I love anything with strawberries, so once June rolls around, I start looking for every excuse to make strawberry desserts. Usually that means my favorite Bisquick strawberry shortcake, because I make that constantly once strawberries are in season. But if I’ve got extra berries sitting on the counter, this strawberry crisp recipe is the other dessert I end up making all summer.
And honestly, this one might even be easier. Especially if you’re the kind of person who always wants extra crumble topping anyway.
The strawberries bake down into this thick, bubbly filling that almost tastes like homemade strawberry jam once it mixes with the buttery oat topping. And then there’s the vanilla ice cream melting into the warm crisp, which in my opinion is mandatory. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a fruit crisp without it.
I also love that this is the kind of summertime dessert you can throw together last minute if you already have strawberries and ice cream in the house.
Most of the other ingredients are pantry basics. Oats, butter, brown sugar, flour. Nothing fancy. Half the time I already have everything sitting in the pantry without even planning ahead.
Sometimes lazy summer dinners out on the patio just need a simple dessert afterward, and this is exactly the kind of thing I make for that.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Crisp Recipe
- Great way to use fresh summer strawberries
- Extra generous oat crumble topping because nobody likes a skimpy crisp topping
- Easy enough to make last minute when you suddenly realize the strawberries need to get used up
- You can prep the strawberries and crumble topping ahead if you want dessert mostly ready to go later
- Tastes especially good warm with melting vanilla ice cream
- One of those simple desserts that somehow disappears fast while it’s still warm
One thing I love about fruit crisps is how forgiving they are. Want extra strawberries? Add them. Want a thinner topping? Cut it back a little. Crisps are one of those desserts that somehow still work even when you eyeball things a bit.
Ingredients Needed
- Fresh strawberries
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla
- Cornstarch
- Fresh lemon juice
- Cinnamon
- Old fashioned oats
- Light brown sugar
- All purpose flour
- Butter
- Salt
- Vanilla ice cream for serving
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Strawberries
This really is one of those summertime dessert recipes that tastes best when strawberries are fully in season. Look for berries that are deep red all the way through and smell sweet when you open the container.
If the strawberries are pale or white near the tops, skip them if you can. There’s only so much flavor sugar can help with.
Sugar
Regular granulated sugar sweetens the strawberries while brown sugar gives the topping a richer flavor.
If your berries are especially sweet, you can reduce the sugar slightly.
Lemon Juice
The lemon juice gets mixed with cornstarch to make a slurry that thickens the strawberry juices while baking. It also keeps the dessert from tasting flat since strawberries can get very sweet once baked down.
Oats
I use old fashioned rolled oats because I like the texture better in crisps. Quick oats will work in a pinch, but the topping comes out a little softer.
I’d skip steel cut oats here because they stay too firm and don’t soften properly during baking.
Butter
Use salted or unsalted. Either works. Just adjust the salt slightly depending on which you use.
Vanilla Ice Cream
Technically not part of the crisp recipe, but also… kind of necessary.
My two favorite summer dessert flavors are strawberry and key lime. If you want another easy warm-weather dessert, my no-bake key lime pie jars are one I make constantly once it gets hot outside.
How to Make Strawberry Crisp
Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.
Prep the Strawberries
Start by rinsing the strawberries in cold water and patting them dry. Slice off the tops and chop the strawberries into quarters or smaller pieces depending on their size.
I don’t bother with a strawberry huller for this recipe. A knife is faster, plus one less thing to clean.
Add the strawberries to a large bowl with the sugar and give everything a gentle stir.
If your strawberries are especially sweet already, you can cut the sugar back a little.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the cornstarch and lemon juice, then pour it over the strawberries along with the vanilla and stir again gently so the berries stay intact.
Set the bowl aside for a few minutes so the strawberries can macerate and release their juices.
Make the Oat Crumble Topping
In another bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Slice the cold butter into pieces and use a pastry cutter to work the butter into the oat mixture until crumbly.
I like keeping some larger buttery chunks in there because they bake up really nicely on top.
If you don’t have a pastry cutter, you can melt the butter and stir it into the topping mixture instead. Honestly, I’ve done it both ways and it works fine.
Another fun summer dessert option is my marshmallow fluff s’mores bites. If the kids want s’mores but you don’t feel like dealing with a campfire, these are easy to make ahead and stash in the freezer.
Assemble and Bake the Strawberry Crisp
Grease an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish, deep pie plate, or 1½ quart casserole dish.
Pour the strawberries into the baking dish along with all those juices at the bottom of the bowl. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the strawberries.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly around the edges and the topping is golden brown.
Mine occasionally bubbles over a little around the edges if I really pile the strawberries in there, so I usually slide a sheet pan underneath just in case.
The smell while this bakes is honestly hard to ignore.
Let the Crisp Rest Before Serving
The crisp comes out extremely hot and bubbly. As tempting as it is to dive in immediately, let it rest for about 10 minutes first so the juices thicken slightly.
I’ve burned my mouth rushing this step more than once because it smells so good coming out of the oven.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream on top. I also like a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon over the ice cream sometimes.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- If prepping ahead, store the strawberry filling and crumble topping separately until baking
- The topping is intentionally generous because everybody in my house always wants more crumble
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated the next day
- This recipe works best with fresh strawberries instead of frozen
- If your strawberries release a ton of juice while sitting, don’t panic. The cornstarch thickens everything while baking
FAQs
Can I make strawberry crisp ahead of time?
Yes. You can prep the strawberries and crumble topping separately a few hours ahead and refrigerate them until ready to bake.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Fresh strawberries work best for texture and flavor. Frozen berries release more liquid and can make the filling looser.
What’s the difference between a crisp and a crumble?
A crisp usually contains oats in the topping while crumbles often do not. This topping leans heavily into the oat texture because that’s personally my favorite part.
More Easy Summer Desserts
Here are a few more summer dessert ideas worth making:
- Bisquick Strawberry Shortcake
- Bisquick Peach Cobbler
- Easy Marshmallow Fluff S’mores Bites
- No-Bake Key Lime Pie in a Jar
- No-Churn Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
Easy Strawberry Crisp Recipe
A warm and bubbly strawberry crisp recipe made with fresh strawberries and a buttery oat crumble topping. Best served with vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
- 5 cups chopped strawberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons cold butter
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt (use lesser amount if salted butter used, more for unsalted butter)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Rinse, dry, and chop strawberries. Add to a large bowl with granulated sugar and stir gently.
- In a small bowl, stir together lemon juice and cornstarch. Add to strawberries along with vanilla and stir gently. Set aside.
- In another bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt.
- Cut cold butter into the oat mixture using a pastry cutter until crumbly.
- Grease an 8x8, 9x9, or 1 12/ quart baking dish, or deep pie plate. Add strawberries and juices.
- Sprinkle crumble topping evenly over strawberries.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
- Rest 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1/6 of strawberry crispAmount Per Serving: Calories: 320Total Fat: 12gCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 4gSugar: 29gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information is an estimate and can vary depending on ingredients used and portion sizes.