Delicious strawberry rhubarb crumble is a quick and easy dessert recipe with a juicy, sweet and tart filling and crispy, buttery crumble topping. of to make during strawberry and rhubarb season and is ready to serve in under an hour. Ripe sweet strawberries and crisp rhubarb complement each other beautifully in a perfect balance of sweet and tart flavor.
Fruit crumbles are some of my favorite fruit desserts to make because they are easier and faster to make than pies and can be served hot from the oven. This is the perfect dessert to make when making a strawberry rhubarb pie seems like a daunting task. Don’t forget to serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
A Case for Crumble Over Pie
A crumble is a baked fruit dessert consisting of a fruit pie filling that’s topped with a streusel topping instead of baked in a pie crust. Fruit crumbles are similar to fruit crisps and sometimes their names are used interchangeably, but a crisp topping usually includes rolled oats. I love fruit pies but they are time intensive and can be fussy. Crumbles are quick and easy to make and you never have to worry about getting a dreaded soggy bottom crust.
Making a crumble topping starts off very similar to making pie crust by rubbing butter into the flour. Brown sugar is added for sweetness and helps to create its crumbly texture. You can add flavor like lemon zest or cinnamon powder to the topping as well, but I find it is not necessary when using fresh fruit that’s in season.
The fruit filling is the same filling used in my easy recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Galette but the amount of sugar is reduced since the crumble topping is sweetened. Tart rhubarb balances out the sweetness of the strawberries.
I prefer to precook juicy fruit fillings, like those made with berries, to thicken them first before baking the crumble. This helps to keep the fruit juices from bubbling up too much where they completely cover and absorb the topping. We want the streusel topping to bake up golden brown and crispy, not soggy.
Table of contents
Ingredients and Substitutions
All-Purpose Flour – Just like with pie crusts, all-purpose flour works well to create a tender crumble topping. All-purpose flour is made with soft wheat and has a lower protein content and less gluten than flour made from hard wheat like bread flour. Substitutions: To make a gluten-free crumble topping swap wheat flour with a 1-1 gluten-free flour blend like Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 flour. To make a whole grain crumble topping use whole wheat white flour or whole wheat pastry flour for some or all of the all-purpose flour.
Brown Sugar – Brown sugar is made by adding molasses back into white sugar. The molasses gives it a caramel color and flavor. Molasses attracts and holds onto moisture, which helps to create clumps or crumbles of the streusel topping. Substitutions: Use whole cane sugar aka panela, rapadura or jaggery with a bit of water mixed into it to create the same texture as brown sugar to make the crumble topping without refined sugar. Coconut sugar may also be used.
Butter – Cold cubed pieces of butter add flavor and fat to the crumble topping. The butter is cut or rubbed into the flour and sugar mixture to create clumps or coarse crumbs. You don’t want to use melted butter here because it will make the topping greasy. Substitutions: Use a vegan butter replacement to make this crumble recipe vegan or dairy-free.Since vegan butter is usually salted, reduce or omit the added salt to the crumble topping.
Strawberries – Strawberry rhubarb crisp is best made when fresh strawberries are in season where you live but can be made with fresh or frozen strawberries from grocery stores. If you can pick your own berries where you live, pick enough to freeze and use throughout the seasons long after strawberry season has ended. Substitutions: Strawberries can be swapped with other berries such as blueberries, raspberries or blackberries if you prefer, but nothing beats the combination of strawberries and rhubarb.
Rhubarb – Rhubarb is used most often in sweet recipes, but it is actually a vegetable. Its tart flavor pairs wonderfully with sweet fruit, and it is especially delicious when paired with juicy strawberries. Fresh rhubarb stalks are best for this crumble. Look for rhubarb when it’s in season near you at farmers markets. Rhubarb plants are easy and beautiful plants to grow in your garden. It freezes well and can be used in other recipes like Vegan Rhubarb Curd Bars. Substitutions: use frozen rhubarb when it is out of season or try swapping it with tart fruit like gooseberries, ground cherries or sour cherries.
