Strawberry rhubarb is the best spring flavor combination and this crisp is a quick, easy way to enjoy it!
After I make my favorite summer pie, I usually have rhubarb left over for other treats. Small batch desserts for two are great for us. So far I have made a couple of batches of crisp along with these luscious custard bars.
Sometimes crisp recipes are dismissed as just an easier version of pie. All the fruit flavors without the need to make a pie crust. While it is easier, a sweet, crispy topping over tender sweet strawberries and rhubarb is really delicious in its own right.
I spent far too many years convinced rhubarb wasn’t worth trying. Once I started making pies I decided to try one with rhubarb and strawberries and I was absolutely hooked from that point on.
Ingredients
Rhubarb: This recipe calls for about one stalk of rhubarb. On this topic, rhubarb freezes very well. I have two cups of chopped rhubarb in the freezer saved for a pie later this summer to enjoy at a dinner with friends.
Strawberries: You will use about 4-6 strawberries, depending upon their size.
Flour: Used in both the fruit and topping to thicken and bind the ingredients.
Sugar: Adds sweetness. Rhubarb is very tart, so you definitely need sugar.
Vanilla Extract: A dash of vanilla adds great flavor.
Cinnamon: Brings warmth and aroma to both the fruit and the topping.
Orange Zest: Optional, but highly recommended if you happen to have a fresh orange handy. Just a tiny bit of zest adds bright, wonderful flavor and compliments the rhubarb and strawberries perfectly.
Rolled Oats: Otherwise known as old-fashioned oats, they add a nice chewy texture to the topping
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar and oats are a great combination for the topping.
Butter: Brings the topping together and makes it rich and wonderful.
Salt: Brings out the flavor.
Ice Cream or Whip Topping: Neither are absolutely necessary, but both are scrumptious topped on warm crisp.
Instructions
Preheat your oven and lightly spray two ramekins. While you will most likely be eating the crisp directly from the ramekins, you wouldn’t technically need to spray them. But I like to spray to help release every bit of those glorious flavors.
Start by dicing the strawberries and rhubarb. The goal is to get both in a similar-sized fine dice. This way everything will be perfectly tender.
Add the remaining filling ingredients and stir to combine, then separate the filling evenly between the two ramekins.
Stir together the ingredients for the topping until well mixed and butter is well distributed. Spoon onto the top of the filling.
Bake until the filling is bubbling, and the topping is golden.
Serve warm with a dollop of whip topping or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Delicious!
Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp
Ingredients
Rhubarb Filling
- ¾ cup rhubarb small diced
- ½ cup strawberries small diced
- 2 tsp flour
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp orange zest optional
Topping
- 3 Tbsp rolled oats
- 1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1 Tbsp butter softened
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling. Stir to distribute the cinnamon and orange zest.
- Pack the filling tightly into 2 6-ounce ramekins.
- In another bowl, stir together all ingredients for the topping. Pack the mixture on top of the fruit.
- Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet, then bake at 400℉ for 20-25 minutes, until the filling is bubbling, and the topping is golden brown.
- Serve warm with ice cream or whip topping.