Easy Gluten-Free & Vegan Strawberry Crisp: The Perfect Summer Dessert
There’s nothing quite like the taste of fresh, sun-ripened strawberries. Their vibrant color and sweet, juicy flavor instantly evoke memories of long summer days. When you have an abundance of these delightful berries, an easy strawberry crisp is the absolute best way to celebrate them. This recipe isn’t just simple to make; it’s also naturally gluten-free and vegan, ensuring everyone can enjoy a slice of this seasonal sweet treat. Imagine warm, tender strawberries bubbling beneath a golden, crispy oat topping, perfectly complemented by a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream. It’s the quintessential summer dessert experience.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Strawberry Crisp Recipe
This strawberry crisp stands out for several reasons, making it a go-to choice for a quick and satisfying dessert:
- Effortlessly Delicious: With minimal prep time (around 15 minutes!), you’ll have a show-stopping dessert ready to bake.
- Naturally Gluten-Free: Using oat flour and rolled oats for the topping ensures a delicious, crumbly texture without any gluten.
- Vegan-Friendly: Opting for vegan butter makes this a perfect dairy-free treat that doesn’t compromise on flavor or texture.
- Highlighting Fresh Flavors: The recipe uses fresh, juicy strawberries, allowing their natural sweetness to shine through. It’s an ideal way to utilize a bounty of summer berries.
- Perfectly Balanced Sweetness: While sweet, it’s not overwhelmingly so, letting the natural tartness of the strawberries provide balance. You can adjust the sugar to your preference.
- Versatile Serving: Fantastic on its own, but truly elevated when served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of coconut whipped cream.
How to Make Strawberry Crisp
Making this delightful strawberry crisp involves two main components: the luscious fruit filling and the irresistible crumbly topping. Both are incredibly straightforward, guaranteeing a successful dessert every time.
Preparing the Juicy Strawberry Filling
The foundation of any great crisp is the fruit filling. For this strawberry crisp, we start with two pounds of fresh, vibrant strawberries. Look for berries that are bright red, plump, and fragrant – these will give you the best flavor.
First, thoroughly wash your strawberries and hull them (remove the green leafy tops). Then, it’s time to cut them. For average-sized strawberries, halving them is usually perfect. If you have particularly large berries, quartering them will ensure they cook down evenly and fit nicely into your baking dish. The goal is consistent pieces so they all become tender at the same rate during baking.
Once your strawberries are prepped, place them into a large mixing bowl. Now, we’ll add the essential ingredients that transform them into a delicious, slightly thickened filling: sugar, cornstarch, a pinch of salt, and fresh lemon juice. The cornstarch is crucial here as it acts as a thickener, preventing your crisp from being too watery. The lemon juice brightens the strawberry flavor and adds a touch of necessary acidity to balance the sweetness. Toss everything together gently until the strawberries are evenly coated. Set this mixture aside for a few minutes; this allows the sugar to draw out some of the strawberry juices, creating a flavorful syrup.
Crafting the Perfect Gluten-Free Crisp Topping
Once your strawberry filling is prepared and resting, it’s time to focus on the star of any crisp: the irresistible topping. This recipe’s topping is not only wonderfully crunchy but also naturally gluten-free, thanks to the clever use of oats and oat flour. It’s what gives this dessert its signature “crisp” texture when baked to golden perfection.
Gather your ingredients for the topping: brown sugar, oat flour, rolled oats, a touch of salt, and melted vegan butter. The brown sugar adds a deep, molasses-like sweetness and helps create a lovely caramelization. Rolled oats provide that classic chewy texture, while oat flour binds everything together and contributes to the overall crispness. A pinch of salt enhances all the flavors. For a vegan crisp, melted vegan butter is essential, but if you’re not strictly vegan, regular melted butter works just as well.
If you don’t have store-bought oat flour on hand, don’t worry! It’s incredibly easy to make your own. Simply place rolled oats into a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until it reaches a fine flour consistency. This is a handy trick that saves a trip to the grocery store and ensures your crisp is truly homemade.
In a separate bowl, combine all the dry topping ingredients (brown sugar, oat flour, rolled oats, and salt). Pour in the melted vegan butter and mix with a fork or your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly and well combined. You’re looking for a texture that resembles coarse crumbs, perfect for sprinkling over the fruit.
Assembling and Baking Your Strawberry Crisp
One of the best features of this strawberry crisp is its minimal prep time. You can have it ready for the oven in about 15 minutes, which is fantastic when you’re craving a quick homemade dessert.
Pour your prepared strawberry filling into a pie plate or any small to medium-sized baking dish. A standard 9-inch pie plate works perfectly, allowing for a good ratio of fruit to topping. Spread the strawberries evenly across the bottom. Then, generously sprinkle the crumbly oat topping over the entire surface of the strawberry mixture, ensuring an even layer.
