During the summer after my freshman year of college, my mom and I traveled to Alaska for a week-long volunteer trip. We assumed we wouldn’t have much time for ourselves during the week, so we flew up a couple days early to squeeze in some sightseeing.
We stayed at an adorable B&B with an incredibly gracious hostess, and she recommended a three-hour boat tour that left from the Seward harbor and cruised around the various bays. Although chilly and windy out on the water, especially compared to our summer California weather, we loved every minute of it — and we even witness a ten-story-sized chunk of ice falling off of a glacier during the boat tour!
Once our week of volunteering began, we actually ended up with a few free late afternoons and evenings, so our group leader organized a hike at Exit Glacier and a trip to the Alaska SeaLife Center right in Seward. We took hundreds of photos at each place and learned a lot too!
On one evening, the town’s church members hosted a potluck dinner for the volunteer crew, and each local family brought a dish to share. There were lots of typical potluck foods like casseroles, lasagna, and potato salad, but my favorite dish that evening was the strawberry rhubarb crumble.
I had never tried rhubarb before, so I cautiously took my first bite, not quite sure what to expect… Yet its bright tartness paired perfectly with the sweet juicy berries, and the spiced streusel topping made it even more irresistible. I wasn’t the only person to go back for seconds!
And now, too many years later, I finally got around to making a more wholesome version. This healthy strawberry rhubarb crisp tastes just as sweet and comforting as the original one I sampled in Alaska, and it’s surprisingly simple to make. Even better? It’s almost healthy enough for breakfast!
So it probably comes as no surprise… I definitely went back for seconds of this lightened-up version too!
CRISP OR CRUMBLE?
What’s the difference, you might ask? In a nutshell… Only the letters after the “cr!” 😉
That’s right — “crisp” and “crumble” are generally interchangeable and typically refer to the same type of dessert: a soft, often fruit-based filling that’s covered with streusel (often oat-based!) and baked. No crust, nothing underneath… Just a delicious layer of sweet, crunchy crumbs on top!
Tip: They’re different than cobblers, which traditionally have a batter- or biscuit-based topping — not a streusel- or crumb-based one.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE A HEALTHY STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CRISP
With that out of the way… Let’s go over what you’ll need to make this healthy strawberry rhubarb crisp! Or healthy strawberry rhubarb crumble. Whatever you prefer to call it, you’ll make it the same way!
We’ll start with the crumble topping. It’s a combination of old-fashioned rolled oats (like these!), whole wheat flour, cinnamon (this is my favorite kind!), pure maple syrup (like this!), and a small amount of melted butter. I prefer using melted butter, rather than cold cubed butter, because it’s much easier to incorporate. Just stir it in and you’re done!
As for the maple syrup, be sure to use the real kind that comes straight from maple trees! The only ingredient on the label should be “pure maple syrup,” and it usually comes in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this!).
Tip: Gluten-free rolled oats and many gluten-free flours will also work, if you’d like to make this healthy strawberry rhubarb crisp gluten-free. See the Notes section of the recipe for my recommendation about the best ones to use!
Next comes the filling. You’ll use equal amounts of fresh diced strawberries and rhubarb. You want to cut them to be about the same size so your crumble bakes evenly — and so it’s easier to cut and serve each slice!
You’ll also add a few more ingredients to your bright red filling: cinnamon (remember, this is my favorite!), coconut sugar (like this!), and cornstarch (like this!). Coconut sugar is an unrefined sweetener that has a rich caramel-like flavor similar to brown sugar, and you can often find it on the baking aisle near the granulated sugar. Because rhubarb is naturally tart, the coconut sugar helps make the filling taste just as sweet as traditional full-fruit crumbles.
As for the cornstarch, that thickens the strawberry and rhubarb juices that they release while baking as the crumble cools. I strongly prefer to let my crumbles cool all the way to room temperature, which allows the cornstarch to do its job and helps the juices fully set. Then I simply reheat individual portions if I want to eat them warm — and maybe with a little ice cream!
HOW TO MAKE A STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CRISP
But I’m getting ahead of myself… We still need to assemble this healthy strawberry rhubarb crisp before baking it! It’s really easy to do.
