Individual Strawberry Crumbles
The first local strawberries arrived in the farmers market (!!!) and I can’t buy them fast enough. In less than a week we’ve devoured two big flats of the juiciest, stain-your-fingers, ruby red berry beauties. Waiting for the season to kick off has been tortuous. In North Carolina last year – when I was also feeding my berry addiction with weekly flats of fresh-picked strawberries at the farm stand down the road – strawberry season was already coming to an end by June.
The girls behind the counter would often ask me if I was making jam. Nope. Well, a few times. I just really love strawberries. Make that, all berries, and if you’re a regular reader then you probably already guessed that. Fresh and eaten by the handful, or baked into sweet and simple fruit desserts, like these strawberry oat crumbles, I just can’t get enough. The many berry-centric recipes on this site represent restraint, believe it or not, lest you all mutiny in the face of my berry obsession.
Crumbles and crisps are my go-to Summer dessert. There’s really no more perfect way to end a meal than with sweet, peak-season fruit – cherries and strawberries at the moment – baked until bubbly under a layer of buttery, crispy oat goodness. They’re foolproof, endlessly adaptable and always crowd pleasing.
Most of the time I don’t even use a recipe, but simply fill a baking dish – or a few individual ramekins – with ripe berries and fruit, tossed with a bit of sugar and some lemon juice if I have one on hand, sprinkle on enough crumble topping to cover, and bake until the juices bubble up over the edges. A dusting of confectioners sugar or a scoop of vanilla ice cream is nearly mandatory, and if the weather is nice where you are, these taste even better al fresco.
Individual Strawberry Oat Crumbles
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Ingredients
Strawberry Filling
- 4 cups sliced strawberries
- 2 Tbsp pure cane sugar
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- optional but recommended: 2 tsp arrowroot starch
Oat Crumble Topping
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour*
- 1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
- pinch fine sea salt
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter,* softened
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, toss together the strawberries, sugar, arrowroot starch and lemon zest, if using. Set aside.
- Make the crumble topping: In a small mixing bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar and salt until combined. Add the butter, and use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Continue until the butter is completely incorporated, and the mixture comes together into a chunky crumb.
- Divide the strawberry mixture between 4 oven-safe ramekins. Top with the crumble topping and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the crumble topping is golden brown and the berry juices begin to bubble. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream and/or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Notes
For a vegan crumble, substitute vegan butter (such as Earth Balance) or room-temperature unrefined coconut oil.
For a gluten free crumble, swap out the all-purpose flour for oat flour, almond flour, or your favorite gluten free flour blend.
You list lemon juice in the ingredients but then optional lemon zest in the recipe.
Just made this tonight for dessert, and it turned out perfect! I didn’t have arrowroot starch and used cornstarch instead. Also subbed the cane sugar for palm sugar, added a pinch of cinnamon to the strawberries and crumble mix. Served with vanilla ice cream. Thank you for such an easy recipe Laura. It was super delicious.
★★★★★
So happy to hear it, thanks, Melissa!!
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Hi Laura, you’re a girl after my own heart! Fruit crumbles are my go-to dessert all year, or at least as long as my frozen berries last, and I have a light hand with the topping. You have lavender blooming already? It’s not out yet in my garden. What do you say to lavender honey ice cream on blueberry crumble? I can vouch that it’s good….
Thanks, Mary! We have a couple of lavender bushes that seem to bloom nearly year round, but definitely over the last few weeks. It’s been so hot lately, everything is in overdrive! The bees are very happy. That lavender honey ice cream + blueberry crumble sounds divine. Do you have a recipe? 🙂
Yes but we’ll see whether it ever makes it onto my blog!
There’s no resisting strawberries that look that gorgeous. Love this crumble recipe!
Seriously! Thanks, Jennie!!
Hi Laura, this is an awesome recipe. Thanks a lot for sharing. 🙂
★★★★★
Oh I love crumbles and this looks delicious. Your berries look perfect……
Thanks, Cheri! Me too!
The perfect summer treat! These sound incredible!
Thank you so much, Katrina!!
omg these look absolutely amaziing!!! so yummy
Thank you, Anna!!