Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Come springtime, the combination of sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb is a favorite we return to again and again. Rolling out pastry to make a classic strawberry rhubarb pie is a labor of love I might undertake every couple of years if I manage to have both fresh rhubarb and local strawberries on hand at the same time. If I’m honest though, I tend to want summer desserts that favor ease and quick gratification. This strawberry rhubarb crumble delivers both.

Making it is as easy as mixing chopped fruit with a little sugar and cornstarch and then topping it with an easy streusel of buttery brown sugar crumbs. It takes only 15 minutes to assemble, is toddler- and kid-friendly for kitchen helpers, and it bakes almost entirely unattended. The best part is dishing up spoonfuls of the magenta fruit mixture and topping each bowl with a melting scoop of ice cream. Welcome back, spring. We missed you.

Ingredients for Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Laura Scherb for Taste of Home

• Strawberries and rhubarb: Sweet strawberries and chopped rhubarb are the star ingredients for this springtime crumble. You can use fresh or frozen strawberries or rhubarb stalks for this recipe. If you’re using fresh rhubarb, don’t eat the leaves—they contain oxalic acid and are considered poisonous to humans.
• Sugar and brown sugar: Two kinds of sugar add dimensional sweetness to both the fruit mixture and the crumble topping.
• Cornstarch: Combined with the fruit and a little sugar, cornstarch activates in the heat of the oven and thickens the fruit juices.
• Vanilla: Both strawberries and rhubarb pair beautifully with vanilla. Pick up one of our recommendations for the best vanilla extract brands or use homemade vanilla extract.
• All-purpose flour: Versatile all-purpose flour is the base of this strawberry rhubarb crumble recipe. Check out our guide on different types of flour and when to use them. You can substitute a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for the all-purpose flour if you like.
• Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon contributes its warming aroma to the crumble topping.
• Butter: The butter for the crumble topping mixture should be cold for the best results, yielding a crumble topping that is crisp and nutty rather than oily.
• Vanilla ice cream: Adding a scoop of ice cream to strawberry rhubarb crumble is optional, but the temperature and flavor contrast between hot and cold, fruity and creamy is tough to beat.

Directions 

Step 1: Assemble the strawberry rhubarb crumble

Laura Scherb for Taste of Home

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla. Transfer to a greased 9-inch square baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the fruit.

Step 2: Bake the strawberry rhubarb crumble

Laura Scherb for Taste of Home

Bake until the filling is bubbly and the topping is lightly browned, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve warm, with ice cream if desired.

Laura Scherb for Taste of Home

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Variations

• Add another fruit: Rhubarb and strawberries pair well with apples, blueberries and raspberries. Consider replacing some volume of the chopped strawberries or rhubarb with any of these.
• Change up the spices: Swap the ground cinnamon for ground ginger or pumpkin pie spice.
• Add nuts: Replace the vanilla extract with almond extract and add a handful of sliced almonds, chopped hazelnuts or slivered pistachios into the crumble mixture.
• Add whip: Instead of serving it with ice cream, serve strawberry rhubarb crumble with vanilla whipped cream, whipped topping, or a dollop of labneh, creme fraiche, vanilla or strawberry Greek yogurt.

How to Store Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Store leftover strawberry rhubarb crumble in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Can you freeze strawberry rhubarb crumble?

You can freeze strawberry rhubarb crumble either before or after baking it. To freeze it before baking, assemble it in a freezer- and oven-safe baking dish and wrap it well. Bake it from frozen, following the same baking times in the recipe. You may need to add a few more minutes to ensure that it bakes long enough for the crumble to crisp up and the fruit juices to thicken. To freeze it after baking, wait until it has completely cooled and then wrap it first in a layer of plastic wrap and then in a layer of foil. Move it to the refrigerator to defrost the day before you plan to serve it. You can then reheat it in the oven until it’s warm throughout and the crumble topping crisps up.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Tips

Laura Scherb for Taste of Home

What is the best time of year to make this crumble?

Fresh strawberries and rhubarb are spring and early summer crops in most of the United States. Though California-grown strawberries are available year-round, rhubarb has a relatively short harvest season and can be impossible to find in grocery stores or farmers markets outside of the spring and early summer months. You can use frozen strawberries and rhubarb to make this strawberry rhubarb crumble. You don’t need to defrost them first.

Does it make a difference if the rhubarb for rhubarb and strawberry crumble is red, pink or green?

Believe it or not, red and green rhubarb have no significant flavor difference. Instead, rhubarb’s color indicates the variety and the growing method. Six common types of rhubarb range between bright red, soft green and speckled stalks. Forced rhubarb is deprived of light in a growing method similar to that of white asparagus. This method can accentuate the rhubarb’s innate red color as the chlorophyll in the stalks doesn’t develop. Learn more about rhubarb here. You can make this strawberry rhubarb crumble recipe with any type of rhubarb and it will still be delicious.

When is the best time to serve strawberry rhubarb crumble?

Strawberry rhubarb crumble is as good as a dessert served with ice cream as it is topped with a dollop of yogurt in the morning for breakfast. It would also be a welcome addition to a weekend brunch spread too.