Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

4.92 from 24 votes

This strawberry rhubarb crisp combines tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries in a saucy filling topped with a buttery oat crumble and toasted pecans. Baked until golden and bubbling, it’s a simple dessert with plenty of texture and bright fruit flavor.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: strawberry rhubarb crisp

Servings: servings

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

Fruit Filling

12 to 15 stalks fresh rhubarb sliced; (about 7½ cups sliced)
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (250 grams) divided
1 pound fresh strawberries hulled and quartered (about 3½ cups)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 lemon juiced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crisp Topping

1 ½ cups brown sugar 300 grams
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 150 grams
1 ¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats 90 grams
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter 113 grams softened and cut into pieces
1 cup toasted pecans coarsely chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a 9x13 baking dish with oil spray and reserve

Prepare the Fruit:

Place the sliced rhubarb to a medium size bowl and sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the sugar, stirring to distribute throughout. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to withdraw some of the liquid in the slices.
In another bowl, toss the strawberries with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Prepare the Topping:

Combine the sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and salt to a large bowl and mix well. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or fork, working to a crumbly consistency. Stir in the chopped pecans, then set the topping aside.
Pour off and discard all but 1/4 cup of the accumulate liquid from the rhubarb.
Add the drained rhubarb to the bowl of strawberries and toss to combine.
In a small dish, mix the cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla together with the 1/4 cup of reserved rhubarb juice. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the strawberry-rhubarb mixture, combining well.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and distribute the reserved topping evenly over the strawberry-rhubarb mixture.
Transfer the dish to the middle of the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, reduce the oven to 325°F and bake an additional 25-30 minutes longer until the filling is bubbling at the edges and golden brown.

Notes

Slice thick rhubarb stalks smaller: If your rhubarb stalks are very thick, cut the slices a little thinner so they soften at the same rate as the strawberries.

Toast the pecans first: Toasting the pecans for a few minutes in a skillet or oven deepens their flavor and keeps them crisp in the topping.

Watch for bubbling edges: The crisp is ready when the fruit filling is bubbling around the edges of the pan. That’s a good sign the cornstarch has activated and the filling will set.

Let the crisp rest before serving: Allow the crisp to cool for about 20 minutes so the filling thickens and the topping holds its texture.

Adjust sweetness if needed: If your strawberries are very sweet, you can slightly reduce the sugar in the filling. If the rhubarb is especially tart, keep the full amount for better balance.

Nutrition