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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.)
Using fresh strawberries is ideal in this recipe, BUT in the dead of winter, if you’re craving this strawberry crumble (understandable), try using canned strawberries.
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.
Strawberry Crumble
Ingredients
Fruit Layer
- 8 cups strawberries, sliced or quartered {~2.5 lbs}
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup white sugar {use 1/3 cup of the fruit isn't very sweet}
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Crumble Topping
- 8 tbsp 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
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Any chance frozen strawberries could be used? I know I’d have to thaw them probably, and increase the cornstarch due to the juice. I freeze ALOT of berries from our summer harvest. Still have frozen strawberries from last year – lucky me, I know!
I think it would be fine, Cyndi! Yes, defrost them first, drain any juice, and then I would let them sit and drain them again.
What a lovely and delicious freezer you must have!
Tastes as good as it looks! The crunchy top and sweet strawberry filling were amazing. We topped it with ice cream and it was all gone in no time.