Easy Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp: Your Ultimate Sweet-Tart Spring Dessert
Embrace the vibrant flavors of spring with this incredibly easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp recipe. It’s the perfect dessert to celebrate the season, masterfully blending the juicy sweetness of fresh strawberries with the distinct tartness of rhubarb, all under a golden, crunchy oat topping. This delightful combination creates a jam-like filling that’s simply irresistible. Whether served warm, fresh from the oven, with a generous scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream, or enjoyed chilled, this fruit crisp is destined to become one of your favorite homemade rhubarb recipes.
Our simple guide ensures a fuss-free baking experience, allowing you to enjoy this classic treat without the complexity of a pie. Each bite offers a harmonious balance of textures and tastes – a soft, bubbling fruit base contrasted with a crispy, buttery oat streusel. Get ready to impress your family and friends with this timeless springtime delight!
[feast_advanced_jump_to]
Why You’ll Adore This Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Recipe
There are countless reasons why this strawberry rhubarb crisp stands out as a beloved dessert, especially during the spring and early summer months. Its simplicity, combined with its delightful flavors and textures, makes it a true crowd-pleaser and a perfect choice for any home baker.
- Effortless Elegance: This recipe captures all the classic flavors and comforting textures of a traditional strawberry rhubarb pie, but without the time-consuming effort of making a pie crust from scratch. It’s a wonderful shortcut to a truly satisfying dessert, ideal for busy weeknights or impromptu gatherings.
- Irresistible Crunchy Topping: The crisp topping is incredibly easy to assemble and provides that essential textural contrast. Made with wholesome oats, flour, and butter, it bakes into a golden-brown, crumbly layer that offers a satisfying crunch in every spoonful, complementing the soft, fruit filling beautifully.
- Perfectly Portioned Indulgence: Baking these crisps in individual ramekins means everyone gets their very own warm, bubbly dessert. This not only makes for an adorable presentation but also ensures perfectly controlled portions, so each guest can enjoy a personal serving of this delicious treat.
- Celebration of Seasonal Flavors: Spring is when both ripe, sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb are at their peak. This crisp is arguably the best way to showcase these fresh, seasonal fruits, allowing their natural flavors to shine. If you’re looking to extend the fruit crisp season, my Blueberry Peach Crisp recipe is perfect for summer!
- Beginner-Friendly Baking: If you’re new to baking or looking for a foolproof recipe, this strawberry rhubarb crisp is an excellent starting point. The steps are straightforward, and the ingredients are common, ensuring a successful and delicious outcome every time.
Essential Ingredients for Your Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Crafting the perfect strawberry rhubarb crisp starts with high-quality ingredients. This recipe uses a straightforward list of items, most of which you likely already have in your pantry or can easily find at your local grocery store. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and some tips for selecting them:
- Strawberries and Rhubarb: These are the stars of our crisp! You can use either fresh or frozen fruit for this recipe, offering great flexibility. If opting for fresh, look for plump, red strawberries and firm, crisp rhubarb stalks. Remember to trim the ends and chop both into roughly similarly sized pieces for even cooking. For convenience, frozen fruit works beautifully – just remember, **do not thaw it ahead of time**; use it directly from the freezer. Rhubarb is typically in season during spring and can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores or at local farmers’ markets.
- Light Brown Sugar: This provides a gentle sweetness and a subtle molasses flavor that complements the fruit. Light brown sugar also adds moisture, contributing to the jam-like texture of the filling. For a richer, deeper caramel note, you could experiment with dark brown sugar.
- Cornstarch and Lemon Juice: These two work in tandem to create the perfect fruit filling. Start by thoroughly mixing the cornstarch with the lemon juice until it fully dissolves. This crucial step prevents lumps and ensures the cornstarch is evenly distributed. As the crisp bakes, the cornstarch acts as a thickener, transforming the fruit juices into a luscious, perfectly set filling, while the lemon juice brightens the flavors and enhances the tartness.
- Unsalted Butter: Melted unsalted butter is the binder for our delicious oat topping. When mixed with the dry ingredients (flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt), it creates a moist, crumbly mixture. As it bakes, the butter helps achieve that coveted crispy, golden-brown texture that defines a perfect fruit crisp. Using unsalted butter gives you control over the overall saltiness of the dish.
