This gluten-free strawberry rhubarb crisp recipe is the best of easy meets delicious! Sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb are baked under a buttery oat topping. It’s healthy, vegan, and the perfect late spring to early summer dessert!

gluten free strawberry rhubarb crisp with vanilla ice cream

❤️ Why You’ll Want to Make A Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

In my humble, food-obsessed opinion, crisps are underrated, often considered the underdog of the pie world. That is where their brilliance lies. They are a snap to make, requiring no fussy pie crust, are very customizable, and taste every bit as delicious as their artful cousins.

Let’s explore this world of crips, dear reader, and make a gluten-free strawberry rhubarb crisp! The fruit filling is the perfect balance of sweet strawberries and the distinctive tart flavor of rhubarb. Then baked under a buttery, golden brown, gluten-free crust of oats, toasted almonds, and almond flour. It’s love at first bite and likely to find its way into your dessert rotation!

🔖 Simple Ingredients Needed

You’ll find the complete ingredient list with measurements and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here are ingredients notes plus some substitutions.

ingredients for gluten free strawberry rhubarb crisp

Strawberries- Use fresh or frozen strawberries. If using frozen, thaw them first then drain off the excess juice.

Rhubarb- This seasonal ingredient can typically be found in late spring in the grocery store or at your local farmers market. I used frozen rhubarb in this recipe. The taste from fresh to frozen is indistinguishable.

Maple syrup- This liquid sweetener adds caramel notes and depth of flavor. Other good options are agave or vegan honey.

Cornstarch- Essential for thickening our fruit filling. For a corn-free option, use 1:1 parts arrowroot starch (¼ cup).

Vanilla extract- Essential to make all the flavors shine!

Gluten-free rolled oats- Use regular gluten-free rolled oats, not quick-cooking oats or steel-cut (thick-cut) oats. These will not deliver the right balance of chewy crispy texture.

Almond flour- This ingredient gives the crisp topping a wonderful nutty flavor while helping the ingredients stick together. Other good options are oat flour or 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.

Chopped toasted almonds- These hard nuts add a wonderful crunch to the soft fruit. Feel free to use pecans, toasted walnuts, or a blend!

Brown sugar- This ingredient melts, once baked, and binds the dry ingredients together in sweet caramel bliss. For an unrefined sweetener, use coconut sugar.

Cinnamon & salt- For warmth and layers of flavor.

Vegan butter- The fat in vegan butter makes the crisp topping bake to a golden brown and crisp up. Other healhty options are canned coconut cream or melted refined coconut oil.

🥣 How to Make This Recipe (with photos)

When you’re ready to make this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post. You’ll find the complete ingredient list with measurements there.

Here’s how to make a gluten-free strawberry crisp step-by-step!

fruit filling for strawberry rhubarb crips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C Have a 2.5 quart (10.75 x 7.5 inch) ungreased baking dish handy.

2. Pile the strawberries and rhubarb in a large bowl. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the maple syrup, cornstarch, and vanilla extract. Pour it over the fruit and toss to coat.

3. In a medium bowl combine the gluten-free oats, almond flour, chopped toasted almonds, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the melted vegan butter over the dry ingredients and mix it all together until it begins to clump together.

scooping gluten free crisp topping onto fruit filling

4. Stir the fruit filling once more and scoop it into your baking dish. Crumble the gluten-free crisp topping over the fruit in an even layer and pat it into place.

5. Bake at 350°F / 180°C for 50 minutes until the fruit is bubbling hot and has begun to caramelize on the sides of the pan with a golden brown top. If the fruit still looks liquidy, place a piece of foil over the top to prevent the crisp from burning and cook for another 10 minutes.

6. Let it cool for a half hour at room temperature to set before serving.

gluten free strawberry rhubarb crisp in a baking dish

❄️ Storage Instructions

Cool the crisp or any leftovers to room temperature first. Then store in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze strawberry rhubarb crisp?

Yes, you can freeze a strawberry rhubarb crisp both before baking and after baking. Here’s how to do both:

Unbaked crisp:

Make the crisp but don’t bake it. Wrap the dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can also place it in an airtight freezer-safe container. Place the crisp in the freezer. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.

To bake from frozen:

Remove the crisp from the freezer, and do not thaw. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 60-75 minutes (longer than the usual baking time) until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

Baked crisp:

Let the baked crisp cool to room temperature. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store it in an airtight container or wrap it in heavy-duty foil for extra protection. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.

To Reheat from Frozen:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove any cover or wrapping and bake for 20-30 minutes until warmed through and the topping is crisp again.

gluten free strawberry rhubarb crisp scooped onto plates with vegan vanilla ice cream

⭐️ FAQs + Tips For Perfect Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

What is the difference between a crisp, a crumble, and a cobbler?

Crisp

A crisp topping is typically made with butter, sugar, or a liquid sweetener, and flour mixed with oats or nuts. As the name suggests, the topping becomes crispy when baked.

Crumble

Common in England, a crumble topping is very similar to a crisp but is mostly just butter, flour, and sugar with no oats or nuts. The topping will be more soft and crumbly.

Cobbler

Popular in Southern cooking, a cobbler has a thicker biscuit-like topping, often made with flour, baking powder, sugar, and butter, and it is spooned or dropped onto the fruit filling in dollops. The biscuit topping will bake up puffy and cakey, rather than crunchy or crumbly.

Can I use frozen fruit in this recipe?

Yes!!! I tested this recipe with frozen fruit in March when fresh rhubarb was not in season. The results are just as tasty when compared to the crisps I’ve made with fresh fruit. The bonus is you can enjoy it all year round!

⭐️ Top Tips

To determine if the amount of fruit you have will fit your baking dish, pile it into the baking dish before tossing it with the rest of the fruit filling ingredients. You can always add more or less!
For the perfect small batch dessert, make ½ the recipe and bake it in an 8 X 6½-inch baking dish.
Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make it next-level delicious!

vegan gluten free strawberry rhubarb crisp with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream on top

🧁 More Delicious Gluten-Free Vegan Desserts

From the oven:

1️⃣ Oat Flour Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

2️⃣ Gluten-Free Banana Mini Muffins with Chocolate Chips

3️⃣ Vegan Lemon Lavender Scones

4️⃣ Vegan Almond Shortbread

5️⃣ Vegan and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

6️⃣ Vegan Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes

7️⃣ Vegan Strawberry Shortcake

No Bake

1️⃣ Vegan Chocolate Ganache Tart

2️⃣ Peppermint Chocolate Vegan Mug Cake

3️⃣ Chocolate Chia Pudding

4️⃣ Easy Vegan Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries

5️⃣ Easy Vegan Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries

6️⃣ Vegan Avocado Chocolate Mousse

7️⃣ Coconut Nice Cream

This easy recipe is one of the first things I bake when rhubarb makes an appearance at our little farmer’s market. The hot bubbling fruit fills the whole kitchen with sweet spring smells. It makes terrific leftovers, especially for breakfast next to a steaming cuppa. 😊

Have a whole lotta fun baking and I’ll see you next time with a dreamy matcha latte recipe!

X,o,

Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Table of Contents

❤️ Why You’ll Want to Make A Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

🔖 Simple Ingredients Needed

🥣 How to Make This Recipe (with photos)