First, spread that filling into your pan, and gently press it down with a spatula to make the top as even as possible. This ensures it bakes properly, and it also helps prevent the oat crumble topping from falling down into any nooks and crannies between the bits of berries and rhubarb.
Next, you’ll sprinkle that oat streusel topping over the filling. The streusel tends to clump together in the mixing bowl, so rub it between your fingers to break up those clumps so you end up with an even crumb layer on top!
Then all that’s left to do is pop it in the oven, set a timer, and wait… As (im)patiently as possible!
Just look at that gorgeous pink color! Doesn’t it look so summery and tempting?? ♡ And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tag @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy strawberry rhubarb crisp!
Healthy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Ingredients
FOR THE TOPPING
- ¾ cup (75g) old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- ¼ cup (30g) whole wheat flour or millet flour* (measured like this)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp (30mL) pure maple syrup (room temperature)
- 1 ½ tbsp (21g) unsalted butter, melted
FOR THE FILLING
- 3 cups (500g) chopped fresh strawberries (see Notes!)
- 3 cups (365g) chopped fresh rhubarb (see Notes!)
- 3 tbsp (36g) coconut sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp (24g) cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat an 8”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- To prepare the topping, whisk together the oats, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour in the maple syrup and melted butter. Stir until fully incorporated.
- To prepare the filling, toss the strawberries and rhubarb with the coconut sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl until completely coated. Sprinkle in the cornstarch, and gently toss again until coated.
- Transfer the filling to the prepared pan, and gently press down with a spatula. Sprinkle evenly with the topping. (The topping tends to clump, so try to break it up into fairly small pieces.) Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes or until the rhubarb is fork tender. Cool completely to room temperature; then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving to allow the juices to fully thicken.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Apple Crumble
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Crumble
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Healthy Peach Crumble
♡ Healthy Strawberry Poppy Seed Crumble
♡ Healthy Blueberry Mango Crumble
♡ Healthy Almond Berry Crumble
♡ Healthy Strawberry Crumble Bars
Hi Amy! This recipe sounds great except for 3 tbsps of corn starch in the filling. I despise what I call gelatinous fruit filling. I would rather use flour to thicken the filling, and less of it, and have a runner filling. Store bought pies always use corn starch and so do most bakery pies, and I never enjoy them. Thoughts?
You can double the flour in the filling in place of the cornstarch! It might not thicken the juices quite as much, but it’ll be close. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of this crumble Jennifer!
I just told my Mom no thanks when she offered me rhubarb. I said I would only make something bad for me. Now I am going straight back and grabbing that fresh rhubarb. I can’t wait, Yum ! Thanks for letting me enjoy some Rhubarb dessert. Kim
Great minds must think alike about healthy rhubarb desserts, Kim! 😉 I can’t wait to hear what you think of this crumble!
I made this last night and after leaving it sit overnight, I tried some this morning and was underwhelmed, to say the least. It’s not bad but it really doesn’t taste like much of anything. I was really hopeful as other strawberry rhubarb crumble recipes call for soooo much more flour sugar and butter but after trying this recipe (to the T), I guess I see why. 🙁
I will try some more later reheated with a sweetened cream of some sort to see if it improves.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Greg! That sounds disappointing. I’d love to work with you to figure out how to solve the issue that you saw! How ripe were your strawberries? Were they exceptionally sweet and juicy? If not, then that’s probably the problem… You can definitely add more coconut sugar to the filling so that it tastes sweeter! 🙂 If there were any other issues, I’m happy to go over potential fixes for those as well!
Hi Amy, thanks for taking the time to respond. I *really* did want to like this recipe and when I heated it up and had some vanilla based ice cream paired with it, it was definitely a lot better. The strawberries are definitely at their peak where I’m at right now so I don’t think that was the issue. One thing I noticed after it was reheated is that the top did not have a crumble texture at all. Would it be possible it needs to be covered with foil either during baking or after when cooling on the counter, or in the fridge (or a combination of all three)?
