include this or the topping will taste flat.
- Unsalted butter – if you only have salted butter on hand just omit salt from the recipe.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grease baking dish.
- Make crisp topping: In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar and salt, while breaking up any clumps of brown sugar with finger tips as needed.
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Cut in butter: Add butter and rub into mixture with finger tips until it comes together into pea size crumbles and no large clumps of butter remain. Transfer to refrigerator while preparing filling.
- Sweeten strawberry rhubarb filling: In a separate bowl, toss together strawberries, rhubarb, orange juice and zest, and sugar/cornstarch mixture.
- Pour strawberry mixture into baking dish: Pour fruit filling into baking dish, spread even.
- Top with crisp topping: Sprinkle oatmeal crisp topping onto the strawberry rhubarb filling.
- Bake: Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until top is golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
Can I Use Quick Oats in the Crisp Topping?
Yes, the oatmeal crisp topping can only be made with old-fashioned rolled oats. The texture will be slightly different but it will still be delicious.
Can I Use Frozen Strawberries Instead of Fresh?
No I don’t recommend using frozen fruit for this fruit crisp, it will be best with fresh strawberries. Frozen and thawed strawberries would result in a mushier texture, and the fruit crisp also wouldn’t taste as fresh.
How to Store Fruit Crisps
Let the strawberry rhubarb crisp cool to room temperature on your counter before covering and refrigerating.
Reheat the strawberry rhubarb crisp in the oven or in the microwave, just keep in mind the topping will soften by the next day.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
- Fruit tip: Don’t slice the fruit too small, otherwise it’ll turn to mush in the oven.
- Thickening: Be sure to let the filling bubble as this is a sign it has reached it’s thickening point for the cornstarch to thicken.
- Vanilla flavor: If you want to add vanilla flavor use seeds of 1 vanilla bean in the crumble topping.
- Substitute for cornstarch: In a pinch you could try substituting 5 Tbsp flour for cornstarch in the fruit filling, or 4 Tbsp arrowroot starch.
- Gluten free option: Want to make it gluten free strawberry rhubarb crisp? Omit flour and use 1 cup almond meal in its place, increase oats to 1 cup, reduce butter to 8 Tbsp.
More Fruit Crisp Recipes You’ll Love:
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Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (80g) old fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup (160g) packed light-brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 10 Tbsp (141g) unsalted butter, cold and diced into small pieces
- 1 1/2 lbs fresh strawberries, hulled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 4 1/2 cups)
- 1 lb fresh rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
- 3/4 cup (160g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp orange zest
- 2 Tbsp (30ml) orange juice
- 2 1/2 Tbsp (22g) cornstarch
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 3-quart baking dish (I use a 12 by 8 by 2 1/2, a 13 by 9 should work fine too), set aside.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar and salt, while breaking up any clumps of brown sugar with finger tips as needed.
- Add butter and rub into mixture with finger tips or using a pastry cutter, until it comes together into pea size crumbles and no large clumps of butter remain. Transfer to refrigerator while preparing filling.
- Add strawberries, rhubarb, orange juice and orange zest to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together sugar and cornstarch and pour into bowl with fruit. Toss mixture in bowl to evenly coat.
- Pour strawberry mixture into prepared baking dish and spread even. Sprinkle crumble from fridge evenly over top.
- Bake in preheated oven 30 to 40 minutes until juices are bubbling and crisp is golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Notes
- Don't slice the fruit too small, otherwise it'll turn to mush in the oven.
- For added vanilla flavor add seeds of 1 vanilla bean when adding the butter to the crumble topping.
- Nutrition does not include ice cream as this is optional.