Strawberry Crisp

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5 from 12 votes
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Strawberry crisp is an easy and rustic dessert you can enjoy all summer long! Fresh strawberries are baked under a warm buttery oat topping, then served with ice cream.

strawberry crisp.

When you have an abundance of fresh summer strawberries to use up, there’s nothing better than layering them on a cheesecake, blending them into a smoothie, and baking them in a strawberry crisp! In this easy strawberry crisp recipe, juicy berries are tossed in sugar and cornstarch, then baked under a sweet, warm, and buttery oat topping. Serve each scoop with plenty of ice cream and dig in all summer long.

Table of Contents
  1. Why this recipe works
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How to make strawberry crisp
  4. Tips to make the best recipe
  5. Storage instructions
  6. Recommended tools to make this recipe
  7. More summer desserts to try
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Strawberry Crisp (Recipe Card)

Why this recipe works

Strawberries are the star of the show in a strawberry crisp. They’re coated in vanilla, sugar, and cornstarch, then baked under a crisp and crumbly oat topping. The fruit filling becomes bubbly and juicy while the buttery crisp on top compliments every sweet bite.

  • The best summer dessert. Like a blackberry crisp, while you can make this year-round, the flavors will be even more vibrant and irresistible when you use fresh, seasonal strawberries.
  • Simple ingredients. Strawberry crisp is made with simple and budget-friendly pantry staple ingredients and fresh fruit. 
  • Perfect for a crowd. Crisp recipes are famously easy to make with a rustic presentation, making it a wonderful treat to serve with ice cream at special events and get-togethers.

And if you can’t find fresh strawberries for the crisp, feel free to customize the filling with another type of fruit. Apple crisp is another warm and comforting variation, or you can use blueberries, peaches, or rhubarb instead.

recipe strawberry crisp.

Ingredients needed

I recommend picking up the best strawberries you can find from your local farmer’s market for this recipe! Other than the berries, this dessert is easy to make with simple baking staples. This is what you need:

For the strawberry filling: 

  • Fresh strawberries. Fresh strawberries are mixed with the rest of the filling ingredients, topped with the sweet crispy topping, then baked until bubbly and golden.
  • Orange zest. Or try using lemon or lime zest.
  • Vanilla extract. For a warm and delicious flavor in the filling.
  • Granulated sugar. To sweeten the filling and balance the tartness from the strawberries.
  • Cornstarch. To help thicken the filling.

For the crisp topping: 

  • Butter. Use cold butter straight from the fridge or freezer.
  • Old-fashioned oats. AKA rolled oats. Quick oats should work, too.
  • Granulated sugar. To sweeten the filling.
  • Light brown sugar. The brown sugar melts into the filling, giving it a caramelized crunch.
  • Cinnamon. To fill the topping with warm and comforting flavors.
  • Salt. To taste.
  • All purpose flour. Or use another type of flour, like a 1:1 gluten free blend, almond flour, or oat flour.
  • Ice cream. For serving. Vanilla ice cream is best or you can mix it up with coconut ice cream or oat milk ice cream.
  • Strawberries. For serving.
  • Mint leaves. To garnish each serving.

How to make strawberry crisp

This is a famously easy dessert! Here’s how to make it:

Step 1 – Make the strawberry filling

Stir the chopped strawberries, orange zest, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and cornstarch together in a large bowl.

strawberries tossed in sugar.

Pour the filling into a cast iron skillet or baking dish.

Step 2 – Make the crisp topping

Stir the butter cubes, oats, sugars, cinnamon, salt, and flour together in another large bowl. Use a fork or pastry blender to mix everything together until the crisp resembles coarse crumbs.

strawberry crumble mixture.

Step 3 – Assemble

Spread the crisp over the strawberry filling in the skillet.

how to make a strawberry crisp.

Step 4 – Bake and serve

Bake the strawberry crisp in the oven until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. 

Take the strawberry crisp out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Afterward, serve the warm scoops in bowls with a scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt, extra strawberries, and fresh mint. Enjoy!

