Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Strawberry rhubarb is one of those classic early-summer combinations that only works for a few weeks. Strawberries are at their peak in June, and rhubarb — which looks like red celery and tastes bracingly tart — is usually done by early July. When they overlap, make this crisp. It takes 15 minutes to put together and comes out of the oven smelling incredible.

Ingredients

Filling:

• 3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
• 2 cups rhubarb, sliced into ½-inch pieces (about 3–4 stalks)
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Crisp topping:

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly butter an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish.

2. Toss the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt together in a bowl until evenly coated. Pour into the baking dish and spread level.

3. In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter pieces and use your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbles with some pea-sized chunks. Don’t overwork it — you want texture.

4. Spread the topping evenly over the fruit.

5. Bake for 40–45 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

6. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of whipped cream.

Tips

• Rhubarb only — no leaves. Rhubarb leaves are toxic. Only the stalks are used. They should be firm and crisp, not wilted.
• Taste the rhubarb first. Some stalks are more tart than others. If yours is very tart, add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar to the filling.
• Make it ahead. The crisp reheats well at 325°F for 15 minutes. Also good at room temperature the next day.
• Gluten-free: Swap the flour for almond flour or a GF all-purpose blend. The topping still works great.

Where to find the ingredients

Strawberries and rhubarb are both at their peak in June at Washtenaw County farmers markets. Look for strawberries from Tantre Farm, Jacob’s Fresh Farm, and Community Farm of Ann Arbor. Rhubarb comes and goes quickly — grab it when you see it. Check all four Washtenaw County markets for both.