Strawberry Crisp

Make Strawberry Crisp with juicy strawberries and a buttery oat topping for a warm, irresistible dessert.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter (cut into large pieces)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons coconut sugar or light brown sugar
• Zest of one medium lemon (juice the lemon for the strawberry filling)
• 2 pounds fresh strawberries
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch (plus 1 to 2 additional teaspoons if your berries are very juicy)
• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
• Juice of one medium lemon (you can juice the lemon you zested for the topping!)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Vanilla or plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• Vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt

Instructions

Step 1: Make the oat topping and preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 375°F and assemble the topping: place the butter (cut into large pieces) and the coconut oil in a medium microwave‑safe bowl and heat until just melted, stirring between short bursts. Add the old‑fashioned rolled oats, white whole wheat flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, kosher salt, granulated sugar, coconut or light brown sugar, and the lemon zest; stir thoroughly until the mixture forms a mix of small crumbly bits and larger clumps that hold together when pressed. