This is the Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp I make when rhubarb finally shows up at the store or in our neighbor’s garden, and it’s just so good. Sweet strawberries, tart rhubarb, a buttery crumble topping that gets golden and crisp… this dessert absolutely hits. And if you serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream? Game over.
The crisp I make every spring
This is the kind of dessert I reach for when I want something homey, crowd-pleasing, and totally unfussy. You just toss the fruit with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla, top it with a quick oat crumble, and bake until bubbly. That’s it. I’ve tested this recipe more times than I can count, and I finally landed on the version I make over and over again. It’s simple but not boring, sweet but not cloying, and it works just as well with frozen rhubarb as it does with fresh.
Sometimes I make the topping earlier in the day and chill it in the fridge until I’m ready to bake—this makes for an extra crumbly finish and gives you one less thing to do before dinner. The easiest way to prep ahead is to make the topping first, then move on to the fruit!
We love this warm, with vanilla ice cream, but leftovers from the fridge are also chef’s kiss—especially with Greek yogurt for breakfast. (Yes, I said it.)
Ingredient notes and swaps
I always use quick oats in the topping because I like how they come together into that perfect crisp texture. Old-fashioned oats are fine if that’s what you have, but they’ll give you a coarser, chunkier topping. If you want a compromise, just pulse the old-fashioned oats 2–3 times in a food processor to break them up.
I don’t recommend margarine—but if you want to use it, only go for stick margarine. Buttery spread will absolutely melt into a puddle and ruin your crumble topping.
For the fruit: I use a 1:1 ratio of strawberries to rhubarb (about a pound each). If your strawberries are extremely juicy or your rhubarb is very ripe or large, increase the cornstarch to 2 or even 3 tablespoons. This helps thicken the filling and keeps it from turning into soup.
You can use fresh or frozen rhubarb here—both work perfectly. Just be sure to thaw frozen rhubarb fully before using and gently drain off any excess liquid. (Don’t squeeze it! Just drain.)
Real-life tips for real-life baking
Use cold butter—really. And don’t overwork the topping, just mix until you’ve got nice crumbs and no dry flour left.
If your topping feels too soft or greasy as you’re mixing, add 1–2 more tablespoons of flour. This will help bring it back to a crumbly texture before baking.
Let the crisp sit for 10 minutes after baking. It’ll still be warm, but the filling will have a chance to set up a little. (And it gives you time to scoop that ice cream.)
Store leftovers in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. The topping softens over time, but it’s still delicious cold or gently rewarmed!
Printable recipe
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup quick oats (see notes)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 stick cold butter (cubed (1 stick = 8 tablespoons or ½ cup))
Rhubarb Filling
- 1 pound sliced rhubarb (fresh or frozen; see notes for frozen)
- 1 pound strawberries (hulled and quartered)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep: Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly butter a ~2 quart casserole dish.
- Make topping: Combine oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter until crumbs form and no more dry flour is visible. I put it in the ridge at this point so the butter firms up, which makes the topping more crumbly!1 cup quick oats, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 pinch salt, 1 stick cold butter
- Make filling: Combine all ingredients for the filling in a large bowl. Evenly spread in the prepared casserole dish.1 pound sliced rhubarb, 1 pound strawberries, ¼ cup cornstarch, ¾ cup sugar, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Finish: Evenly scatter the crumb topping over the rhubarb filling.
- Bake: Bake in the hot oven for around 35 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Allow to sit on the counter for 10 minutes before serving.
Strawberry rhubarb crisp FAQS
If you’re harvesting rhubarb from the garden, never use a knife. You can pull the stalks by hand from the very bottom, it’s better for your rhubarb plant!
You don’t have to peel rhubarb unless the stalks are very stringy/thick, but you do have to remove the leaves – they are poisonous to both animals and humans!
Then, clean the stalks well under running water. Slice into ½ inch pieces to use in this recipe.
This is best eaten warm, but if you have leftovers you can leave them at room temperature, well covered, for a day.
If you want to store your rhubarb crisp for longer, I recommend refrigerating it, well covered, for up to 3 days.
Yes, you can freeze this fruit crisp either unbaked or baked.
To freeze unbaked: Prepare the strawberry rhubarb crisp up to baking it, then wrap it first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Label with the name and use-by date and freeze for up to 2 months.
To bake, remove both foils. Bake as directed in the recipe (no need to defrost), adding 20-30 minutes to the baking time. Keep checking regularly to make sure it’s defrosted and baked all the way through.
Freeze after baking: Prepare and bake the crisp in a freezer-friendly dish. Allow to cool to room temperature, then wrap first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Label with the name and use-by date and freeze for up to 3 months.
To bake, defrost in the fridge overnight. Heat in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes or until piping hot and bubbly all the way through.
More recipes to try
I first shared this recipe in 2017. I updated it in 2020, and again on July 7, 2025 with new text, new photos and an improved recipe.
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