Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch

Have you tried a fruit crunch? There’s an extra layer of topping that makes this Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch just a little more special than a fruit crisp.

Fresh fruits tossed together with citrus and cinnamon sugar, then baked in between layers of a brown sugar and oat crust, this is my favorite way to bake fruit desserts.

Rhubarb Crunch

Almost firm enough to cut into bars and yet just fruity enough to still resemble a crisp, a crunch is simply a fruit crisp with both a top and bottom crust layer.

Don’t be intimidated by the crust layers or the topping, no cutting in cold butter is required. Melted butter is poured into the topping and it forms perfect crumbs to top this dessert. This recipe gets bonus points for being naturally gluten-free too.

(Watch the video to see just how easy it is to make this Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch!)

I tried rhubarb for the first time at a friend’s house several years ago. (Thanks, Rachael!) I absolutely loved the rhubarb and strawberry combination that she served for dessert.

Remembering Rachael’s delicious dessert, I decided to adapt my favorite fruit crunch recipe to include some fresh rhubarb that I found at my local market this past weekend.

Tangy, sweet and just a tiny bit tart from the rhubarb. I love this dessert so much; I have now added rhubarb to my garden list for next spring.

I like to serve this crisp warm from the oven, scooped into bowls with our favorite homemade ice cream for an unforgettable dessert, but it’s also amazing sliced into bars the next day for breakfast. (Or for lunch, or let’s be honest, I’d happily eat this for dinner as well.)

Strawberry Rhubarb Recipes

Want a few more rhubarb dessert ideas? Rhubarb Crumb Bars are a light summer treat that you’re going to love having on hand. This Strawberry Rhubarb Pie recipe is a classic that you’ll want to save for strawberry season.

Rhubarb Cream Cheese Muffins are a breakfast and snacking favorite with kids and adults. Do you have a favorite rhubarb recipe? I’d love to hear about it if you do.

If you have an abundance of strawberries in the house, I highly recommend you try this Summer Berry Brulee. It is an unforgettable treat.

Check out all of the great berry recipes that we love, along with this awesome tip for how to hull strawberries with just a plastic straw.

Have you tried an herb sugar? I made this Sweet Basil Sugar with Fresh Strawberries a few years ago and it’s almost too good to be true. It’s a perfectly light and sweet treat that is pure summertime heaven.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the fruit in a mixing bowl. Add the white sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cornstarch. Stir to coat and add the orange juice. Stir again and set aside.

2. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients and then add the melted butter. Stir to combine. Press half of this mixture into a buttered 9×13 pan. Pour the fruit over the bottom crust and then sprinkle the rest of the dry mixture on top.

3. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the crust turns golden brown. Scoop into bowls warm from the oven or let cool completely and slice into servings.

4.88 from 8 votes

Print

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Tangy, sweet strawberries and rhubarb are layered in between a brown sugar and oat topping to make this Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 401 kcal

Ingredients

• FRUIT FILLING INGREDIENTS:
• 2 cups chopped strawberries
• 2 cups thinly sliced and chopped fresh rhubarb frozen can be substituted if fresh is not available
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• CRUST INGREDIENTS:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup butter melted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the fruit in a mixing bowl. Add the white sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cornstarch. Stir to coat and add the orange juice. Stir again and set aside.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients and then add the melted butter. Stir to combine. Press half of this mixture into a buttered 9x13 pan. Pour the fruit over the bottom crust and then sprinkle the rest of the dry mixture on top.
3. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the crust turns golden brown. Serve warm from the oven or let cool completely and slice into servings. Enjoy!

Notes

To make this recipe gluten-free: Substitute 1 1/3 cups brown rice flour and 2/3 cup tapioca starch for the all-purpose flour in this recipe.

{originally posted 6/15/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 7/28/19}