Strawberry rhubarb crisp: three words that perfectly describe my own personal summertime addiction. Strawberries and rhubarb are such a perfect combination and a warm crisp is just the best way you can have them. Soft and jammy, the tangy cooked fruits are topped with a sweet and buttery maple oat crisp. The contrast between soft and crunchy is really irresistible.
Since I moved to Sweden, the beginning of rhubarb season has always meant that summer is finally here. It's not always so obvious, as rhubarb generally starts out when the nights are still pretty cool, but the promise of summer is just round the corner. And after a harsh Swedish winter, spring always comes a relief.
Strawberries are usually peak summer stuff. Strawberry and rhubarb together pretty much sum up Swedish summer in a nutshell. Every café, every household bakes strawberry rhubarb crisps around June. If you love this stuff, this might be the best time to visit Sweden for you, then.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Rhubarb & Strawberries are the main ingredients. You can either use them fresh or thawed. If using frozen thawing is recommended.
- Sugar is needed both in the fruit filling (rhubarb is tart!) and in the crisp. Sub with your favourite alternative for a sugar-free version.
- Potato starch to absorb some of the juice for the fruits and thicken the filling. Sub with cornstarch.
- Butter goes in the crisp, this is the only ingredient with animal origin, so choose a plant-based butter and this crisp will be vegan.
- Syrup either maple or golden syrup.
- Vanilla complements the sweet flavours but you can skip it if you don't have any.
- Rolled oats (oatmeal) are the main ingredient in the crisp.
- Flour thickens the crisp. Use a gluten-free flour if you need to make it without gluten.
For detailed quantities, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to make strawberry rhubarb crisp
1. Clean and cut the rhubarb and strawberries into small pieces about the same size.
2. Add the sugar and potato starch and stir to distribute. Spread fruit mixture over the bottom of a tart pan.
3. Melt the butter and stir in the maple syrup and vanilla extract. Combine rolled oats, sugar and flour and pour butter mixture in.
4. Whisk all the ingredients together, until combined, with the help of an electric mixer, or by hand.
5. Distribute crisp batter all over the fruits. No need to cover them completely: the batter will spread as it melts in the oven.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes at 180°C. Let set for 15 minutes before attempting to cut, as the filling might be very runny.
Strawberry rhubarb crisp tips
There is no need to peel the rhubarb. Especially if the stalks are young and thin, the filaments around them will be rather soft. Thicker older stalks may be slightly harder, but you don't need to peel those, either. Oven time will help break it down quite a bit and the final result will not feel fibrous.
Let it set! The filling of your crisp may appear runny as soon as it comes out of the oven. Using potato starch helps turn the fruit juices into jelly, this will occur as the crisp sets. If you notice that you crisp is too runny to serve at once, just let it set and chill. As a general rule, a chilled crisp is easier to cut and portion out, while a warm crisp straight out of the oven will be more difficult to portion and might be best enjoyed directly from the pan.
Alternatives to a tart pan could be smaller ceramic or glass pots for single-serve portions. Let it cool and serve the strawberry rhubarb crisp directly in the pots you baked it in! Remember to adjust the baking time if baking smaller portions, as it might be ready already after 20 minutes. Take it out when the fruits are bubbling and the crisp is golden brown.
Store refrigerated for up to 5 days. Keep your strawberry rhubarb crisp in its pan covered with cling film. If you wish to have your rhubarb crisp warm, microwave it in single portions and keep the rest in the fridge. Sometimes I'll bake a batch in 2 glassware lunch boxes, let it cool, cover with their own lids and place in the freezer for later enjoyment! Just make sure the glassware can be used in the oven (I use those from Ikea and they're fantastic!).
You may also like
Inspired by this strawberry rhubarb combo and looking for more fantastic summertime dessert? Here's a selection of fantastic recipes to make. I give you 2 rhubarb recipes, one strawberry dessert (it's fantastic!) and a delightful lemon pie. Just click on the images below to access more recipes!
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This recipe was originally posted in July 2019.
Strawberry rhubarb crisp
Ingredients
Fruit base
- 275 g rhubarb
- 200 g strawberries
- 55 g sugar
- ½ tablespoon potato starch
Oat crisp
- 150 g butter
- 50 ml maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 115 g rolled oats
- 165 g sugar
- 90 g flour
Instructions
- Clean and cut the rhubarb and strawberries into small pieces about the same size. Add the sugar and potato starch and stir to distribute. Spread fruit mixture over the bottom of a pyrex or ceramic tart pan.
- Melt the butter and stir in the maple syrup and vanilla extract. Combine rolled oats, sugar and flour and pour butter mixture in. Mix to combine, either by hand with a spatula or by giving it a quick mix with an electric mixer.
- Transfer crisp batter over the fruits and gently spread all over. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes at 180°C.
Notes
- This strawberry rhubarb crisp tastes fantastic both warm and cold. Let it set for 15 minutes after taking it out of the oven, then you can already serve it. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave to desired temperature.
