Last summer, my sister called to tell me that she had just had The Best Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp. I love that she knew I would be excited about it. I, of course, insisted that she get the recipe and share it with me. Here we are a year later, she got the recipe, and I made it last week. Oh.my.gosh! It really is the best! I didn’t expect to like it better than my favorite Rhubarb Crisp Dessert, but I do. I love what the hint of cinnamon does to the topping. The recipe in general is less fussy and takes half the time to prepare than my old favorite…at this stage in my life, that gets it lots of bonus points.
Where do you stand on rhubarb desserts? My mom made Rhubarb Pie often when I was a kid, and I HATED IT! Like, I couldn’t stand it. Funny thing, I like it now…as long as it’s served with ice cream, but for a long time, I didn’t think I liked rhubarb. When I was in high school, my mom got a recipe for a Rhubarb Crisp Dessert and started making it. To my surprise, I really liked it. It was the only way I would eat rhubarb for a long time and ended up being my favorite dessert to make for guests when my husband and I were first married. My husband still loves it and usually requests it on Father’s Day.
My parents have always had a large rhubarb plant in their garden, so I grew up watching my mom use it in recipes and also freezing it to use in the off-season. Rhubarb is actually really easy to freeze.
How to Freeze Rhubarb:
- Trim edges of stalks.
- Wash thoroughly.
- Cut stalks into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Place 2-4 cups in a freezer Ziploc bag. (I like to freeze it in amounts I know I need for specific recipes).
- Write the date and time on the bag with a Sharpie.
- When sealing the bag be sure to squeeze out the extra air.
- Place blags flat (for easier stacking) in your freezer.
- Pull out and use in your favorite rhubarb recipes all year long.
Certain desserts will just always taste like summer to me. This Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp is definitely one of them. Here is a list of some of my other favorite desserts that taste like summer.
The Best Summer Desserts
- Fresh Raspberry Lemon Tart Bars
- Magnolia Bakery Blueberry Jamboree Dessert
- Fresh Strawberry Pie
- Berry Cobbler
- No-bake Fresh Peach Cheesecake
- No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake
Step-by-Step Photos for How to Make THE Best Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Frequently Asked Questions about making The Best Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Can I use Frozen Strawberries?
Yes, you can definitely use frozen strawberries, but they need to thaw before you use them in the recipe. You can do this by letting them sit out on the counter for a few hours or by using the defrost option on your microwave. If there is extra juice that comes off of them as they thaw, do not add that to the crisp or it will be runny.
Can I use frozen Rhubarb?
Yes. Just like with the frozen strawberries I mentioned above, the frozen rhubarb will need to be thawed before being used in the recipe. You can do this by letting it sit out on your counter for a few hours, using the defrost function on your microwave, or another way I have done it is to let the bag soak in a bowl of cold water. If there is extra liquid that comes off of the rhubarb as it defrosts, do not add that liquid to the crisp or it will be runny.
Should I use Quick Oats or Old-Fashioned Oats in the Crisp Topping?
The recipe calls for old-fashioned oats, but if you don’t have any, quick oats will work fine. I like the way the dessert looks with the old-fashioned, but as far as taste and texture go…it doesn’t matter which type you use.
Can I use a sugar substitute in place of the sugar?
That is a good question. I have never tried to use a sugar substitute, so I can’t say. If you try it, please come back and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out.
If I don’t have strawberries can I replace them with a different berry?
Strawberries are known for pairing really well with rhubarb. You could try using a different berry, but another thing you could do is use all rhubarb and make this Rhubarb Crisp recipe instead.
Can I make this Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Ahead of time?
Yes. I usually make it the night before I need to serve it. Once it cools, I cover it with plastic wrap, and then right before serving, I put it in a 250-degree oven for 15 minutes to warm it up. It is delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Does this need to be REFRIGERATED?
It does not need to be refrigerated, but if you have leftovers and want them to stay good longer than a day or two, I would suggest refrigerating them.
Baker’s Tools:
- Handheld Strawberry Slicer
- Freezer Ziploc Bags
- Chef’s Knife
- Cutting Board
- Deep-dish Pie Pan
- 2.5-quart Baking Dish
- Fruit Filling:
- 2 cups rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 cups strawberries, cut into halves or quarters
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter, melted
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, stir together the rhubarb, strawberries, and ½ cup granulated sugar.
- Pour fruit mixture into a deep-dish pie dish or 2.5-quart baking dish.
- Make the topping by stirring together the flour, oatmeal, granulated sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt. Once that is well combined, stir in the melted butter. Mixture will look crumbly.
- Next, sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the top of the fruit.
- Place baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until bubbly and thickened. If it seems liquid-y, allow it to cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. The top should be nice and golden with some browned areas.
- ***To rewarm before serving, place in a 250-degree oven for 15 minutes.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Jean
There’s no such word as unthaw…..actually that would mean to freeze.
Thawing is what is done to frozen foods, just thought I’d mention.😉
Maria
Thanks Jean. 🙂
Jenni
This recipe is seriously SO delicious! Everyone in my family loves it! This will definitely be on repeat in our house! I need to get a cute dish to make and serve it in though. 😊
Maria
Right! It’s like Crazy Good!
Alex
If I don’t have oats can I leave it out???
