Fruity, sweet, tart, and jammy, this Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp is the dessert of early summer! It’s made in a few simple steps and is topped with a crunchy, buttery cinnamon oatmeal streusel topping. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for a dynamite treat that will be the talk of your warm weather get-togethers!
When it comes to May and June treats, strawberry and rhubarb desserts such as this crisp are quintessential. Maybe you grew up on the combination, having older generations bake up cobblers, crisps, muffins, and more. Or, maybe you’re like me and recently developed a love for this combination!
Rhubarb and strawberry shine during the late spring and early summer months; they’re fresh, flavorful, ripe, and easily found at grocery stores, farm stands, and in backyard gardens. The vegetable and fruit are delicious on their own, but when they combine forces, they go to new levels. The puckery-tart rhubarb is balanced by the juicy and jammy strawberries, making a delicious duet.
I decided it was time to make my feelings for this perfect pairing official by developing and sharing this rhubarb and strawberry crisp. Sweetened with a touch of brown sugar, enhanced with fresh orange zest, and topped with a nutty and buttery oat topping, each balanced and flavorful bite tastes like sun shiny dessert nirvana. It’s incredible topped with scoops of ice cream or whipped cream, making a memorable dessert you’ll think about all summer!
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All About Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a vegetable that is harvested in late spring and early summer. The vegetable consists of long, pink stalks with large green leaves. The stalks look similar to celery but have a smoother surface, aren’t as fibrous, and have a half-moon (instead of crescent) shape when cut in half lengthwise.
On its own, rhubarb is tart and sour with fruity undertones. It is often enjoyed baked with sugar and citrus zest or vanilla to mellow its harshness and enhance its fruitiness. Rhubarb is often paired with strawberries, as their sweet juice complements the veggie’s tart tang, making a beautifully balanced match.
Where to Find Rhubarb
Because of its hardiness, rhubarb is a perennial plant that grows well in many American growing climates and can easily be grown in personal gardens, found in well-stocked grocery stores, and at some spring and early summer farmer’s markets.
If shopping for it at the grocery store, look for long pink stalks (most grocers trim off the leaves), often next to other greens or strawberries. Choose hose with a deep pink color, smooth skin, and minimal blemishes. To make this recipe you will need 3-4 stalks.
Why You Will Love Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
- Quick and Easy (Unlike Pie!) – Raise your hand 🙋🏼♀️ if you love strawberry rhubarb pie! As delicious as it is, its long prep doesn’t always make it doable on busy summer days. That’s where other strawberry rhubarb recipes like this crisp come in. It’s ready in less than 15 minutes of active cooking time and made with beginner-friendly steps. No complicated pie crust or crimping techniques needed!
- Gorgeous Presentation – Elicit oohs and ahhs from family and friends with a skillet of this vibrant red-hued dessert. The easy prep will be our secret! 🤫
- Summer Produce Sensation – I love making this strawberry rhubarb recipe when strawberries are on sale or a friend treats me to a bunch of rhubarb. It’s a creative and tasty way to feature fresh fruits and veg!
Ingredients
- Strawberries – Chopped fresh strawberries add sweetness, juice, and a stunning deep red color. Use fresh for the best results; frozen whole strawberries won’t have the right consistency.
- Rhubarb – For a fruity, puckery tang, essential for this old-fashioned-inspired dessert! Cut off the stems and leaves before chopping the rhubarb; the leaves are toxic and should not be eaten.
- Orange Zest – If you’ve never tried rhubarb desserts with orange zest, consider this your sign! The sweet citrus balances the tart vegetable, making the flavor smooth and sweet. Chef’s kiss!
- Brown Sugar – Sweetens the deal! You will need sugar for the filling and the crisp topping.
- Cornstarch – A tablespoon of this thickens the fruit and vegetable filling, helping the juices to be saucy and spoonable.
- Oatmeal – This hearty whole grain adds a light, nutty crunch to the streusel topping, creating the traditional strawberry rhubarb crisp experience. Use old-fashioned rolled oats for the best texture.
- Whole Wheat Pastry Flour – We will add flour to the oatmeal topping to provide structure and achieve a crumbly consistency.
- Cinnamon – Adds a touch of warmth to the crisp. Use spices with a good expiration date for the best taste.
- Butter – For a buttery richness, allowing the streusel to crisp up and balancing the filling’s sweetness.
Substitutions
- Berries – Don’t have strawberries? Swap raspberries for a sweet, but slightly tangier dessert.
- Sugar – Substitute raw cane or coconut sugar for the brown sugar to keep the molasses flavor while making the recipe processed sugar-free.
- Flour – If you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour, swap the same amount of all-purpose flour.
- Butter – Melted ghee, coconut oil, or vegan butter are all suitable replacements for the melted butter.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Though it looks impressive and smells absolutely divine, making this strawberry rhubarb crisp recipe is actually quite simple! Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet or 9×9-inch baking pan
Step 2: Combine the strawberries, rhubarb, ½ cup brown sugar, cornstarch, and fresh orange zest in a large bowl. Toss until well-combined, then set aside.
Step 3: Stir the rolled oats, flour, ¾ cup brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl until well combined. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture is crumbly and well-combined.
Step 4: Pour the strawberry rhubarb mixture into the prepared skillet or baking dish, then evenly sprinkle with the oatmeal crumble topping.
Step 5: Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the sides of the crisp are bubbling. Cool the crisp at room temperature for about 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Serve the crisp warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Recipe Tips
- Cut the fruit and vegetables into even-sized pieces. For an even balance of sweet and tart in each bite, chop the strawberries and rhubarb into about 1/2-inch pieces.