- All-Purpose Flour: Essential for the structure of the crisp topping, ensuring it holds together while baking and achieving a pleasant texture.
- Old-Fashioned Oats: These are what give the crisp its signature “crispy” texture, distinguishing it from a crumble. They add a wonderful chewiness and nutty flavor to the topping.
- Ground Cinnamon & Salt: A tiny pinch of ground cinnamon (optional, but highly recommended) adds a warm spice note that beautifully enhances the fruit flavors. Salt, even in a sweet dish, is vital for balancing flavors and making all the other ingredients taste brighter.
Refer to the recipe card below for exact quantities and measurements.
Exciting Substitutions & Variations
While the classic strawberry rhubarb crisp is a delight on its own, this versatile recipe offers plenty of room for creativity and adaptation. Don’t hesitate to experiment with different fruits or adjust to your preferences and what’s available in season!
- Rhubarb Alternatives: If fresh rhubarb is out of season or hard to find, you can still enjoy a fantastic fruit crisp. Consider using a mixed berry blend, such as an equal combination of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, to maintain a similar sweet and tart profile. Alternatively, a pure blueberry crisp or even a tart cherry crisp can be made by following the same method. You might need to slightly adjust the sugar depending on the sweetness of your chosen fruit.
- Stone Fruit Variation: For a delicious summer twist, swap out the strawberries and rhubarb for your favorite stone fruits. Simply chop peaches, plums, nectarines, or apricots into bite-sized pieces. These fruits pair wonderfully with the buttery oat topping and create a different, yet equally delightful, flavor experience. If using very sweet stone fruits, you may want to slightly reduce the amount of brown sugar in the filling.
- Make it a Large Crisp: This recipe is designed for individual ramekins, but it’s easily adaptable for a larger crowd. Simply double the recipe quantities and bake it in a 9-inch pie pan or a 8×8 inch baking dish. The baking time will need to be adjusted, typically requiring an extra 10-15 minutes or until the fruit filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown. For those who love a traditional crust, consider adding a bottom layer using my graham cracker crust before adding the fruit mixture.
- Explore Pie-like Options: If you’re leaning towards a more pie-like dessert but still appreciate rustic charm, try turning this fruit crisp into individual galettes! My Mini Strawberry Rhubarb Galettes offer a similar flavor profile with a delightful flaky pastry edge.
- Add Nuts or Spices to the Topping: For an extra layer of flavor and texture, mix in a quarter cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, or sliced almonds into your crisp topping. A pinch of nutmeg or cardamom can also complement the fruit beautifully.
- Gluten-Free Adaptation: To make this crisp gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour in the topping with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend (ensure it contains xanthan gum) and use certified gluten-free oats.
This recipe has been thoroughly tested with the original ingredients. If you choose to replace or add any ingredients, please share your successful experiments and how they turned out in the comments below! We love hearing about your creative kitchen adventures.
Easy Step-by-Step Instructions to Master Your Crisp
Creating this delicious strawberry rhubarb crisp is incredibly straightforward. Follow these simple steps to bring this sweet and tart dessert to life in your kitchen. Remember to preheat your oven and gather all your ingredients before you begin for a smooth baking process.
Preparing the Crisp Topping: The secret to a perfect crisp lies in its buttery, crunchy topping. This first step focuses on combining the dry ingredients with melted butter to achieve that ideal crumbly texture.
Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine the light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, old-fashioned oats, ground cinnamon (if using), and a tiny pinch of salt. Pour in the melted unsalted butter and mix thoroughly with a fork or your fingers until the mixture is fully combined and resembles coarse, wet sand. Set aside.
Preparing the Fruit Filling: This is where the magic of sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb comes together. Properly preparing the fruit and ensuring the cornstarch is well-incorporated will guarantee a beautifully thick and flavorful filling.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, first, combine the lemon juice and cornstarch, stirring until the cornstarch is completely dissolved and no lumps remain. Then, add the chopped strawberries and rhubarb, along with the light brown sugar. Stir gently until all the fruit pieces are evenly coated with the sugar and cornstarch mixture.
Assembling Your Crisps: Now it’s time to bring the two main components together. Distributing the fruit filling and topping correctly is key to ensuring each individual crisp bakes beautifully and delivers the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Step 3: Fill four 6-ounce ramekins evenly with the prepared fruit mixture. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to ensure you leave behind any excess liquid that might have accumulated at the bottom of the mixing bowl. Then, generously sprinkle the crumbly buttery oat mixture in an even layer over the top of each ramekin, covering the fruit completely.