Tapioca Starch – Tapioca starch is made from cassava/yuca and is used to thicken the juicy fruit filling. Precooking the filling activates the starches and ensures that the fruit juices won’t bubble up and cover the crumble topping. Substitutions: Use other starches such as cornstarch or arrowroot powder in the same amount.
Vanilla Extract – A splash of vanilla extract rounds out the flavor for the strawberry rhubarb filling and is all you need when using premium fresh fruit. Substitutions: Feel free to omit the vanilla. You really don’t need to add any extra flavorings like lemon juice, lemon zest, orange juice, orange zest, or cinnamon to this dessert. Rhubarb is already tart so lemon would be overkill and cinnamon would muddle the fresh fruit flavors.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
Step 1: Make the Crumble Topping
First combine flour, brown sugar and salt together with a fork in a medium bowl. Then cut cold unsalted butter into roughly half-inch pieces. Pro tip: use a bench knife cut the butter quickly and cleanly.
Rub the butter pieces into the dry ingredients with your fingertips or use a pastry cutter (aka pastry blender) until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces.
Stir in ice water 1-tablespoon at a time with the fork until the mixture starts to clump together. You’ll about 3-4 tablespoons depending on your environment. The mixture should hold together when you squeeze it but fall apart into clumps. Remember: you can always add more water but can’t take it away.
Spread the buttery crumble topping onto a quarter sheet pan and place it in the freezer to firm up while you prepare the filling.
Step 2: Precook the Filling
Preheat the oven to 425˚F/220˚C. Cut the rhubarb stalks into half-inch thick pieces and add them to a medium saucepan. Remove the stems and tops of the strawberries and halve or quarter them depending on their size. Tiny berries can be kept whole. Add them to the saucepan with the tangy rhubarb.
Add the sugar, tapioca starch and salt to the saucepan and stir the mixture with a silicone spatula to evenly coat the fruit.
Bring the fruit mixture to a low boil over medium-high heat stirring frequently so the fruit doesn’t burn on the bottom before its juices release and the sugar dissolves. Let the filling bubble and thicken for 5-10 minutes until it is glossy and thick but still pourable.
Stir in the vanilla extract off of the heat.
Step 3: Bake the Crumble
Pour the hot filling into a large shallow tart pan without a removable bottom, pie plate, cast iron skillet or baking dish. The pan should be wide and shallow to increase the surface area of the topping and let the fruit filling spread out so it won’t able to bubble up and over all of the crumble topping.
Take the crumble mixture out of the freezer and crumble it over the hot filling, covering it in an even layer. Place the baking dish onto a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil to catch any drips. Bake the strawberry crumble for 20 minutes or until the buttery topping is golden brown and crunchy and the filling is bubbling up at the sides.
Serve the crumble hot from the oven. Use a large serving spoon to cut into the crumble and dish it out into bowls. Top each serving with a scoop of vanilla cream for the perfect summer dessert!
Make Individual Servings
Crumble is a great recipe for baking as individual portions for a special occasion. To make single servings of this easy dessert, divide the filling into 8 oven-safe ramekins or small baking dishes and top each portion with the crumble topping.
Place the ramekins onto a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil to catch any drips. Reduce the baking to 15-20 minutes. They’re ready when the buttery topping is golden brown and crunchy and the filling is bubbling up at the sides.
Storage
Leftover crumble can be wrapped in foil and kept at room temperature for up to 1 day or refrigerated for up to 3 days. It is best eaten warm so reheat it before serving.
The sweet crumble topping can be made ahead of time and frozen in a freezer bag for up to 6 months.
The fruit filling can be precooked ahead of time, cooled to room temperature then stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 6 months. If frozen, thaw the filling in the refrigerator before proceeding with the next step in the recipe.
Recipe FAQS
It is better to prepare the crumble topping and precook the filling and freeze them separately than to freeze a crumble after it’s baked. The topping and precooked filling can both be frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw the filling in the refrigerator then proceed with the recipe and use the topping straight from the freezer as is done in the recipe.