Bake your strawberry crisp in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 40-50 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the fruit filling is visibly bubbly around the edges, indicating it has thickened and cooked through, and the crisp topping is beautifully golden brown and crunchy. The aroma filling your kitchen will be an excellent indicator too! Allow it to cool for a few minutes before serving, as the filling will be very hot and will continue to thicken slightly as it rests.
Serve this delightful strawberry crisp warm. The ultimate pairing? A generous scoop (or two!) of creamy vanilla ice cream. The contrast of the warm, fruity crisp with the cold, melting ice cream is simply divine. For a truly vegan treat, serve with your favorite non-dairy vanilla ice cream or a dollop of coconut whipped cream. It’s a simple pleasure that feels incredibly indulgent.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Crisp Every Time
- Choose Ripe Strawberries: The flavor of your crisp largely depends on the quality of your fruit. Use fresh, ripe, and fragrant strawberries for the best results.
- Don’t Skimp on Lemon Juice: The lemon juice isn’t just for flavor; it helps balance the sweetness and brightens the overall taste of the strawberries.
- Proper Thickener: Cornstarch is key to a perfectly gooey, not watery, filling. Ensure it’s thoroughly mixed with the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice.
- Adjust Sweetness to Taste: Since strawberries vary in sweetness, taste a small piece before mixing. If your strawberries are particularly tart, you might want to add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar to the filling.
- Homemade Oat Flour: If grinding your own oat flour, ensure it’s a very fine powder to integrate smoothly into the topping.
- Even Topping Distribution: Spread the crisp topping evenly over the strawberries to ensure every bite has that delightful crunch.
- Watch for Browning: Keep an eye on the crisp during the last 10-15 minutes of baking. If the topping starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil.
Variations & Add-ins for Your Strawberry Crisp
While this classic strawberry crisp is perfect as is, it’s also incredibly adaptable. Feel free to experiment with these ideas:
- Mixed Berries: Add other berries like blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries for a vibrant berry medley.
- Rhubarb Delight: Strawberry and rhubarb is a classic pairing! Add 1-2 cups of chopped rhubarb to the strawberry filling.
- Spices: A pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or even cardamom in the topping or filling can add warm, aromatic notes.
- Nutty Topping: For extra crunch and flavor, mix in a handful of chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts into the crisp topping mixture.
- Citrus Zest: Grate some orange or lemon zest into the filling for an extra burst of citrusy brightness.
- Coconut: Add shredded coconut to the topping for a tropical twist.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Leftover strawberry crisp can be stored, though it’s best enjoyed fresh and warm from the oven!
- Storage: Cover any leftover crisp tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating: For best results, reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, or in a toaster oven or conventional oven at 300°F (150°C) for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through and the topping crisps up again.
Frequently Asked Questions About Strawberry Crisp
- Can I use frozen strawberries?
- Yes, you can! If using frozen strawberries, do not thaw them first. Toss them directly with the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and lemon juice. You may need to add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, as frozen fruit releases more liquid.
- Is this recipe suitable for dietary restrictions?
- Absolutely! This recipe is naturally gluten-free due to the use of oat flour and rolled oats. By using vegan butter, it is also completely dairy-free and vegan, making it a wonderful option for various dietary needs.
- What’s the difference between a crisp and a crumble?
- The terms are often used interchangeably, but traditionally, a crisp topping contains oats, which become “crispy” when baked. A crumble topping typically contains flour, sugar, and butter, creating a more “crumbly” texture without oats.
- Can I prepare this crisp ahead of time?
- You can prepare the strawberry filling and the crisp topping separately the day before. Store the filling covered in the refrigerator and the topping in an airtight container at room temperature. Assemble and bake just before serving for the freshest taste and texture.
More Crisp Recipes
Hungry for more fruity, comforting desserts? Here are some other easy and yummy crisp recipes to try.
- Vegan Blueberry Peach Crisp
- Easy Peach Crisp Recipe
- Best Vegan Apple Crisp
- Cranberry Blueberry Crisp
Strawberry Crisp
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Ingredients
For the Filling
- 2 lbs fresh strawberries, halved
- 1/4 cup pure cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the Crisp Topping
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup gluten free oat flour
- 3/4 cup gluten free rolled oats
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup vegan butter, melted
Instructions
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Halve the strawberries and place them into a bowl. Toss the strawberries with the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and lemon juice until combined
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In a separate bowl, add all ingredients for the crisp and use a fork or spoon to stir until crumbly and combined
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Pour the strawberry filling into a pie plate or small baking dish
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Top the strawberry mixture with the crisp topping
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Bake the strawberry crisp at 350 degrees for 40 – 50 minutes, until bubbly and browned on top
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Serve warm with vanilla ice cream
Notes
Nutrition
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