As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Strawberry crumble is summer in a baking dish. So easy it’s practically effortless, jam-packed with fresh berries, and topped off with a buttery brown sugar and cinnamon crumble, this is the kind of dessert you can whip up on a whim.
A strawberry crumble is a simple dessert that’s all about contrast and balance. Fresh, juicy strawberries are baked until they soften and the flavors concentrate; the jammy fruit layer is contrasted with the rich, buttery, and crisp crumble topping.
This is the kind of treat that never feels like too much—instead, it’s always just enough. (Well, unless you eat the whole pan, which can be tempting! Been there. Done that.)
Important Ingredient Notes
A complete ingredient list is in the recipe card below, but here are a few highlights:
- Strawberries – If you can get fresh strawberries from the farmer’s market or a u-pick farm, all the better! Unlike grocery store berries, which are grown for shelf life, local berries are tender and supremely sweet. They’re a real treat!
- Cornstarch – Some recipes call for flour, but I prefer thickening the fruit layer with cornstarch.
- Lemon – You’ll need the juice and the zest. These will perk up the flavor of the berries and make them pop—figuratively speaking, not literally.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter for the topping.
- Ground cinnamon – This gives the strawberry crumble a classic, old-fashioned flavor. For a more modern twist, try cardamom instead, or a mix of the two.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350ºF and grease a baking dish with butter.
Stir together the strawberries with the cornstarch, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
Transfer the strawberry mixture to the baking dish, along with the juices.
Warm the butter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl. You don’t want it to melt completely; about half melted is good.
Add the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and vanilla extract to the butter and stir with a fork. Transfer this mixture to the baking dish, sprinkling it on top of the berries.
Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the juices are bubbling up along the edges.
Cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
How to Store
To store any leftover strawberry crumble, allow it to cool completely. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or transfer individual servings to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To reheat, warm the crumble in a 350ºF oven for about 15-20 minutes or until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions for a quick treat, but the oven is best because it will re-crisp the topping.
Serving Suggestions
A scoop of vanilla ice cream over warm strawberry crumble is heavenly, but if you really like strawberries, try it with strawberry ice cream. A dollop of whipped cream is also excellent.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Don’t skip the cooling! While it’s super tempting to dig in right away (I know!), the strawberry juices will thicken up during the cooling time, making your strawberry crumble easier to serve and eat. Not to mention, strawberry lava mouth is not a cute summer look.
- To give the crumble topping a little extra crunch, you can add a handful of chopped pecans or sliced almonds. Note that you might need to tent the crumble with foil to keep them from getting too dark.
- Swap the all-purpose flour for a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend to make this a gluten-free strawberry crumble.
- If you’d like to prepare your crumble in advance, you can assemble the entire dish, cover it, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. Allow the dish to come to room temperature while preheating the oven, and then bake as directed.
- You can swap some of the strawberries for another type of berry or summer stone fruits like peaches or nectarines.
More dessert recipes you’ll love
Prevent your screen from going dark
-
Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
-
Lightly butter a 9×13 inch baking dish.
-
In a medium mixing bowl, combine sliced strawberries, cornstarch, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Gently stir with a silicone spatula to distribute cornstarch and sugar. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.
8 cups strawberries, sliced or quartered, 4 tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 cup white sugar, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest
-
Add the fruit mixture to the baking dish, scraping any juices and sugar over the fruit that has accumulated in the bottom of the bowl.
-
In a microwave-safe mixing bowl, warm butter until it is about 50% melted and 50% warmed through.
8 tbsp butter
-
Add flour, white and brown sugars, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Stir with a fork to distribute the butter.
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract
-
Top fruit with crumble mixture. Some clumps are ok, but break apart any large clumps.
-
Bake at 350˚F, uncovered for 45-50 minutes or until the crumble topping is lightly browned and the fruit mixture is bubbling.
-
Cool for 15-20 minutes and serve.
- Spoon the flour into the measuring cup instead of the ol’ “scoop and dump” method. That will pack the cup too full and will produce a dry crumble topping.
- If your strawberries are extra sweet, you can leave out the 1/4 cup of sugar altogether. If they are tart, you can increase the sugar to 1/3-1/2 cup.
- Gluten-free option: either sub in your favorite cup-for-cup gluten-free flour or use all old-fashioned oats.
- Dairy-free option: sub in your favorite dairy-free butter or use half plant-based butter and half melted coconut oil.
- Storing Leftovers: To store any leftover strawberry crumble, allow it to cool completely. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or transfer individual servings to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Serving: 1cupCalories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 76mgPotassium: 158mgFiber: 4gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 353IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
