Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

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If you are a fan of rhubarb, you have to try this strawberry rhubarb crisp. Strawberries and rhubarb team up to create this sweet and tart flavor, topped with a buttery crust and baked to golden perfection. Satisfy your sweet cravings with this easy homemade rhubarb crisp recipe.

A serving of strawberry rhubarb crisp with a crumbly topping on a white plate, accompanied by a fork, with fresh strawberries in the background.

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Pair your rhubarb dessert with a bit of vanilla bean ice cream or whipped cream, or eat it all by itself. No matter what, this dessert will impress.

Check out my strawberry rhubarb pie, plain rhubarb pie, or even this strawberry rhubarb cheesecake.

Reasons You’ll Love This Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

This dessert offers an incredible blend of flavors. Rhubarb is very tart, and the strawberries help to add sweetness, creating the perfect balance of flavors.
Simple everyday ingredients that you might have on in your kitchen. Grab that rhubarb from the Farmer’s market or garden and get to baking.
Great for an uncomplicated night at home or a gathering with a crowd.

Ingredients Needed

Overhead view of bowls containing baking ingredients for Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, including rhubarb, strawberries, flour, sugar, brown sugar, butter, whipped cream, lemon juice, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder.

See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all ingredients and quantities.

Rhubarb: You can use frozen or canned rhubarb for this recipe. If using fresh rhubarb, be sure to wash and dice into 1-inch slices.

Lemon Juice: The lemon will enhance the flavors of the fruit from the acidicness of the juice.

Cornstarch: The cornstarch will be a thickening agent for the fruit filling of this crisp recipe.

Sugar and Salt: These two ingredients help bring out flavors in the rhubarb recipe. Both are needed for the overall taste of the dish.

Flour: Reach for an all-purpose flour. Use it to make the crisp topping.

Butter: I recommend using real butter, as margarine has oil, and you won’t get the same texture.

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Variations to the Recipe

Gluten-Free: Here, you can use a gluten-free flour blend for the base of the crust topping. Depending on the flour blend, add less or more liquid as needed.
Oat Topping: Instead of a flour topping, you can mix rolled oats, brown sugar, and a little butter to make a crumble to sprinkle over the fruit. It will change the flavor of the dish!
Nuts: Add chopped nuts, such as pecans or almonds, to the recipe. This will add a lot of crunch to the dish.
Fruit: If you want even more flavor, swap the strawberries with a berry blend to add more flavor to the recipe.
Spices: To add even more flavor to the dessert, stir in a little cinnamon or even nutmeg to help warm the fruit filling.

NOTE: This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations

Step-by-Step Instructions

Four-step process for making Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp: diced strawberries in a dish, dry ingredients and sugars in a bowl, melted butter added, and finished crumble mixture in baking dish.

Step 1: Add the strawberries, rhubarb, lemon juice, cornstarch, sugar, and salt to prepared baking pan. Stir until the fruit are well coated.

Step 2: In a mixing bowl, add in the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir until combined.

Step 3: Mix in the melted butter until the dry ingredielts are all set and slightly clumpy.

Step 4: Cover the fruit completely with the crisp topping.

Step 5: Place in the 375 degree oven and bake until bubbly and the crisp is golden brown.

A rectangular white baking dish filled with golden Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp sits on a marble surface, surrounded by strawberries, a serving spoon, plates, and forks.

Expert Tips

You want to dice the fruit evenly into bite-sized pieces. That way, when you eat the dessert, you get a bite with all the ingredients for optimal flavor.
Adjust the sweetness by adding less or more of the sugar. You can taste the fruit filling and adjust it as you prefer.
To know when the crisp topping is done, it will be golden brown on the top. But you can also stick a toothpick in it, and if it comes out clean of wet batter, the crust is fully baked through.
Feel free to serve the crisp warm straight from the oven or chilled in the fridge.

Storing Leftovers

Refrigerate: You should store any crisps you do not eat right away in a sealed container in the fridge. They will last 3-4 days.

Freeze: You can also freeze the rhubarb dish. Store it in a freezer-friendly container and freeze for 2-3 months. Then defrost it straight from the fridge or thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.

Reheating: Feel free to eat the strawberry crisp chilled or toss it in the microwave and heat it for about 30 seconds to a minute to get it nice and warm like it is fresh out of the oven. Or warm it up in the oven until it is heated all through.

A close-up of a spoonful of Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp dessert with a plate of the same delicious crisp in the blurred background.

Recipe FAQs

Does this recipe double?

You can use a larger pan to make a double batch of this dessert. Or you can use two pans to double the recipe. Either method works well.

Can I use fresh fruit instead of frozen?

Yes. Since this is a baked dessert, it breaks down the fruit, so it is the perfect recipe to use fresh or frozen fruit. No one will know the difference.

How do I know when the rhubarb is ripe enough to use?

Ripe rhubarb will be firm and bright in color when you gently squeeze it. Do not grab wilted or soft stalks, as that shows it is spoiling. A vibrant color and a firm texture are signs that the rhubarb is ready to be harvested and used.

How do I prevent the topping from becoming too soggy?

The cornstarch is the thickening agent for the fruit filling. It is going to soak up the excess liquid from the fruit, which will help the topping stay crisp. If you were to not add in the cornstarch, the flour topping would soak in all the liquid and result in a mushy top.