Baking to Golden Perfection: The final stage is baking, where the fruit softens and bubbles, and the topping turns wonderfully golden and crisp. Keep an eye on your crisps for those tell-tale signs of readiness.
Step 4: Carefully place the filled ramekins onto a sturdy sheet pan. This makes it easier to transfer them to and from the oven and catches any potential drips. Transfer the baking sheet to your preheated 350°F (177°C) oven. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes, or until the fruit filling is visibly bubbly around the edges, and the oat topping is beautifully golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Expert Tips for the Perfect Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Achieving a consistently perfect strawberry rhubarb crisp is easy with a few key insights. These tips will help you ensure your dessert is always a flavorful and textural triumph:
- Tip #1 – Uniform Fruit Size: For even cooking and consistent texture in your fruit filling, make sure to chop both the strawberries and rhubarb into similarly sized small pieces. This prevents some pieces from being overcooked while others are still firm, ensuring a harmonious, jam-like consistency throughout.
- Tip #2 – Recognize Doneness: You’ll know your crisp is perfectly baked when you observe large, slow, distinct bubbles emerging from the strawberry rhubarb filling. The topping should also be a deep golden brown and feel firm to the touch, indicating maximum crispness. Don’t pull it out too early, as a fully baked filling is key to its deliciousness!
- Tip #3 – The Best Way to Serve: This delicious strawberry rhubarb crisp can be enjoyed warm or cold, but for the ultimate experience, serve it warm! A scoop of premium vanilla bean ice cream melting gently over the hot fruit and crunchy topping is truly divine. Whipped cream or a dollop of crème fraîche also make excellent accompaniments.
- Tip #4 – Don’t Overfill Ramekins: While it’s tempting to pack in as much fruit as possible, avoid overfilling your ramekins. Leave a small amount of space at the top to prevent the bubbly fruit filling from overflowing during baking. This helps keep your oven clean and your crisps looking beautiful.
- Tip #5 – Use a Baking Sheet: Always place your ramekins on a sturdy baking sheet before putting them in the oven. This makes transferring them much easier and, more importantly, catches any potential fruit juices that might bubble over, saving you from a messy oven cleanup.
Common Questions About Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Have questions about making this delightful strawberry rhubarb crisp? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions that will help you bake with confidence.
Rhubarb is actually a vegetable, though it’s most commonly treated as a fruit in culinary applications, particularly in desserts. It’s known for its distinctive tart, tangy flavor and fibrous texture, and it’s typically in season during the spring. Rhubarb is often combined with sweeter fruits like strawberries because the strawberries’ natural sugars perfectly balance rhubarb’s intense sourness, creating a harmonious sweet-tart profile that is highly celebrated. You can find fresh rhubarb in your grocery store’s produce section or at local farmers’ markets when it’s in season, usually from April to June. Some specialty stores may also carry frozen rhubarb year-round.
Both crisps and crumbles are delicious baked fruit desserts topped with a streusel-like mixture of butter, sugar, and flour. The primary distinction lies in the topping. A “crisp” topping typically includes rolled oats, which, when baked, toast and become wonderfully crispy and slightly chewy. This gives the dessert its characteristic “crisp” texture and name. A “crumble” topping, on the other hand, usually omits oats and instead focuses on a mixture of flour, sugar, and butter, creating a more dense, cake-like, and crumbly texture. Our recipe, with its oat inclusion, firmly falls into the crisp category, offering that satisfying textural contrast.
Absolutely! This strawberry rhubarb crisp recipe is incredibly forgiving and works wonderfully with both fresh and frozen fruit. While fresh strawberries are widely available and rhubarb can be found during spring, using frozen fruit offers great convenience and allows you to enjoy this dessert any time of the year. The most important tip when using frozen fruit is to **not thaw it ahead of time**. Adding frozen fruit directly to the filling mixture helps maintain the fruit’s structure and prevents the final crisp from becoming overly watery or soggy, as the cornstarch has ample time to thicken the juices as it bakes.
