Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp that is absolutely perfect! The strawberry rhubarb filling has just the right amount of sweetness and the brown butter streusel is insanely good and adds so much extra flavor!! Trust me, the brown butter makes this the best streusel! I'm obsessed. It'll have you coming back to this recipe time and time again.
What is brown butter?
If you're new to the world of brown butter, you're in for a real treat! You simply simmer butter on the stove for about 10 minutes until the milk solids toast and turn a golden brown color, creating a delicious nutty, caramelized flavor. It brings amazing flavor to the streusel, and it's pretty much the only way I make streusel now!
A little tip. Sneak a taste (or two) of the streusel before you sprinkle it over the filling! It's divine.
Between the brown butter streusel and perfectly sweetened strawberry rhubarb filling that is just the right consistency, it's hard not to fall in love with this dessert!
Ingredients
- Rhubarb.
- Strawberries. Fresh strawberries are best!
- Cornstarch. This will thicken the fruit filing.
- Granulated sugar.
- Lemon juice.
- Vanilla extract.
- Salt.
- Butter. I always use salted butter when cooking and baking, but feel free to use unsalted.
- All-purpose flour. You can substitute gluten free flour, if desired.
- Brown sugar.
- Old fashioned oats. Also known as rolled oats.
- Cinnamon.
How to Make Brown Butter
Brown butter is very simple to make, but you have to keep a close eye on it so the butter doesn’t burn. Here’s an overview. Find the full instructions in the recipe card below.
- Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat to melt the butter.
- Continue cooking the butter, stirring frequently so it browns evenly. As the butter melts, it will begin to bubble and foam.
- As you keep cooking and stirring, the foam will subside and the butter will start to turn golden brown. You will start to see browned bits on the bottom of the pan, which is what you want!
- Once the butter is golden brown and develops a nutty, caramel smell, remove the butter from the stove. You don’t want to cook it too long, otherwise it'll burn.
- To stop the cooking process, pour the browned butter into a small dish, scraping the pan to get the browned bits. Don’t leave them behind!
How to serve
I enjoy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp best when it's warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream!
Although the crisp is excellent while it's warm, I recommend waiting about 30 minutes once it comes out of the oven before digging in. When the crisp is hot and fresh out of the oven, the filling is on the thinner side. Giving it some time to cool slightly allows the filling to thicken up a bit.
I like to warm up leftovers in the microwave for a quick 30 seconds before eating!
How to store leftovers
Leftover strawberry rhubarb crisp can be stored at room temperature for a few hours, but then I recommend covering the crisp and storing it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To reheat a single serving, scoop it into a bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds second.
How to Make Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Making gluten free strawberry rhubarb crisp is super easy! Flour is the only ingredient in this recipe that isn't gluten free.
Simply swap the regular all-purpose flour for equal parts gluten free flour, and make sure that the oats you're using are also gluten free as well. That's it!
Commonly asked questions
If you want to add more fruit, I recommend simply doubling the recipe. Adding more fruit than the recipe calls without adding more cornstarch for will result in a runny strawberry rhubarb filling. The cornstarch is perfectly measured to thicken 2 pounds of fruit. However, you can substitute one cup of strawberries for one cup of rhubarb and vice versa.
No, do not peel the rhubarb! Cut off and discard the leaves, then slice the rhubarb into 1 inch pieces.
I recommend using fresh strawberries. When baking with frozen strawberries, they often become mushy and typically cause fruit filling to become a bit runny. But if you're in a pinch, give frozen strawberries a try!
When fruit crisp is hot and fresh out of the oven, it is always a little runny. As it cools, it thickens up. I recommend letting the crisp cool for at least 30 minutes, or until it reaches room temperature, before you dive in.
More recipes you'll love
Brown Butter Streusel Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Ingredients
Strawberry Rhubarb Filling
- 1 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Brown Butter Streusel
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup old fasioned oats
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue heating the butter, stirring frequently. As the butter cooks, it will begin to bubble and foam. Continue cooking and stirring until the butter turns golden brown with little browned bits on the bottom of the pan, about 5-8 minutes. Transfer the butter to a small bowl and place in the refrigerator to let it cool slightly while you prepare the strawberry rhubarb filling.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add all of the strawberry rhubarb filling ingredients to an 8-9 inch skillet or baking dish and mix together.
- To make the streusel, mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour in the brown butter and use a fork to mix together until combined but crumbly. Sprinkle the streusel over the strawberry rhubarb filling.
- Place the skillet or baking dish on a parchament lined baking sheet in case the filling bubbles over. Bake uncovered for about 40-45 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling and the fruit is tender.
- Let cool for one hour. Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated by a third party software and is only an estimate, not a guarantee. This information is provided as a courtesy, and you are solely responsible for all decisions related to your health.
Kayla
Can I assemble and put in the fridge to bake later?
Modern Farmhouse Eats
Hi Kayla! You can prep the ingredients beforehand, but I would hold off on assembling until right before baking, otherwise you may end up with a runny fruit filling and a soggy streusel topping. Here's what I recommend. Prepare the streusel topping and cut up the fruit. Store the topping and fruit separately in the fridge until you're ready to bake, then prepare the crisp as directed in the recipe card. This way you'll only have about 5 minutes of prep right before baking!