Tips to make the best recipe

  • Use very cold butter to make the crumbly crisp topping. The colder the butter, the slower it will melt into the topping and make the finished dessert extra buttery.
  • If the top of the strawberry crisp is browning too quickly, you can cover it with a layer of aluminum foil.
  • Add more fruit to the crisp, like chopped apples, rhubarb, blueberries, or cherries.
  • For a soft crunch, stir chopped walnuts, pistachios, or almonds into the crisp topping.
  • Add rhubarb. For a strawberry rhubarb crumble, swap out half the strawberries for rhubabr.

Storage instructions

To store: Store the leftover strawberry crisp in the covered baking dish or an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 1 week.

To freeze: After it’s baked and cooled to room temperature, transfer the covered baking dish to the freezer and freeze for up to 6 months.

To reheat: Warm the leftovers in the microwave or in a 350ºF oven until the filling is bubbly and warmed through (about 10 minutes).

  • Cast iron skillet. Or use another oven-safe skillet, a 9-inch cake pan, or a square baking dish.
  • Pastry blender. To incorporate the cold butter into the crisp topping.
recipe for strawberry crisp.

More summer desserts to try

Frequently asked questions

Does this recipe work with frozen strawberries?

Yes, you can make strawberry crisp with frozen strawberries if that’s all you have at home. Thaw them first, then blot them dry to prevent the filling from becoming too liquidy.

Can this recipe be made gluten free?

Yes! To make a gluten free strawberry crisp, use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend or the gluten free flour of your choice and certified gluten free rolled oats.

Should you cover strawberry crisp when baking?

No, it isn’t necessary to cover the crisp in the oven. The only time you’ll need to cover the top with foil is if the crisp topping is browning too quickly.

strawberry crisp recipe.

Strawberry Crisp

5 from 12 votes
Strawberry crisp is an easy and rustic dessert you can enjoy all summer long! Fresh strawberries are baked under a warm buttery oat topping, then served with ice cream.
Servings: 6 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients  

  • 1 1/2 lbs strawberries chopped
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch

Crisp topping

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 190C/375F.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the chopped strawberries, orange zest, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and cornstarch. Stir well to ensure that the strawberries are evenly coated with the mixture.
  • Pour the strawberry filling into a 9-inch cast iron skillet.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the unsalted butter cubes, old-fashioned oats, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, salt, and all-purpose flour. Mix the ingredients with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  • Spread the crisp topping mixture evenly over the strawberry filling.
  • Bake the crisp in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
  • Remove the strawberry crisp from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

TO STORE: Store the leftover strawberry crisp in the covered baking dish or an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 1 week.
TO FREEZE: After it’s baked and cooled to room temperature, transfer the covered baking dish to the freezer and freeze for up to 6 months.
TO REHEAT: Warm the leftovers in the microwave or in a 350ºF oven until the filling is bubbly and warmed through (about 10 minutes).

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 2gFat: 16gSodium: 226mgPotassium: 243mgFiber: 4gVitamin A: 489IUVitamin C: 67mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 45g
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Didn’t care for the orange zest and would leave it out next time. Otherwise, it’s pretty good, just don’t like the combo of strawberries and zest.

  2. I made this yesterday and LOVED it. I shared it with my neighbor. Then I never had dinner so I made it again for a late snack and my husband liked it too! I used honey, and no coconut flour. Since I didn’t have any. I bought two flats of strawberries so I’m trying to use them before I have to freeze them. 🙂 And I got a deal. 16 lbs for $14.00! 🙂

    1. Amber! thank you SO much for your kind words- Although I hope you made a double batch when you shared it with your neighbor 🙂

      ….I’m trying not to be jealous!!!!!!

  3. Gah I just moved home to my parents – in the boooons out west in Canada – and everything is SO much more expensive than I’m used to. I. hate. it. The berries for sure, though I think now with summer the prices are slowly beginning to drop. Thank god. This looks and sounds delicious. Definitely want to make for breakfast asap.

  4. Hi Arman,

    What a delicious breakfast! Strawberries look so great, yum! To be honest, I would love have it as snack too!

    Zaria

  5. This will be perfect anytime of the day! I love fresh strawberries, but will use frozen if I have to.

  6. For some reason, I’m not a fan of frozen strawberries. Even if they’re unsweetened, they taste fake/overly sweet to me. I can 100% get behind FRESH strawberries, though. And blending roasted, salted almonds = delicious (because almond butter). Blending flavored almonds = double delicious (because salted caramel almond butter ?).

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