Warm strawberry rhubarb crisp with a dollop of whipped cream might just be the best easy spring dessert! Tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries are the perfect combination, especially with a cinnamon-spiced oat topping.
Honey-Sweetened Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Recipe
I can’t pass up rhubarb whenever I see it in the farmer’s market. Rhubarb season is short, after all, and I want to make the most of it! Strawberry rhubarb baked oatmeal goes on the menu for breakfast, I make strawberry rhubarb compote for keeping on hand in the fridge, and then this strawberry rhubarb crisp is sure to make an appearance for dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
- Just sweet enough. Rhubarb is tart, but a lot of recipes completely overwhelm its natural flavor with cups and cups of sugar. Here, I balance the pucker of rhubarb in the filling with sweet strawberries, orange juice, and honey. (When rhubarb isn’t in season, you can still make this strawberry crisp!)
- That irresistible topping. Raise your hand if you can’t resist picking the topping off of fruit crisp while you wait for it to cool! The cinnamon-spiced oat topping also brings more sweetness to the table, along with lots of cozy flavor and texture to contrast with the jammy berries and rhubarb.
- The easiest spring dessert. What I love most about crisp recipes, whether it’s this one, blueberry peach crisp, or cinnamon apple crisp, is how easy it is to put them together. Mix the fruit filling, mix the topping, assemble, and bake!
What You’ll Need
I bet you have most of the ingredients you need for this strawberry rhubarb crisp in your pantry already! Scroll down to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
For the Filling:
- Strawberries – If you can get your hands on local strawberries, they’re always the best! They tend to be smaller, but also sweeter.
- Rhubarb stalks – Discard the leaves. Only the stalks of the rhubarb plant are edible.
- Orange – You’ll need both the zest and the juice.
- Cornstarch – This thickens the filling.
- Honey – Maple syrup also works, but I think the flavor of honey is ideal.
For the Topping:
- Quick oats – Be sure your oats are gluten-free certified if you want to make a gluten-free crisp.
- Flour – Use a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour or white whole wheat flour.
- Sugar – Light brown sugar or coconut palm sugar both work in this recipe.
- Cinnamon – For cozy flavor.
- Butter – To make your strawberry rhubarb crisp vegan, swap in your favorite plant-based butter (and then use maple syrup instead of honey, too).
How Do You Hull Strawberries?
Don’t just slice the pale tops and greens off of the strawberries! Hulling them removes the harder part of the berry that’s just underneath the stem. Use a paring knife and cut at an angle around the green top, then pull it out.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Here’s a quick overview of the steps involved in making this strawberry rhubarb crisp. See the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Make the filling. Combine the strawberries and rhubarb in a baking dish, then toss them with the rest of the filling ingredients.
- Prepare the topping. Stir together the ingredients in a medium bowl, then sprinkle this evenly over the fruit filling.
- Bake. Place the baking dish in an oven preheated to 375ºF and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned and the fruit is bubbling up along the edges.
Tips and Variations
- Choose the best rhubarb. The stalks should be firm, not wilted, and they should be no more than two inches wide. Rhubarb stalks that are thicker than this are likely to be stringy and tough.
- Switch up the spices. I love to keep it simple with cinnamon in the topping for this strawberry rhubarb crisp, but you can experiment with other flavors. Cardamom and ginger would both work well.
- Make it in a skillet. If you have a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, you can use that to bake your crisp.
- Let it cool—but just a little. Crisps are best served warm, but not hot—you want to wait 10 to 15 minutes so the filling has a chance to thicken a bit. Then dig in!
Serving Suggestions
I love adding a dollop of whipped cream to the top of the crisp, or a scoop of frozen yogurt. I’ve also been known to enjoy leftovers for breakfast with Greek yogurt—it’s kind of like a yogurt parfait!
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped in the baking dish for up to 3 days.
- Freeze. Transfer the strawberry rhubarb crisp to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat. Warm up leftovers in the microwave or in a 350ºF oven until heated through.
More Recipes With Strawberries
- Roasted Strawberry Almond Flour Muffins
- Strawberry Swiss Roll
- Strawberry Cheesecake Dip
- Grilled Chicken, Strawberry, Avocado Salad with Citrus Dressing
- Skinny Strawberry Fool
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 20 ounces strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 12 ounces rhubarb stalks, about 5 or 6 cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 orange, zested and juiced
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup honey
For the Topping:
- 3/4 cup quick oats, I used gluten-free
- 1/3 cup 100% gluten-free or white whole wheat flour
- 2.25 ounces light brown sugar or coconut palm sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine strawberries and rhubarb in an oven safe dish.
- Add honey.
- Then orange juice and orange zest; sprinkle with cornstarch and toss until fruit is well coated.
- Mix remaining ingredients for the topping in a medium bowl then spread over fruit.
- Bake until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling, about 40 minutes.
- Serve with a scoop of frozen yogurt or whipped cream if desired.
