Layered with juicy strawberries and a buttery crumble topping, this is the best ever Strawberry Crumble! It’s an easy and rustic summer dessert made with only 8 ingredients in under 1 hour.
Fruit crumbles and crisps are the answer when you need a vibrant and crowd-pleasing dessert in a hurry. They have juicy fruit on the bottom and a buttery crumble on top, and take minutes to prepare!
There’s a crumble recipe for every season, too. Apple crumble and apple blueberry crumble are wonderful during fall, and this Strawberry Crumble is a must-have for summer!
You’ll find heaps of juicy, ruby-red strawberries throughout summer in North America, and what better way to use them than in a strawberry crumble recipe? The fresh berries are enhanced with sugar and citrus zest, then topped with a sweet and buttery 4-ingredient crumble topping. After a quick trip in the oven, the crumble is juicy, golden, and completely irresistible!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Strawberries – Because this strawberry crumble recipe is a celebration of fresh summer flavors, I recommend using fresh strawberries. Look for juicy, bright red berries with vibrant green tops and no blemishes. You can use frozen if needed.
- Granulated sugar – White sugar, coconut sugar, cane sugar, or a granulated sugar substitute will all work well.
- Cornstarch – To thicken the strawberry crumble filling and prevent it from becoming too juicy. Arrowroot or tapioca starch both work as substitutes.
- Orange zest – I love how fresh orange zest brightens up the strawberry filling and adds a subtle tartness. Lemon zest would work well, too. Or, if you don’t have fresh citrus at home, you can leave it out.
- All purpose flour – For the crumble topping. If you’re gluten free, use a 1:1 gluten free flour mix, almond flour, or oat flour instead.
- Brown sugar – This will sweeten the strawberry crumble topping and give it a rich, warm, and irresistible caramel-like flavor.
- Salt
- Butter – You can use any butter you like (I used plant based Miyoko’s butter) or swap it for melted coconut oil.
How to make strawberry crumble
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Wash, hull, and halve the strawberries. Transfer them to your prepared baking dish, then stir in the sugar, cornstarch, and orange zest.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, and salt together.
Pour the melted butter into the flour mix and stir with a spoon.
Use your hands to sprinkle the strawberry crumble topping over the strawberries. Remember to leave some large chunks intact for delightful crunchy bites!
Bake the strawberry crumble until the topping is golden brown and the strawberry filling is bubbling. Serve each scoop in a bowl with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy!
Tips for success
- I made the crumble in a 9-inch square baking dish but round cake pans will work just as well.
- To double this recipe, bake the crumble in a 9×13-inch casserole dish for around 50 minutes.
- Let the baked crumble cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes. This gives the flavors time to intensify and for the filling to thicken slightly.
- Scoop the berry crumble into bowls and serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Variations
- Frozen strawberries – You can make this strawberry crumble with frozen strawberries instead of fresh. Add the frozen fruit to the baking dish without thawing.
- Combine with more fruit – Mix the strawberries with chopped rhubarb, raspberries, cherries, or blueberries to give the crumble extra sweetness and dynamic flavors.
- Add nuts – Chopped pecans or walnuts in the topping will give it a nice, soft crunch.
- Use oats in the topping – ¾ to 1 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats can be stirred into the topping if you want. They’ll give the dessert a rustic presentation, and a delightful texture.
Frequently asked questions
Fruit crumbles and crisps are almost the same thing. The main difference is that crisp recipes are made with oats in the topping.
You can easily make this recipe gluten free by swapping the all purpose flour for the gluten free flour of your choice. Gluten free all purpose flour, almond flour, or oat flour are all great options.
The best way to prepare it ahead of time is to prepare the strawberry filling and crumble topping separately. Store both in separate airtight containers in the fridge overnight, then assemble and bake the next day.
The leftover crumble can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.
Want more strawberry desserts?