Fruit crumbles and crisps both have a streusel topping but crisps include rolled oats which make a crispier topping. Cobbler is made with biscuit/scone or cake-like batter topping.
The easiest method to make gluten free strawberry rhubarb crumble is to simply replace the flour in this recipe with a 1-1 gluten-free flour blend.
Swap butter with a vegan butter replacement in equal amounts. The crumble pictured is vegan and made with vegan butter. I mainly use Country Crock Plant Butter for vegan baked goods.
There are different varieties of rhubarb and some have stalks that stay green or just show a tiny bit of red. Victoria rhubarb has greenish stalks while Crimson Red rhubarb, which is what is shown in this recipe, has bright red stalks that retain their vibrant color when cooked. The color does not affect the taste.
More Delicious Strawberry Recipes to Try
- Strawberry Shortcake Cake
- Strawberry Rhubarb Galette
- Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Frangipane Galettes
- Vegan Strawberry Jam Ice Cream (Dairy Free)
- Strawberry Elderflower Gin Smash
- Vegan Lilac Strawberry Shortcake
- Strawberry Icebox Pie | Vegan
- Recipe: Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Wheat Bran Crumb Top Muffins
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Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Recipe
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
- 210 g all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups
- 100 g brown sugar 1/2 cup
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 114 g unsalted butter cold, 8 tablespoons
- 3 tablespoons ice water
Fruit Filling
- 370 g rhubarb 4 large stalks, trimmed and leaves removed
- 455 g strawberries 1 lb
- 150 g granulated sugar 3/4 cup
- 15 g tapioca starch 2 tablespoons
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Crumble Topping
- First combine flour, brown sugar and salt together with a fork in a medium bowl. Then cut cold unsalted butter into roughly half-inch pieces.
- Rub the butter pieces into the dry ingredients with your fingertips or use a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces.
- Stir in ice water 1-tablespoon at a time with the fork until the mixture starts to clump together. You’ll about 3-4 tablespoons depending on your environment. The mixture should hold together when you squeeze it but fall apart into clumps. Remember: you can always add more water but can't take it away.
- Spread the crumble topping onto a quarter sheet pan and place it in the freezer to firm up while you prepare the filling.
Fruit Filling
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F/220˚C. Cut the rhubarb stalks into half-inch thick pieces and add them to a medium saucepan. Remove the stems and tops of the strawberries and halve or quarter them depending on their size. Tiny berries can be kept whole. Add them to the saucepan with the rhubarb.
- Add the sugar, tapioca starch and salt to the saucepan and stir the mixture with a silicone spatula to evenly coat the fruit.
- Bring the fruit mixture to a low boil over medium-high heat stirring frequently so the fruit doesn't burn on the bottom before its juices release and the sugar dissolves. Let the filling bubble and thicken for 5-10 minutes until it is glossy and thick but still pourable. Stir in the vanilla extract off of the heat.
Bake
- Pour the hot filling into a large shallow tart pan without a removable bottom, pie plate, cast iron skillet or baking dish.
- Take the crumble mixture out of the freezer and crumble it over the hot filling, covering it in an even layer. Place the baking dish onto a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil to catch any drips.
- Bake the strawberry crumble for 20 minutes or until the buttery topping is golden brown and crunchy and the filling is bubbling up at the sides.
- Serve the crumble hot from the oven. Use a large serving spoon to cut into the crumble and dish it out into bowls. Optionally top each serving with a scoop of vanilla cream.
Video
Notes
- Leftover crumble can be wrapped in foil and kept at room temperature for up to 1 day or refrigerated for up to 3 days. It is best eaten warm so reheat it before serving.
- The crumble topping can be made ahead of time and frozen in a freezer bag for up to 6 months.
- The fruit filling can be precooked ahead of time, cooled to room temperature then stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 6 months. If frozen, thaw the filling in the refrigerator before proceeding with the next step in the recipe.
Kaity
Test
Kathy C
How much sugar for the filling? Missing on ingredient list.
Kaity Farrell
Ah! 150g sugar or 3/4 cup. Just fixed it. Thanks for catching that!