Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

With the most delicious fruit filling and super crispy, buttery topping, this strawberry rhubarb crisp is a quintessential summer dessert that you’ll want to enjoy on repeat all season long. Pair this easy fruit crisp with some vanilla ice cream and you’re in for a real treat!

When it seems like the rest of the world is ready to harvest their rhubarb, I’m sitting here patiently waiting for mine to grow. Newfoundland weather for ya!

Well, wait no longer! I was finally able to harvest our rhubarb, and, I gotta say, it was the best year yet (yay!).

There’s nothing quite like growing your own fruits and veggies, is there? I just think it makes whatever you’re preparing that much tastier, don’t ya think?

This recipe for strawberry rhubarb crisp is a cinch to put together, and the longest part about it is waiting for it to bake and cool … but so worth it.

Dawn has been known to have a little bit of a sailor mouth at times (my bad). So when I took a taste test of this fruit crisp, I may have let one slip. Man, is it ever good! I couldn’t help myself.

After harvesting some of our rhubarb, I can’t wait for more of it to grow so I can make another round of this dessert. I seriously hope you love it as much as we do around here!

What Is Rhubarb?

Did you know that rhubarb is a vegetable? The texture is quite similar to celery, actually. It’s tart and most often cooked with some sort of sugar and fruit (like strawberries used here) and used in things like crisps, pies and jams. Because of this, it is often treated like a fruit. Rhubarb can also be used in savoury applications, such as pickling.

My first experience with rhubarb was at my grandparents’ home. From a young child, I could always remember them growing some in a small planter they had.

Even though they grew rhubarb, they weren’t actually huge fans of it (perhaps they didn’t try my strawberry rhubarb crisp!). When I got older, I remember they gave hubby and I some of the rhubarb plant to grow in our own garden. That was quite special to me, knowing that the rhubarb we now grow came from them. It gives this rhubarb recipe extra special meaning, ya know?   

Note: The leaves of rhubarb are not to be eaten as they are poisonous and should be discarded.

How To Make Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Here is an overview of how to make strawberry rhubarb crisp (refer to the recipe card below for full details):

1. Grab a bowl and mix together some old-fashioned oats, all-purpose flour, brown sugar and salt.
2. Drizzle in some melted and cooled butter and vanilla extract. Pop the crisp topping in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling. (By putting it in the fridge, the butter hardens a little and it makes for the most amazing crisp topping!)
3. Place the rhubarb and strawberries in a mixing bowl, along with white sugar, cornstarch, orange zest and cinnamon. Give everything a nice little mix to combine.
4. Pour the fruit filling into a greased baking dish.
5. Sprinkle the crisp topping over the strawberry rhubarb mixture.
6. Bake until the fruit is tender and the top is golden brown and crispy, then allow it to cool a little before digging in.

Tips and Variations

• Place the crisp on a baking sheet when baking (this is a great way to catch any bubble over mess that may happen). And, if you want, you can even line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Less cleanup is always a good thing!
• If your berries are extra juicy (or if you prefer a little less juice or sauce after baking), add in another tablespoon of cornstarch. Also, keep in mind that as the crisp cools, the syrupy liquid released from the strawberries and rhubarb thickens. I happen to love the syrup because it tastes delicious and is so good over ice cream.
• Add some extra texture with the addition of some chopped walnuts or pecans in your crumble topping.
• Instead of orange zest, you can mix things up with lemon zest.

What to Serve With Fruit Crisp

You can certainly enjoy this strawberry rhubarb crisp on its own, or serve with any of the following for an extra special treat:

• Vanilla ice cream (my favourite!)
• Frozen yogurt
• Whipped cream
• A dollop of Greek yogurt
• Fresh basil or mint leaves

Storing Leftovers and Reheating

I prefer this fruit crisp (like most desserts) freshly made. That’s when it’s at it’s optimum tastiness, if you ask me. Plus, I find it hard to resist summer desserts!

However, if you have leftovers, properly store the cooled strawberry rhubarb crisp in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 to 4 days.

To reheat before serving, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then place the crisp in an oven-safe dish, loosely cover with aluminum foil and warm through for about 10 to 15 minutes (removing the foil the last few minutes). Keep an eye on it so the buttery crisp topping doesn’t burn.

As you can probably tell, we didn’t like it, LOL …

More Yummy Summer Desserts

• Strawberry Bundt Cake
• Blueberry Cake With Lemon
• Gooseberry Cake

If you make this strawberry rhubarb crisp, be sure to leave a comment below!

This recipe for strawberry rhubarb crisp was originally published July 31, 2017 but has been updated.