The Best Strawberry Crumble

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This easy strawberry crumble is simple to put together and ready in under an hour! It’s the perfect summer dessert with syrupy strawberries and a buttery streusel-like almond topping that bakes up golden and is perfect with a scoop of ice cream!

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Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best and this strawberry summer dessert recipe proves that to be true! All you need is fresh fruit, butter and a few kitchen staples to make this easy strawberry crumble.

When strawberries are in season this is the perfect recipe to use those sweet berries! As the strawberries bake they get tender and syrupy and then combined with the crunchy crumbly topping, it’s the perfect sweet touch to end a meal.

Serve with some ice cream, custard or whipped cream and it’s the best! If you love strawberries you should also make strawberry cannoli and strawberry tarts, too.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Flavorful: Fruity and seasonal with sweet strawberries and a buttery topping makes this a favorite summer dessert.
Fresh strawberries: One pound of fresh strawberries make this sweet and berrylicious!
Easy crumb topping: Using nuts instead of oats is my go to crumb topping in blueberry crumb cake and works well here, too! As a bonus, this is gluten-free, too!
Simple ingredients: Nothing complicated here in this strawberry crumble! Simple pantry ingredients are combined with a few fresh ingredients for a loaded strawberry recipe.

Ingredients

Strawberries: Fresh strawberries in season are best to use. Frozen could be used but don’t thaw first.
Granulated sugar: Gives the berries a sweeter taste.
Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice will provide the best tangy taste.
Crumble topping: All purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, finely chopped almonds and cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes.

Variations

Oats: Swap the almonds for oats if that is your preference and now you have a crisp.
Sugar: Substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar if you would like a more caramel flavor.
Vegan: Use cold dairy free butter.
Cinnamon: You can add a pinch of cinnamon to the crumb topping for a warm flavor.
Orange zest: Add up to a teaspoon or two of orange zest to the strawberry mixture.
No strawberries? Try this strawberry crumble recipe with other fruits such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, apples or try a strawberry rhubarb combination.

How to Make Strawberry Crumble

First, clean and chop your strawberries into evenly sized medium to large cubes or halves and place in a medium bowl. Add the sugar and lemon juice, gently combine with a spoon or spatula.

the strawberries chopped in a blue bowl.

In a medium bowl mix together the flour, sugar, salt and almonds add the butter and combine to form coarse crumbs. Don’t over mix.

In your prepared 9 inch baking pan, place the strawberry mixture.

Top with the crumb mixture.

The crumb topping on top of the strawberries.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden and mixture is bubbling. Enjoy!

Tips to Make Strawberry Crumble

Use the best berries you can find. Better berries lead to the best strawberry crumble!
Let the crumble rest for 10 minutes after baking to allow strawberry juices to thicken.
If the crumble is baked but not brown enough, turn the oven up to broil and bake for a couple of minutes. Just don’t let it burn.
Chop your strawberries into similar sized pieces. Halve or quarter the larger berries and if you have smaller berries you can leave them whole.
Adjust sugar based on the sweetness of your strawberries. If your berries aren’t as sweet you may need up to 4 tablespoons of sugar.
Instead of baking in a 9 inch baking dish, bake in individual ramekins.

Three scoops of ice cream on the crumble.

Serving Suggestions

I love to dish up this summer dessert in individual bowls as it can get a bit messy! Serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or this basic fior di latte gelato recipe is always a welcome addition. As the cold ice cream combines with the warm dessert it makes it even more flavorful! Another option is serving the crumble with whipped cream!

If you are out of ice cream and whipped cream, try a simple dusting of powdered sugar as your garnish. While this dessert is delicious warm out of the oven, it also tastes amazingly chilled!

How to Store Strawberry Crumble

This crumble dessert stores really well in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container for up to four days and either served chilled or you can reheat in the oven to obtain some crispness again.

You can also freeze a fruit crumble for up to four months after baking and cooling it completely. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

The crumble in the pan and some on a plate with ice cream.

Strawberry Crumble recipe FAQs

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Yes, it won’t quite be the same but freezing strawberries in season is a great way to enjoy this dessert year round. You will want to add your strawberries to the dessert without thawing first.

How can I get my crumble topping to be more crisp?

Baking it at a moderate temperature of 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C allows the strawberries to break down and get syrup while giving the topping time to get brown and crisp without burning.

How do I know when my strawberry crumble is finished baking?

Your fruit layer will be hot and bubbly while the topping will be a golden brown.

What is the difference between fruit crisp and crumble?

Fruit crisp is made with oats while a crumble is just a crisp without oats in the streusel! It will often feature nuts, but sometimes it is only butter, sugar and flour.

Strawberry crumble is a delicious dessert that is perfect for any occasion. With its crunchy topping and juicy strawberry filling, it is a dessert that is both comforting and indulgent. So the next time you are looking for a dessert to make, why not give this a try – you won’t be disappointed! Enjoy!

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