When selecting rhubarb, look for firm, crisp stalks that are vibrant in color (ranging from red to light green, depending on the variety). Avoid stalks that are limp, bruised, or have any signs of wilting. Only the stalks of rhubarb are edible; the leaves are poisonous due to high levels of oxalic acid and must always be removed before consumption or preparation. If buying from a market, ensure the leaves have already been trimmed off. If not, carefully cut them away and discard them.
Yes, you can! You can prepare the fruit filling and the crisp topping separately the day before. Store the fruit mixture covered in the refrigerator and the topping in an airtight container at room temperature. When ready to bake, assemble the crisps and follow the baking instructions. For best results in terms of crispness, it’s always ideal to bake them fresh right before serving. You can also assemble the crisps completely (steps 1-3) and refrigerate them uncooked for up to 24 hours before baking.
Storing Your Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp for Freshness
Proper storage ensures you can enjoy your delicious strawberry rhubarb crisp for days to come. Here’s how to keep it fresh, whether in the fridge or freezer.
Room Temperature: Due to its fresh fruit content, this crisp should not be stored at room temperature for extended periods. The fruit will spoil quickly, and the topping will lose its crispness.
Refrigerator: To store baked crisps, allow them to cool completely to room temperature first. Then, cover each ramekin tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can refrigerate the crisps for up to 1 week. When ready to enjoy, you can serve them cold, or reheat them in the microwave for 20-40 seconds, or in a preheated oven (300°F/150°C) for about 10-15 minutes until warmed through and the topping is refreshed.
Freezer: For longer storage, you can freeze uncooked crisps. Complete steps 1-3 (prepare filling and topping, assemble in ramekins). Before baking, wrap each individual ramekin tightly with multiple layers of plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to bake, simply place the frozen ramekins directly onto a baking sheet and bake straight from the freezer. You will need to add about 10-15 minutes to the typical cooking time, or until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden and crisp.
More Irresistible Fruit Dessert Recipes
If you’re a fan of easy, fruit-filled desserts, you’re in luck! Explore these other delightful recipes that are just as simple and satisfying as our Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp:
-
Fresh Blueberry Peach Crisp Recipe
-
Mini Strawberry Rhubarb Galettes
-
Easy Mixed Berry Galette Recipe
-
Spiced Blueberry Pie
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it! Tag @brokenovenbaking on Instagram & Facebook and leave a ⭐ review below!
📖 Recipe
Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Recipe
Kayla Burton
Pin Recipe
Equipment
-
4 6 ounce ramekins
-
Baking sheet
-
Mixing bowls
-
Measuring spoons
-
Scale/measuring cups
-
Spatula
Ingredients
Strawberry Rhubarb Filling
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch
- 2 cups strawberries fresh or frozen, chopped
- 1¾ cups rhubarb fresh or frozen, chopped
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar packed
Crisp Topping
- 5 tablespoons (39 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (26 g) old-fashioned oats
- tiny pinch salt
- tiny pinch ground cinnamon optional
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter melted
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare a baking sheet for the ramekins.
Crisp Topping
-
In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, old-fashioned oats, salt, optional ground cinnamon, and light brown sugar. Pour in the melted unsalted butter and mix well with a fork or your fingers until the mixture is crumbly and resembles wet sand. Set aside.
Strawberry Rhubarb Filling
-
In a medium bowl, dissolve the cornstarch completely in the lemon juice, stirring thoroughly to avoid lumps. Add the chopped strawberries, chopped rhubarb, and light brown sugar to the bowl. Mix gently until all the fruit is evenly coated.
Assemble & Bake
-
Evenly distribute the fruit filling among four 6-ounce ramekins, ensuring not to overfill. Then, generously sprinkle the prepared crisp topping in an even layer over the top of each ramekin, covering the fruit completely.
-
Place the ramekins on your baking sheet and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes, or until the fruit filling is bubbly and thick, and the crisp topping is beautifully golden brown and crunchy.
-
Allow the crisps to cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy plain for a simple pleasure, or top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or crème fraîche for an extra treat!
Save This Recipe! 💌
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Notes
Frozen Fruit: If you opt to use frozen strawberries or rhubarb, keep them frozen and add them directly to the filling mixture without thawing. This helps prevent the filling from becoming watery.
Nutrition Disclaimer: The provided nutrition information is an estimate per serving and is calculated based on the ingredients listed. Please note that the calorie and other nutritional values are not guaranteed to be 100% accurate and can vary based on specific brands and preparation methods.
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.