This easy Strawberry Crumble is vibrantly red and bursting with fresh strawberries, finished with a crisp cinnamon-oat topping that bakes golden and crunchy.
A sweet, seasonal fruit dessert that’s perfect for spring and summer gatherings — serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate treat.
Strawberry season is here, and the market stalls are piled high with berries that are impossibly red and fragrant.
Of all the summer fruits, strawberries are one of the most versatile: they shine in pies, cakes, bars, and of course crisps. This Strawberry Crumble keeps things simple and focused on the fruit — halved berries macerate with lemon, sugar and a touch of cinnamon, then get a generous blanket of an oat-and-butter crumble.
The result is soft and juicy fruit beneath a crisp, slightly chewy topping. A short rest after baking lets the juices settle; serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a dessert everyone will reach for.
Ingredients
Use the freshest strawberries you can find, plus a few pantry staples to build the filling and the crumble topping.
Strawberry Filling
- Strawberries (hulled and halved)
- Lemon zest and juice
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Cornstarch
Crumble Topping
- Sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Old-fashioned rolled oats
- Cinnamon
- Kosher salt
- Cold unsalted butter
Don’t forget vanilla ice cream for serving.
Choose strawberries that are deep red with no bruises or soft spots — if they smell sweet, they’ll taste sweet, too.
How To Make the Strawberry Filling and Crumble
The key to a juicy filling and a crunchy topping is simple technique and cold butter. Follow these steps:
- Macerate the strawberries. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine strawberries with lemon zest and juice, sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch. Let them sit so they release their juices while you prepare the topping.
- Make the crumble. In a smaller bowl, mix sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and salt. Grate or shred cold butter into the mixture and work it with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the texture is crumbly with pea-sized pieces.
- Assemble and bake. Transfer the macerated strawberries to a casserole dish and spread the crumble evenly over the top. Bake 25–30 minutes, until the topping is golden and the filling bubbles at the edges.
- Rest and serve. Let the crumble cool 5–10 minutes, then serve warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Fruit Crisp Variations
- Peach & Strawberry: Swap half the strawberries for sliced peaches for an extra-sunny flavor. You can peel peaches if you prefer, but the skin softens during baking.
- Strawberry & Rhubarb: Use half rhubarb cut into 1-inch pieces for a tangy contrast to the sweet berries.
- Gluten-Free: Replace the all-purpose flour with almond flour and confirm your oats are certified gluten-free. The topping may be slightly softer but will still brown nicely.
Top It with Vanilla Ice Cream
A scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into warm strawberry crumble is a classic pairing. The contrast of hot and cold, and crisp and creamy, is irresistible. Sweetened whipped cream or a fruit-flavored ice cream (strawberry or peach) are nice alternatives, but vanilla keeps the flavor balanced.
Let the crumble rest 5–10 minutes after baking so the juices thicken slightly before adding ice cream.
Storage Instructions
If you have leftovers, keep the crumble in its baking dish tightly wrapped and refrigerated for up to 4 days.
To reheat, microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals until warm and bubbly, then add ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy.
Strawberry Crumble Tips
- Let the strawberries sit 10–20 minutes. Sugar helps draw out juices and intensify the filling.
- Grate cold butter. Cold butter yields a flakier, crisper topping. If needed, chill the butter or pop it in the freezer briefly before grating.
- Leave larger crumble pieces. Aim for pea-sized chunks for a pleasant contrast of texture and chew.
More Strawberry Recipes You’ll Love!
- Strawberry Lemon Pancakes
- Strawberry Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd and Strawberry Buttercream
- Honey Strawberry Muffins
- Roasted Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles
- Strawberry Scones with Lemon and Poppy Seeds
- Strawberry and Cream Overnight French Toast
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake
If you make this Strawberry Crumble, please leave a review — I love seeing your photos and hearing how it turned out.
Strawberry Crumble
ingredients
For strawberry filling:
- 2 lbs about 6–8 cups strawberries, hulled and halved
- Lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
For crumble topping:
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup 1 stick cold unsalted butter
- Vanilla Ice Cream for serving
instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
-
For the filling: In a large bowl, combine strawberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch. Set aside to macerate and release juices.
-
For the topping: In a small bowl, mix sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and kosher salt. Grate in cold butter and toss with a pastry blender or your hands until crumbly with pea-sized pieces.
-
Assemble: Transfer the macerated strawberries to a large casserole dish and top evenly with the crumble mixture.
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Bake 25–30 minutes, until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling.
-
Let cool 5–10 minutes, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
notes
Store leftovers in the baking dish, tightly wrapped, for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates calculated by a third-party tool.
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