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This Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp is an easy spring dessert made with juicy strawberries, tart rhubarb, and a buttery oat topping baked until golden and bubbling. It takes about 15 minutes to prep and gives you all the sweet-tart flavor of strawberry rhubarb pie without the extra work of making pie crust.
I make this crisp whenever I want a simple dessert that still feels special enough for spring gatherings and summer dinners. Over time, I’ve found that the best strawberry rhubarb crisp comes down to a few small details: cutting the rhubarb evenly, using enough starch to thicken the fruit juices, and baking until the filling is bubbling all the way around the edges so the texture sets properly.
Kellie’s Note
Easier Than Pie
I LOVE Strawberry Rhubarb pie…..it’s the best thing about spring. I love it even more with a mountain of whipped cream on top….or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
So, my craving for Strawberry Rhubarb Pie hits pretty hard when spring rolls around and since I don’t feel like making a pie crust from scratch I go the way of the homemade fruit crisp.
Strawberries are my absolute favorite thing ever this time of year because they’re sweet like candy, juicy and vibrant red. The most beautiful little things ever. And the tartness of rhubarb is just perfect for balancing out the sweet of the berries. They’re a marriage made in dessert heaven. If you love the sweet-tart flavor like I do, you’re going to love my fruit crisp recipe.
Ingredient Notes for Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
A few simple ingredients make this crisp shine, but a couple of small details will help you get the best texture.
- Rhubarb: Use firm, fresh stalks and discard the leaves. If your stalks are especially thick, slice them into smaller pieces so they soften evenly while baking.
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries work best for balanced texture and flavor. Cut them into evenly sized pieces so they bake at the same rate as the rhubarb.
- Cornstarch: This helps thicken the fruit filling so it bakes up glossy instead of watery.
- Oats: Old-fashioned oats give the topping the best crisp, crumbly texture.
- Butter: Cold butter creates the best crumble topping. Work it in just until you have coarse crumbs with some slightly larger pieces throughout.
- Baking Dish: You can use a skillet or baking dish, but make sure it is large enough to hold the bubbling fruit filling without overflowing.
How To Make Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
This easy dessert comes together in just a few steps and is much simpler than making pie.
- Prepare the filling. Toss the strawberries and rhubarb with the sugar and thickener until evenly coated. The fruit should look glossy and lightly coated, not dry or powdery.
- Make the crisp topping. Combine the dry topping ingredients, then work in the butter until the mixture looks crumbly with a few pea-sized pieces.
- Assemble the crisp. Transfer the fruit mixture to your prepared baking dish and sprinkle the topping evenly over the top.
- Bake until bubbling. The crisp is done when the topping is golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling around the edges. Don’t rely on color alone — bubbling fruit is the best sign that the filling has cooked and thickened properly.
- Cool slightly before serving. Let the crisp rest for 10 to 15 minutes so the filling can settle a bit before scooping.
Kellie’s Rhubarb Crisp Variations
One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to adapt.
- Fruit swaps: Try replacing part of the strawberries with blueberries for a slightly different berry flavor.
- Citrus boost: Add a little fresh orange zest to the filling for a brighter spring flavor.
- Nutty topping: Stir chopped pistachios or walnuts into the crumble topping for extra texture.
- Lower-sugar option: If your strawberries are especially sweet, you can reduce the sugar slightly without losing balance.
- Gluten-free option: Use certified gluten-free oats and your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in the topping.
- Dairy-free option: Swap the butter for a plant-based baking butter.
Storage and Reheating
If you have leftovers, this crisp stores well and is easy to warm back up.
- To store: Cover the cooled crisp and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: For the best texture, reheat it in a 325°F oven until warmed through. This helps the topping crisp back up better than microwaving.
- To serve: It’s delicious warm, at room temperature, or chilled straight from the fridge, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Make-Ahead and Freezing Tips
This is a great dessert to prep ahead for holidays, brunches, or spring dinners.
- Make ahead: You can prepare the fruit filling and crisp topping separately up to 1 day in advance. Store them in the refrigerator, then assemble and bake when ready.
- Short prep-ahead option: You can also assemble the crisp a few hours ahead and refrigerate it before baking.
- To freeze unbaked: Assemble the crisp, wrap it tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking for best results.
- To freeze baked: Let the crisp cool completely, wrap well, and freeze. Reheat in the oven until hot and bubbling again.
Can You Use Frozen Strawberries?
Yes, you can use frozen strawberries in this recipe.
Use them straight from frozen rather than thawing first, since thawed berries can release too much extra liquid. The filling may be slightly juicier, so make sure you keep the thickener in the recipe and bake until the fruit is fully bubbling around the edges.
More Easy Strawberry Desserts
Sometimes, I buy way too many strawberries so I’m always looking for more ways to use them.
We love this easy Strawberry ice cream and this Strawberry Pretzel Salad dessert is the perfect potluck recipe. You can even make this simple Chilled Strawberry Soup that’s famous in Disney World.
OR….go healthy with this Strawberry Banana Smoothie.
If you’re not much of a Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp fan….perhaps you would like this fresh strawberry pie (my personal FAVE!) or an even easier Blueberry Crostata. So, so, so amazing.
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Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Recipe
Equipment
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- measuring cup
- spatula
- 10 inch skillet or baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 cups sliced strawberries
- 1 1/2 cups sliced rhubarb, stems only, discard the leaves
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large bowl, toss the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla to combine being sure all the fruit is coated evenly.
- Pour the fruit mixture into an 8 inch cast iron skillet or an 8×8 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the oat mixture until coarse crumbs form.
- Sprinkle the oat mixture evenly over the fruit and bake for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to 325 and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
- Allow the crisp to cool for 10-20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- You can use frozen strawberries; add them straight from frozen and do not thaw first.
- Bake until the fruit is visibly bubbling around the edges for the best texture.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in a 325°F oven for the best crisp topping.
- For make-ahead prep, prepare the filling and topping separately and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- To make this gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats and a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- To make it dairy-free, use a plant-based butter substitute.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
No, rhubarb does not need to be peeled. Just trim the ends and discard the leaves.
Usually this means the filling did not bake long enough or did not have enough time to rest after baking. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and let it sit for several minutes before serving.
Yes. You can prep the filling and topping separately ahead of time or assemble the whole crisp a few hours before baking.
Yes. You can freeze it either baked or unbaked, wrapped tightly.
Yes. Frozen strawberries work well, but they may make the filling a little juicier.
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