Like I said, when reheated though, my gf and I enjoyed it much more. We liked that it wasn’t just a sugar bomb. I want to try it again, I would just like to get that nice crumble on top 🙂
It’s my pleasure, Greg! I like your suggestion of covering the crumble with foil while refrigerating, and I think that’s definitely worth trying. I don’t think that would help while baking or cooling because it would simply trap in steam, which would make the crumble topping softer — not crisper! 😉 When you reheated the crumble, did you do so in the microwave, and for how long?
Hi Amy. Good to know on when to try covering it. I am still fairly new to baking so any tips are helpful. Yes we reheated the pieces in the microwave as it was the easiest but I see how that could have made the topping softer vs reheating in the oven. I chopped and froze the rest of my rhubarb so I think I have enough to try another batch. I will probably do that soon.
I’m always happy to share tips! I definitely think you’re right about microwave vs oven reheating. I have a toaster oven that looks like a miniature regular oven, so it’s perfect for reheating things like that quickly! 🙂
Can you use all rhubarb & if so any idea how much extra coconut sugar or possibly stevia to add? I use part sugar & part vanilla liquid stevia with just a touch of water to stop it from burning when I stew my rhubarb. Maybe just making my stewed rhubarb which turns out quite thick & just using your topping would work?
I’m honored that you’d like to try my recipe Candee! I think it should be possible to modify to use solely rhubarb. If you have the same liquid vanilla stevia that I’ve used in many of my recipes, then I’d recommend adding ½ to ¾ teaspoon (the equivalent of about 4-6 tablespoons of coconut sugar — although you could easily add more, if you prefer it to be sweeter!) plus 3 tablespoons of water. The baking time may vary a bit, but it’ll be done when the rhubarb feels soft and any juices that you can see around the sides of the pan look thick. Does that make sense? 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you end up trying that!
Thanks for your quick reply! I don’t mind using the coconut sugar but I figured the amount in the recipe wouldn’t be enough if I just used Rhubarb because it is so tart. I am still waiting for my rhubarb to be big enough to use. I think when I make it I will try using the coconut sugar as well as maybe 1/4 tsp of the vanilla stevia ( yes it is the same as what you often use!) I will try to remember to get back to you when I do try it!
It’s my pleasure, Candee! I’m always happy to help! 🙂 I’m even more impressed that you’re using homegrown rhubarb. My gardening thumb isn’t fully black, but it’s more brown-ish than green… Maybe someday I’ll be able to grow my own rhubarb as well as other veggies! 😉 I’d love to hear how it turns out later this summer once you get a chance to try making this crumble!
Amy, if you want to give rhubarb growing a try I would suggest good soil and don’t harvest the first year. The second year fertilize with composted horse manure….seriously. We have terrible soil and so so rhubarb. When I started fertilizing with horse manure my plant doubled in size. Give it a try, you’ll be happy that you did!
Thank you so much for sharing your tips, Claudia! I’ll definitely keep that in mind once I have enough space for a proper garden. Goodness knows my brown thumb can use all the help it can get! 😉 If you ever decide to try making this crumble, I’d absolutely love to hear what you think of it too!
This recipe was pretty good for being low calorie! I found out mid-mixing that we didn’t actually have any coconut sugar left, so I used 2.5T cane sugar instead. I thought the cinnamon would be overpowering because there was SO much of it, but it actually wasn’t. The best part of this was actually the topping, it was better than the normal topping I would use with all the butter! I’ll be using this topping for everything from now on!
Oh my goodness Cassandra — you just made my ENTIRE day!! I’m so honored that you enjoyed this crumble, and it truly means a lot that you loved the crumble topping so much and plan on using it in the future. That’s the best kind of compliment there is! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know!! 🙂
Hi! I might have missed the answer in your text above the recipe, but can I use frozen diced rhubarb? Any changes to the recipe if I go this route? Thanks!
I’m honored that you’d like to try this recipe, Tara! I haven’t tried making this crumble with frozen rhubarb before, but I think it should work. It may take a little extra time to bake, but the flavor will remain the same! 🙂 I’m really excited to hear what you think of this crumble!