- Cool the crisp slightly before serving. The fruit juices thicken up as they cool, making them saucy and scoopable. Let the crisp cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This strawberry rhubarb crisp with oatmeal streusel is a nostalgic, classic late spring and summer dessert, perfect for summer dinners, al fresco meals, potlucks, and backyard barbecues.
Go for a classic presentation and serve large spoonfuls of the crisp warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream (or dollops of whipped cream!), or switch it up with cinnamon or strawberry ice cream. Anyway you go, it’s hard to go wrong with this juicy, puckery, crunchy, and bright springtime sweet treat!
Recipe Variations
Add your own tasty touch to this strawberry rhubarb dessert by making any of the following adaptations:
- Tart Fruits – For a similar tangy-sweet flavor profile minus the rhubarb, substitute 1 1/2 cups blackberries, pitted tart cherries, raspberries, or chopped plums.
- Frozen Rhubarb – Make this strawberry rhubarb recipe in the off-season with frozen chopped rhubarb by replacing fresh with frozen; there is no need to defrost it first!
- Gluten-Free – To make a gluten-free treat, swap your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour for the whole wheat pastry flour, use certified gluten-free oats, and follow the recipe directions as listed.
- Vegan and Dairy-Free – Swap coconut or organic cane sugar for the brown sugar and vegan butter or coconut oil for the dairy butter to adjust this recipe for strawberry rhubarb crisp to your diet.
Storage Directions
- Refrigerating: Leftover rhubarb strawberry crisp keeps covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Once completely cooled to room temperature, you can freeze the crisp in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Reheating: Warm individual servings in the microwave on gentle heat or the pan of crisp a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes until hot.
Nutritional Info
This strawberry rhubarb crumble is a delicious and satisfying yet lighter dessert, perfect for warm weather indulgence! With a base of fresh strawberries and rhubarb and an oatmeal-based streusel topping, each serving supplies fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, fiber, healthy carbohydrates, micronutrients like vitamin K, vitamin C, and potassium, and a modest serving of plant-based protein.
A dish of this crisp comes in at 308 calories per serving, with 55 grams from carbohydrate and 10 grams from fat. Part of the carbohydrates come from the strawberries and oats, and the remaining from enough brown sugar to sweeten the dish without making it cloying. The topping is made with 6 tablespoons of melted butter, adding richness and a satisfying crunch, but not overwhelming the recipe with heaviness or unnecessary fat.
This recipe is a balanced whole foods treat I feel great about feeding to my family. If you prefer to lighten the dessert further, swap all or part of the brown sugar with golden or brown monkfruit, coconut sugar, or raw cane sugar. You can also reduce the butter to 1/4 cup, or substitute the same amount of melted coconut oil or vegan butter.
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 308 calories
- Total Fat: 10 grams
- Protein: 3 grams
- Sodium: 86 mg
- Carbohydrates: 55 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Pricing Info
This is what I personally paid to make this recipe:
- 3 cups chopped fresh strawberries: $3.12
- 1 ½ cups chopped fresh rhubarb: $1.64
- ½ cup brown sugar: $0.26
- 1 tbsp cornstarch: $0.02
- 2 tsp fresh orange zest: $0.05
- ¾ cup rolled oats: $0.31
- ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour: $0.20
- ¾ cup brown sugar: $0.39
- ½ cup chopped pecans: $1.69
- ¼ tsp salt: $0.01
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter: $0.79
The total comes out to be around $8.48 or $1.06 per serving!
FAQs
Yes, you can assemble the crisp up to 12 hours in advance. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate until baking as directed.
For an impressive presentation, perfect for dinner parties and celebratory meals, you can certainly bake the old-fashioned strawberry rhubarb crisp in ramekins. Divide the strawberry rhubarb mixture and crumble topping between six ramekins and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the juices are bubbling and the tops are golden brown.
Other Summer Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments below! I would really appreciate your feedback!
Recipe
Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Equipment
- 1 10 inch cast iron skillet or 9×9 baking pan
Ingredients
Strawberry Rhubarb Filling:
- 3 cups chopped fresh strawberries
- 1 ½ cups chopped fresh rhubarb
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp fresh orange zest
Crisp Topping:
- ¾ cup rolled oats
- ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and grease your 10 inch cast iron skillet or 9×9 baking pan.
- In a large bowl, combine strawberries, rhubarb, ½ cup brown sugar, cornstarch, and fresh orange zest. Toss until well-combined, then set aside.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the rolled oats, flour, ¾ cup brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture is crumbly and well combined.
- Pour the strawberry rhubarb mixture into the greased skillet or baking dish, then top with crumble topping mixture evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the sides of the crisp are bubbling. Allow to cool at room temp for about 30 minutes, then serve with ice cream!
Notes
- Refrigerating: Leftover rhubarb strawberry crisp keeps covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Once completely cooled to room temperature, you can freeze the crisp in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Reheating: Warm individual servings in the microwave on gentle heat or the pan of crisp in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes until hot.
- Cut the fruit and vegetables into even-sized pieces. For an even balance of sweet and tart in each bite, chop the strawberries and rhubarb into about 1/2-inch pieces.
- Cool the crisp slightly before serving. The fruit juices thicken up as they cool, making them saucy and scoopable. Let the crisp cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
If you end up making this and loving it, take a photo and tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your versions of my recipes! And feel free to rate it down below in the comment section. I would really appreciate it!
xoxo Megan
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