Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (Printable)
Baked strawberries and rhubarb crowned with a buttery oat topping, served warm with ice cream or yogurt.
# What You Need:
→ Fruit Filling
01 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
02 - 2 cups rhubarb, diced (about 2-3 stalks)
03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
05 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
→ Crisp Topping
07 - 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
08 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
09 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square or round baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced strawberries and diced rhubarb. Add granulated sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Toss gently until all the fruit is evenly coated, then spread the mixture in an even layer across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to cut it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
04 - Sprinkle the oat topping evenly over the fruit filling, covering the surface completely.
05 - Place the dish in the center of the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the fruit juices are bubbling around the edges and the topping is deeply golden brown.
06 - Remove from the oven and let the crisp rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. The filling will thicken as it cools. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between jammy, tart fruit and that shattering, buttery oat crust is the kind of thing that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
- It comes together in one bowl for the filling and one for the topping, which means you get maximum dessert glory with minimal dishwashing.
02 -
- If you cut into it too soon the filling runs everywhere like a broken dam, so that 15 minute rest is the difference between a beautiful dessert and a messy puddle.
- Tossing the fruit with cornstarch before adding the sugar prevents clumping, a small trick I learned after pulling a crisp full of chalky lumps from the oven one embarrassing afternoon.
03 -
- The single biggest mistake is using warm or softened butter in the topping, which melts into a greasy sheet instead of creating those irresistible crunchy pockets, so cube it straight from the fridge and work fast.
- Let the finished crisp cool on a wire rack rather than a cold countertop so the bottom does not sweat and turn soggy underneath all that beautiful fruit.