If you’re on the hunt for a rhubarb recipe that’s easy, delicious and totally kid-friendly, this Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble is perfect for you! It’s the perfect not-too-sweet treat with a crumbly oat topping and the season’s freshest produce.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Recipe
- Easy to Make: There are only a few steps to making this delectable rhubarb dessert. Make the filling, add the crumble on top (no pie crust to fuss with!) and bake. It takes very little time to prepare. The magic happens in the oven!
- Great Use for Rhubarb: Rhubarb is a fantastic ingredient often underutilized in desserts. Its tartness pairs beautifully with sweet fruits like strawberries, making it ideal for crumbles, pies, and other baked goods. Plus, rhubarb is rich in vitamins and a great source of dietary fiber.
- Kid-Friendly: This dessert is sweet, slightly tart and has a delicious crumbly topping that kids will love! It’s a great recipe for kids to experience a vegetable they might not have been exposed to yet.
- Not Too Sweet: Many rhubarb recipes call for a good deal of sugar to offset its mildly tart taste. But in this recipe, when paired with fresh sweet strawberries, the need to use so much sugar disappears, making it the perfect sweet but not-too-sweet dessert. If you want more “sweet but not to sweet desserts” try my Dark Chocolate Cupcakes, Passionfruit Pound Cake Muffins or these Peach & Strawberry Shortcakes!
The Ingredients
- Rhubarb: Rhubarb tastes a lot like a green apple in tartness mixed with a very tiny hint of celery that perfectly complements the sweetness of the strawberries.
- Strawberries: Strawberries are naturally sweet and balance out the tart rhubarb flavor. Plus they add juiciness to the filling as it bakes.
- Lemon juice and zest: Lemon juice adds acidity to the strawberry-rhubarb filling helping balance out the flavors while the zest adds brightness and a small burst of citrusy flavor to the topping.
- Brown sugar: You don’t need a ton of brown sugar for this recipe, but just a little adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the filling and the crumble topping.
- All purpose flour: This is the base of the topping, giving structure and texture.
- Old fashioned oats: This gives more texture to the crumble topping and a subtle nutty flavor.
- Baking powder: Helps the topping rise so that it has perfect fluffy texture.
- Chilled unsalted butter: Using chilled butter helps the topping be firm yet tender, and chewy, with big chunks. If you use room temperature or melted butter the crumble topping will flatten out and be dense instead of light, fluffy and crumbly.
*For a complete list of ingredients and their measurements see the recipe card below*
Variations and Substitutions
- Gluten-Free Substitute: Replace the all-purpose flour in the crumble topping with a gluten-free flour to make this recipe suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Mixed Berries: You could use a combination of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries instead of strawberries in the filling and make a delicious mixed berry rhubarb crumble.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
Step 1: Prepare the filling by combining strawberries, rhubarb, lemon juice and brown sugar in a bowl. Stir until all the ingredients are coated.
Step 2: Place the first 5 crumble topping ingredients into a bowl and combine. Add the cold butter to the dry ingredients and crumble with your hands to form small pea-size clumps.
Step 3: Place filling in an oil sprayed 9-inch pie dish or an 8×8 baking dish. Crumble the topping on top of the filling, place dish on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden.
Tips for This Recipe
- Let it Cool: Allow the rhubarb crumble to cool slightly before serving. This helps the filling set and makes the crumble easier to serve. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for an irresistible dessert.
- Cold Butter: Use cold butter cut into small pieces or grated. This helps create a crumbly texture. You can use your fingers to incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients until it forms pea-sized pieces.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
To Store: Allow strawberry rhubarb crumble to cool completely then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To Freeze: Allow the crumble to cool completely then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat at 375°F for 20-25 minutes or until warmed through and the topping is crisp.
FAQs
I suggest using fresh rhubarb and strawberries for the best flavor. Frozen can work in a pinch, but fresh fruit gives the crumble a superior texture. If you do use frozen rhubarb and strawberries, just make sure to thaw and drain them well to prevent excess moisture from affecting the crumble’s texture.
This crumble is delicious on its own, but you can make it ever better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or even a drizzle of custard on top.
Yes, you can freeze this crumble either before or after baking. Wrap it tightly to keep out air and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. If it’s unbaked, bake as directed. If it’s already baked, reheat for 20-25 minutes until warm and crispy.
More Summertime Desserts
This Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble is the best summer dessert ever. It’s perfect for a summer picnic, family dinner, or just because you have some rhubarb to use up!
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Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
Equipment
- 9 Inch Pie Dish (or 8×8 inch baking dish)
Ingredients
For the Crumble Topping
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter (cut into cubes)
For the Filling:
- 1 cup chopped rhubarb (about 2 stalks)
- 2 cups hulled and quartered strawberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Place the first 5 crumble topping ingredients into a bowl and combine.
- Add the cold butter to the dry ingredients and crumble with your hands to form small pea-size clumps.
- To prepare the filling, toss all the filling ingredients in a bowl until coated then place in an oil sprayed 9-inch pie dish or an 8×8 baking dish.
- Crumble the topping on top of the filling, place dish on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden.
- Cool and serve on its own or topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
- Let it Cool: Allow the rhubarb crumble to cool slightly before serving. This helps the filling set and makes the crumble easier to serve. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for an irresistible dessert.
- Use Cold Butter: Use cold butter cut into small pieces or grated. This helps create a crumbly texture. You can use your fingers to incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients until it forms pea-sized pieces.
- To Store: Allow strawberry rhubarb crumble to cool completely then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: Allow crumble to cool completely then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat at 375°F for 20-25 minutes or until warmed through and the topping is crisp.
Nutrition
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