This Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch is flavorful and nostalgic, with a golden, crumbly filling of oats and cinnamon. It’s perfect !
When I was growing up, my family had a huge rhubarb plant. Rhubarb is really ugly; it looks like a monstrous weed with thick leaves and stems. But every year my mother would harvest the pink-green stalks and make a rhubarb crisp. Boy was that heaven! The neon pink filling was intensely cute, like a Jolly Rancher. Here’s our take on my family recipe: a strawberry rhubarb crisp with just enough sweetness and a crumbly, cinnamon-flavored oatmeal filling. It’s comfortable, welcoming and Then damn good.
Why make this strawberry rhubarb crispy?
As you may know, Alex and I love healthy desserts. But here’s the thing: the desserts just have to be good! It’s a treat by definition! This Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch is designed to really taste Really Good: It is not a dietary food, but for occasional enjoyment. There are also several ingredients that you can adapt to different diets. Here are the characteristics of this delicious summer dessert:
- The crunchy filling is made with rolled oats and all-purpose or almond flour. For a classic crisp, use all-purpose flour. Or you can use almond flour for a gluten-free crunchy topping. You can also use oatmeal if you have some on hand.
- You can use butter or coconut oil. This recipe also has the option of using butter for a standard crisp or coconut oil to make it a vegan dessert.
- It’s just sweet enough (not sickly). Some strawberry rhubarb chip recipes call for tons of sugar. This one uses just enough to get the right sweet flavor without being sweet. Using more berries in the filling than rhubarb helps accentuate the natural sweetness and balance out the tart rhubarb.
Crunchy filling: the key to crunchy vs. soft!
This Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp has a few different options when it comes to crumble ingredients. Here is some additional information about the outcome of these diet options:
- Oatmeal vs Almond Flour: The topping makes this crunch a gluten-free dessert, because: well, we like it better that way! Oatmeal is a bit doughier, but if you use butter and sugar, it still gets quite crunchy. You can make your own oatmeal using a blender or food processor. Almond flour is the crispiest!
- Butter instead of coconut oil: The butter helps make a crunchy filling that tastes a little richer. But for a vegan and plant-based dessert, coconut oil is just as good! It has a light coconut essence but not too strong.
How to store leftovers
Most importantly, if you grew up eating rhubarb too, we hope this strawberry rhubarb crunch recipe will bring back nostalgic memories! There is something magical about this grass-like plant. And eating crumbles is one of the best sweets if you ask us! Now if you do this and have leftovers…how do you store them? Does the chip need to be cooled?
- Room temperature: stable for 1 day! You can leave your Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp on the counter for up to 1 day (cover overnight). This keeps the crumbly filling crispy.
- Chilled: Day 2-3! After 1 day at room temperature, store leftovers in the refrigerator. They stay good for about 3 days.
To mix together! Ways to customize Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch
This recipe makes an easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with a sweet cake flavor and a crunchy crumble. If you’re looking for ways to make it even more custom, try one of our flavorings! Here are some flavor ideas that add complexity:
- citrus: Add ¼ tsp orange zest or ½ tsp lemon zest to the filling
- Fresh ginger: Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger root to the filling
- Cardamom: Add ¼ teaspoon of ground cardamom to the crumble
Or try other berries! Opt for the Classic Blackberry Crisp or the Mixed Berry Crisp.
What’s your favorite way to eat rhubarb?
Let us know in the comments: we’d love to know! In the meantime, here are some of our favorite rhubarb recipes:
This Crispy Strawberry Rhubarb Recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free foods, use coconut oil instead of butter.
The description
This Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch is flavorful and nostalgic, with a golden, crumbly filling of oats and cinnamon. It’s perfect !
For the filling
- 2 cups Chopped Rhubarb (10 ounces)
- 3 cups sliced strawberries (1 A book)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon Orange zest, optional
For the crispy topping
- ¾ cup Old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup All-purpose flour or almond flour (for gluten-free)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Cinammon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons cold salted butter (or coconut oil or vegan butter for vegans)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- make filling: Cut the rhubarb into small pieces (about ½ inch wide). Slice strawberries by cutting large strawberry slices in half. In a medium bowl, mix together the strawberries and rhubarb with the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and orange zest (optional).
- make filling: In a medium bowl, combine oatmeal, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Cut the butter into small pieces, then mix into the rolled oats with your hands until fully distributed and a crumbly dough forms. (If using coconut oil, it can be at room temperature; use the same method to add it.)
- Pour the filling into a 9-inch round cake pan (or 9 x 9-inch skillet), 9 x 9-inch casserole dish, or 7 x 11 casserole dish. Pour the crumble over it and smooth it out with your fingers to form an even layer.
- Bake until top is evenly lightly browned and topping is bubbly (this depends on your oven and berries: it may be shorter or longer, so keep an eye on it) for 45-50 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour and then serve. You can leave your Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp on the counter for up to 1 day (covered, overnight) to allow the topping to stay crisp. After 1 day, store leftovers in the refrigerator.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Cooked
- Kitchen: American
Keywords: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Recipe, Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Want easy desserts?
In addition to this healthy strawberry rhubarb crunch, here are some easy desserts we love:
Last update: March 2021