- Strawberry Pie
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- Strawberry Cheesecake
- Easy Strawberry Shortcake
- Strawberry Cake
Strawberry Crumble
Ingredients
- 4 cups strawberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon orange zest optional but good
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, melted I used Miyoko's plant based butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9 inch square or round baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Wash, hull and halve the strawberries. Add them to the prepared baking dish and stir in the sugar. Now add the cornstarch and orange zest, if using, and stir to combine.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and salt and stir. Pour in the melted butter and stir it in with a spoon.
- Using your hands, evenly sprinkle the topping on the strawberries. Form some large chunks for delicious crunchy clusters after baking!
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until the topping is golden and the strawberries are bubbling.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy!
Notes
- For gluten free, use gluten free flour for the topping.
- May sub coconut oil for the butter.
- Arrowroot or tapioca starch work in place of the cornstarch.
- You can double the recipe and bake in a 9×13 inch dish. Bake for a bit longer, around 50 minutes.
Thanks for sharing this Nora because I’m a strawberry addict. Quick question: do you think this can be premade up to the point of putting it in the oven? Like, add the crumb topping and then pop in the fridge until ready to bake?
Absolutely, you can make it ahead of time. Just keep in the fridge until ready to bake. You might need to add a few extra minutes of bake time as well. Enjoy, fellow strawberry addict! 🙂
Thank you, Nora! A fun recipe to make with the grandkids and so yummy!
SO SO good! I made it earlier in the day for guests and, wow, it was both quick to make AND delicious. Everyone asked for more the next day. I used frozen strawberries, zest, and added a little vanilla bean paste to the strawberries and some cinnamon to the topping. I’ll for sure make it again when I need a quick dessert. It was also very good straight out of the fridge, it didn’t harden at all. It’s very sweet, so I’d reduce the sugar in the filling by a few teaspoons.
Hi Alex. Thank you for sharing your wonderful review and baking experience! I’m so glad the crumble turned out great and that you loved it!
The best strawberry crumble I made. I replaced all purpose flour with oats flour and sugar with jaggery. It tasted divine!
Thank you Nora.
You are welcome! I’m thrilled you loved the crumble! Thanks for sharing your comments and ideas!
This is just wonderful! You are right, the orange zest really was good. I did use some raspberries because I didn’t have enough strawberries. I also did use frozen fruit. It turned out great for the birthday celebration. In order to lessen the amount of time I’d spend in the kitchen the day of the party, I made the topping the night before. So great and enjoyed by all!
Thank you! I appreciate all your hard work!
Thank you so much for your review and feedback! 🙂
Made this as a dessert for Thanksgiving and my family love it!
Thanks for your fabulous review and feedback! I’m thrilled the crumble was a hit!
This looks delicious! If I’m using frozen strawberries, do I need to heat them/let them thaw first? 🍓
You don’t need to thaw them first, if anything just like the crumble bake a bit longer.
Made this the first time with strawberries, very good. Today I am making it again with mixed berries, can’t wait to taste it! Thanks!
Sounds delicious with mixed berries! Thanks for sharing your awesome feedback and review!
This is the best thing I have ever put in my mouth!!!!! Everything i make from your website is SO good. And this is just……..spectacular.
I just made this again for mine and my sister’s birthday gathering and everyone loved it!! I have requests to make it at our next get together! So good!! Thanks for great recipes that never disappoint!
You are welcome, Mandy! Happy birthday to your and your sister! Thank YOU for sharing tour fabulous feedback and review!
I made this today and it’s so good! I subbed coconut sugar for brown sugar because it’s what I had on hand. Thanks for another yummy recipe 🙂
You’re so welcome, Kelly! 🙂
Is the butter measurement correct? My topping (prior to cooking) isn’t crumbly at all. It’s like a thick batter. Not droppable or clumpable. 🙁 It’s in the oven now but I’m not sure how it’s going to turn out. Thanks!
Yes, it’s 1/2 cup or 114 grams. Did you use regular flour and the correct amount of everything else? I hope it turned out, let me know!