This Sweet & Tart Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp Recipe Is a Summer Sensation Desserts Fruit Breakfast Gluten-free

My husband is from Minnesota, where he grew up eating rhubarb stalks straight from the garden. I, on the other hand, could not recall ever eating rhubarb, let alone cooking or baking with it. So when he asked for a rhubarb-strawberry something for our anniversary, naturally I said, "Easy peasy!"

I scoured my cookbooks and searched for what looked like an easy "beginner's" recipe that included rhubarb. After checking out a variety of pies and cobblers and desserts, I decided to make a rhubarb strawberry crisp, pulling a few ideas from several recipes I liked. Then, during the course of putting it all together, I added my own touches (as I usually do, can't help myself).

The end result? "This is the best rhubarb dish I've ever had!" the hubs proclaimed. I was so glad that he loved it, but I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The perfect blend of tart and sweet, now I understand why rhubarb is one of the must-have tastes of summer. In fact, this strawberry rhubarb crisp recipe has become a summer sensation. 

Bonus: this recipe also can be made gluten-free (see notes in ingredients list). Not only was this crisp our anniversary dessert, it also became breakfast the next day (yes, vanilla ice cream and all), and the next. I hope you enjoy it as much as my Minnesota boy did. 

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 80 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 5 cups fresh rhubarb, diced into 1-inch pieces (5 to 6 stalks)
• 5 cups fresh strawberries, sliced in half
• 1 cup granulated sugar (divided)
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 cup flour (I used gluten-free flour)
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup quick-cook oats (I used gluten-free oats)
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, sliced
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• vanilla ice cream, to serve on top (optional but highly recommended)

Here's how you make it:

For the fruit, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, 3/4 cup granulated sugar and orange zest in a large mixing bowl.

In a large measuring cup, blend the cornstarch with the orange juice, then pour it into the fruit. Stir to combine.

Pour the mixture into an 13x9-inch baking dish and place it on a sheet pan (you could line the pan with foil or parchment in case of bubbling fruit spillover, but mine did not).

For the topping, in a large mixing bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, oats and pecans (if desired).

Using an electric mixer on low speed (or using your hands, which is how I did it), blend the butter into the mix until the dry ingredients are moist and the mixture is combined (it will be crumbly).

Layer the topping over the fruit and bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for about an hour.

The fruit will be bubbling and the topping should turn golden brown. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (but rest assured, it's just as good when you reheat it in the microwave the next day!).

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