Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (Print Version)
Sweet-tart strawberries and rhubarb with a buttery oat crumble—warm and shareable.
# What You'll 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 rolled oats
08 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
09 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the 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 with granulated sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Toss gently until the fruit is evenly coated, then spread the mixture uniformly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold diced butter and cut it in using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture forms coarse, pea-sized crumbs.
04 - Scatter the oat topping evenly over the fruit filling, ensuring full coverage across the surface.
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 allow the crisp to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally accompanied by vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast of jammy, tart fruit against a shattering, golden oat crust is the kind of thing that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
- It comes together in under twenty minutes of hands on work, which means you can decide to make dessert an hour before guests arrive and still look like you planned it for days.
02 -
- If you cut the rhubarb pieces too large they will not soften properly and you will end up with stringy, chewy pockets in your otherwise perfect crisp.
- Resist the urge to add more butter to the topping because extra fat makes it spread into a solid sheet rather than a craggy, crumbly blanket.
03 -
- Spread the fruit mixture into the dish and let it sit for ten minutes before adding the topping so the sugar begins drawing out the juices and you can see whether you need to sprinkle on a little extra cornstarch.
- The single biggest secret is baking it until you see actual bubbling juices coming up through the crust, because anything less means the cornstarch has not fully activated and your filling will be runny.