If you’re looking for a luscious strawberry dessert, one with a rich shortbread crust and crunchy crumble topping, have I got a treat for you! This recipe is simple and quick, but folks will think you slaved for hours!
What is a Crumble?
A crumble is similar to a cobbler. It starts with a rich pie filling, covered in a homemade sugar, flour, and oat topping.
Some crumbles use the fruit as the bottom layer, but this one uses a soft, flaky fall-apart shortbread for added texture with the fruit nestled just above it.
You end up with shortbread on bottom, crumble on top, and loads of sweet bubbling strawberries nestled in-between.
(NOTE: If you don’t like a lot of crust, you can skip the bottom layer or simply cut the shortbread portions in half.)
Why Strawberry Filling?
You can really use any ready-made pie filling you like with this recipe. I happened to have strawberry on hand. Besides, I’ve got lots of fruity desserts using pie filling. (See the bottom of this post for more info on that.)
This one, however, has the addition of the crumble topping, which I absolutely love. In fact, I love this topping so much that I dedicated a whole post to it.
I know you’re gonna love this luscious recipe, so let’s get right to it.
Strawberry Crumble Ingredients
You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. For now, here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need. These are simple ingredients you might already have on hand. You can pick up cans of pie filling at any grocery store.
FOR THE CRUST:
- all purpose flour
- sugar
- cold butter
- pinch salt
FILLING:
- strawberry pie filling
FOR THE CRUMBLE:
- room temperature butter
- brown sugar
- white sugar
- rolled oats
- all purpose flour
- salt
How to Make Strawberry Crumble
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
MAKE THE CRUST:
Chop cold butter into pieces.
Place butter and all other ingredients in a stand mixer with paddle attachment.
Beat on low speed for a couple of minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Continue to beat until the crust comes together like a cookie dough.
Place in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
ADD THE FILLING:
Pour both containers of strawberry filling on top of the unbaked crust.
MAKE THE CRUMBLE TOPPING
Start with room temperature butter. Place it and all other ingredients into the mixer (or food processor) and beat on low speed. It won’t come together like a dough. Instead, you’ll end up with a crumble-like texture.
(Note: If you don’t have a mixer or food processor you can use a simple pastry cutter.)
Liberally (and loosely) add the crumble topping to the pie filling.
Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove fruit crisp from oven and place on wire rack to cool.
While still warm, scoop into bowls and serve.
If you like, add a dollop of whipped cream or scoop of ice cream.
Store leftovers in refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap or place in airtight container. They should stay fresh for 2-3 days.
What to Expect from This Easy Crumble Recipe
This luscious strawberry crisp is packed full of fruity flavor! Those juicy strawberries are delicious! And that crisp topping? Wow! It’s perfect.
In some ways, this fruit crumble recipe is a bit like a dump cake. But the addition of oats to the crumble topping gives it a lovely crunchy that takes it over the top.
And the shortbread crust is so soft and flaky it literally falls apart as you dish it up. (Yum!)
Variations on this Recipe
This crumble is lovely just as it is but I’m already thinking of ways to make it even better! Here are a few ideas that come to mind:
Strawberry Crumble Bars: I’m thinking you could use this same recipe for bars, with just a few tweaks. Bake the shortbread for 10 minutes before adding the pie filling. Only add one and a half cans of filling, spreading thin. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until crumble is golden. Wait until it’s fully cooled to cut into bars. *They should cut better after being refrigerated.
Skip the bottom layer: If you want a traditional cobbler, skip the bottom layer altogether and put the strawberry filling on bottom, instead.
Blueberry pie filling: I think this would be delicious as blueberry crumble. You could even add a bit of lemon zest to the crumble for added flavor.
Pecan pie filling: I have a great recipe for pie filling. You could use that in place of canned pie filling. You might even try a couple canisters of coconut pecan frosting if you don’t feel up to making a filling.
Cherry pie filling: This is the obvious choice. You could add some slivered almonds to the crumble for more crunch.
Ice cream: Don’t forget to add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream to the top of your strawberry crumble. Yum! This is the best way to enjoy this special dessert, in my opinion.
Questions People are Asking about Strawberry Crumble
Can I use fresh strawberries in this recipe?
You can use fresh berries but you’ll want to cook them with a bit of sugar ahead of time. You can add a couple teaspoons of corn starch to thicken the juicy strawberries. Using canned strawberry pie filling is easier, of course. You don’t have to wait for strawberry season to bake!
Can I add lemon juice to this recipe?
Lemon juice brightens the flavor of the sweet strawberries and it should be delicious in this recipe. Add a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon juice or add a bit of lemon zest to the berries. Then use the strawberry mixture as instructed in the recipe. Orange zest is another great option.
Can I add vanilla extract?
Absolutely! Add vanilla or almond extract for more flavor.
Other Fruity Favorites from Out of the the Box Baking:
Cherry Cream Cheese Cobbler: If you’re in the mood for a luscious cherry cobbler, laced with a crunchy crust, have I got a recipe for you! This rich cobbler is packed full of flavor and topped with a crisp layer of almonds.
Easy Cake Mix Cherry Pies: If you want the flavor of a cherry pie but the ease of a quick doctored cake mix, then this is the recipe for you!
Traditional blueberry Muffins: If you love the sweetness of blueberries and the rich hearty flavor of a sweet muffin, have I got a treat for you. These traditional Blueberry Muffins are loaded with flavor, have a crunch topping, and are easy to make!
That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed the recipe for this delicious dessert. You’re going to love this easy strawberry crumble recipe.
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Easy Strawberry Crumble
If you’re looking for a luscious strawberry dessert, one with a rich shortbread crust and crunchy crumble topping, have I got a treat for you! This recipe is simple and quick, but folks will think you slaved for hours!
Ingredients
- FOR THE CRUST:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup cold salted butter
- pinch salt
- FILLING:
- 2 cans strawberry pie filling
- Crumble:
- 1/2 cup room temperature butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- Pinch salt
Instructions
How to Make Easy Strawberry Crumble
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
MAKE THE CRUST:
Chop cold butter into pieces.
Place butter and all other ingredients in a stand mixer with paddle attachment.
Beat on low speed for a couple of minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Continue to beat until the crust comes together like a cookie dough.
Place in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
ADD THE FILLING:
Pour both containers of strawberry filling on top of the unbaked crust.
MAKE THE CRUMBLE TOPPING.
Start with room temperature butter. Place it and all other ingredients into the mixer and beat on low speed. It won’t come together like a dough. Instead, you’ll end up with a crumble-like texture.
Liberally (and loosely) add the crumble topping to the pie filling.
Place in preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool.
Once fully cooled, scoop and serve. You can add a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if you like.
Store leftovers in refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap or place in airtight container. They should stay fresh for 2-3 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 511Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 241mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 2gSugar: 30gProtein: 5g
The nutrition information is a product of online calculators. I try to provide true and accurate information, but these numbers are estimates.