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This easy strawberry crumble is the best way to use fresh summer strawberries! Juicy berries topped with a buttery brown sugar crumble, ready in under an hour and perfect served warm with vanilla ice cream.
This strawberry crumble is everything a summer dessert should be; simple, stunning, and absolutely loaded with fresh berry flavor. Sweet, juicy strawberries are tossed with a little lemon juice and brown sugar, then topped in a buttery, golden-brown crumble topping that bakes up perfectly crisp.
With just a handful of pantry staples and about 15 minutes of hands-on time, strawberry crumble is one of the easiest fruit desserts you can make from scratch. Whether you’re picking up a flat at the farmers market or just grabbed a couple of pounds at the grocery store, this recipe is the best way to let those berries shine.
Serve it warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have a summer dessert that everyone at the table will be talking about.
Table of Contents
Erin’s Notes
- Only 7 ingredients — all basic pantry staples you likely already have.
- 15 minutes of prep, then the oven does the rest.
- The perfect use for peak-season fresh strawberries.
- Easily adaptable — mix in blueberries, rhubarb, or peaches.
- Crowd-pleasing and family-friendly — great for BBQs, potlucks, and weeknight desserts.
What’s The Difference Between A Crumble And A Crisp
Great question! The terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a technical difference. A crisp has oats in the topping and a crumble does not. This strawberry crumble uses only flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt in the topping, no oats. The result is a sandy, crumbly, buttery topping that bakes up wonderfully golden. Both are delicious, but the texture is slightly different!
Strawberry Crumble Ingredients
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
For the Strawberry Filling:
- Fresh strawberries — Hulled and quartered. The riper the better! Peak summer berries will give you the most flavorful filling.
- Lemon juice — brightens the berries and balances the sweetness.
- All-purpose flour — Helps thicken the berry juices so the crumble isn’t soupy.
- Light brown sugar
For the Crumble Topping:
- All-purpose flour
- Light brown sugar — Adds sweetness and helps the topping caramelize into crispy golden clusters.
- Cinnamon — A warm spice that pairs beautifully with fresh strawberries.
- Salt — Balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter — Cold and cubed. This is what brings the topping together and makes it rich and buttery.
Strawberry Crumble
Ingredients
Strawberry Crumble
- 6 cups chopped strawberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a bowl toss together strawberries, lemon juice, flour, and brown sugar. Spread into an 8-inch baking dish.6 cups chopped strawberries, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- In a separate bowl mix together flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon for topping, Cut butter into small cubes and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to incorporate butter. It should be consistency of sand.1 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- Spread topping mixture over strawberries and bake for 35-45 minutes until top is golden brown and berries are bubbly and hot.
- Remove from oven and let sit for 20 minutes before serving with ice cream or whipped cream.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Make Strawberry Crumble
- Prep the strawberries. Hull and quarter your berries, then toss them with lemon juice, flour, and brown sugar. Spread evenly in an 8-inch baking dish.
- Make the crumble topping. Whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse, wet sand.
- Assemble and bake. Spread the crumble topping evenly over the strawberries. Bake for 35–45 minutes, until the topping is deep golden brown and the berry juices are bubbling up around the edges.
- Rest before serving. Let the crumble sit for at least 20 minutes after baking. This allows the juices to thicken and makes serving much easier.
- Serve. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use the ripest berries you can find. Peak-season summer strawberries — especially local ones from the farmers market — make this crumble extraordinary.
- Keep your butter cold. Cold butter is the secret to a crumbly, sandy topping. If your kitchen is warm, pop the butter back in the fridge for 10 minutes before you start.
- Don’t skip the rest time. Letting the crumble rest 20 minutes after it comes out of the oven makes a huge difference — the filling thickens and it scoops cleanly.
- Watch the topping, not the clock. Ovens vary — the crumble is done when the top is deeply golden and the berries are bubbling actively around the edges.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble — Replace about 2 cups of the strawberries with chopped fresh rhubarb. The tartness is a perfect match.
- Strawberry Blueberry Crumble — Use half strawberries and half blueberries for a beautiful mixed berry version.
- Add a pinch of vanilla — A little vanilla extract stirred into the berry mixture adds a lovely depth of flavor.
- Make it gluten-free — Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for both the filling and the topping.
How To Serve Strawberry Crumble
Strawberry crumble is best served warm, scooped into bowls with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. The contrast of the warm, jammy berries and cold ice cream is unbeatable on a summer evening.
It’s also wonderful with a big dollop of fresh whipped cream or even a drizzle of heavy cream poured right into the bowl. If you’re serving a crowd, set it out family-style and let everyone scoop their own.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
Make ahead: You can assemble the crumble and refrigerate it (unbaked) for up to 24 hours before baking. Add 5–10 minutes to the bake time if going straight from fridge to oven.
Refrigerator: Store leftovers covered with foil or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat the whole dish in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes to crisp the topping back up. Individual servings can be microwaved.
Freezer: Transfer cooled crumble to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the oven until hot and the topping is crispy.
Just bought some strawberries, so this was perfect timing!
My favorite summer dessert! It is so delicious and easy to make! The best!
Delicious strawberry crumble. Perfect for this weather. With a scoop of vanilla ice cream is perfect. My daughter has never tried. She will love it. Thanks
Wow!! This is totally irresistible! I loved it! Thanks!
Delicious dessert! Definitely making again soon