Maria
Hi Alex,
The oats are a pretty important ingredient, but you could try replacing it with flour and seeing what happens.
Sheila Red
Agree 100%. I just made it last week and because my local grocer had rhubarb, I went for it. Making another one tomorrow! And, super simple!
Maria
So glad you like it Sheila!
Debbie Osier
If I was using frozen rhubarb and frozen strawberries. Should I cook that and then thicken it and I was wondering does that need to cool before I put it in a pan before I put the topping on?
Maria
Just allow the rhubarb and strawberries to thaw. You could even defrost it in the microwave. I use frozen all the time. You do not need to cook it first. Just defrost it and follow the recipe as it is. If there is alot of moisture coming off of the defrosted fruit you drain off a little but not all of it.
Shawn
Move on “Karen”…really, it will be ok!
Carol
Delicious, easy and quick. I thawed out my rhubarb and strawberries as suggested. I used room temperature butter to cut into the dry ingredients. It was served with ice cream.
Maria
I’m so glad you liked this recipe. I love how delicious it is even though its so easy it should be a crime. 🙂
Sea
This was delicious and came together so quick! I tossed the fruit right in the baking dish to save on dishwashing lol! Thanks for this recipe that used up some old rhubarb and semi-dried out strawberries in my fridge 🙂
Maria
Awesome! So perfect to use up some strawberries that were on their way out. I am so glad you tried this recipe, it’s one of my current favorites!
AnnS
This crisp is soooo delicious, especially served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. My daughter liked it so much she asked me to make this for her birthday instead of a cake.
Maria
I agree! And it’s so dang east to make too! Love that she wants it for her bday! 🙂
Callie
Augustgiveaway
Norma Ashbaugh
I made this for my husband and myself and it was absolutely delicious!
Maria
Right! It’s amazing, the flavor is something really special! I am so glad you gave it a try!
joanne -
can i freeze this?
Maria
Hi Joanne, yes, you can freeze it.
ashley
can i use frozen strawberries and frozen rhubarb?
Maria
Yes, it’s a good idea to let them thaw and drain most of the liquid off first or the crisp will be a bit runny.
Susie
Amazing! Best strawberry rhubarb crisp I have ever made!
Maria
Yay! I love hearing that Susie!
Sue
This was awful! Followed the directions and it came out like soup! Couldn’t even eat it!
Maria
Hi Sue, If it was soupy that means more liquid needed to bake out. If that happens next time let it cook for an additional 10 minutes. If the top is already looking browned put a piece of tin foil (lightly, not tucked around the edges) over the top so that the topping won’t get darker while the liquid thickens. I just made this for my mother and she couldn’t stop raving. Another thing that could help is adding a little more cornstarch next time. I am sorry you had a bad experience, I hope you will give it another chance.
Sheila A Doiron
I’m not sure what you mean by … “adding a little more cornstarch next time.”
The recipe stated above does not include any cornstarch. Should it?
Thank you!
Sheila
Maria
Sorry, I meant to say, you could add a little cornstarch next time. This recipe doesn’t have cornstarch. You can either ad 2 tsp to the sugar when you mix it in with the rhubarb and strawberries or you can leave out corn starch and cook it longer until it thickens more…if the top is starting to brown you can lay a piece of loose tinfoil over the top to help it not darken to much while waiting for the filling to thicken.
Kathleen
This had great flavour, but was much runnier than what I’m used to. Would cooking it longer make it caramelize more?
Maria
Hi Kathleen, Yes, cooking it longer will definitely help if it is too runny.
Maria
Made it. Loved it. So easy. I doubled it because I had a big crowd. I put it in a 9×13 pan. I doubled the topping but didn’t use all of it. I also didn’t double the sugar. This will be my go to recipe. Thank you.
Maria
Yay! I love hearing this Maria! So glad you like the recipe!
Michelle
Made this dessert according to the instructions exactly and it turned out perfect! The crumble was delicious and the strawberries (fresh) and rhubarb (thawed from frozen) combo was delightful. Will make again and won’t do anything differently. Thank you so much for the recipe! So easy too. I had my 4-year-old son help me and he felt so accomplished that he made a dessert everyone in our family raved about.
Maria
I am so glad you love it as much as I do! I think this recipe is perfect too! I love that you had your son help!
Danielle M.
Hi, can I toss the rhubarb and strawberries with the sugar and refrigerate overnight, making sure to pour off excess liquid in the morning before baking? Thank you!
Maria
Yes, but you might want to leave a little bit of the liquid.
Michelle
I made this last night and it came out perfect! I have always struggled finding the right topping, one that would actually get crisp and not soggy…this is it! I did cook mine and extra 5 minutes. I was short on strawberries so instead of 50/50 it was 75/25 and still perfect, just a bit more rhubarb tang but the ice cream took care of that!
Claudia Ricard
Thank you! It’s very good. I made it for my family and for potluck’s
and everyone loved it!💜
Maria
Awesome! I love to hear that Claudia!
Pat
Thank you soooo much for this recipe!! I followed it to a tee and I wouldn’t change a thing. It tasted sweet and tart and just was I was hoping for. Did not have vanilla ice cream so I used vanilla yogurt.
Maria
I am so glad you liked it! I love the idea of trying it with yogurt. Makes it a little healthier too.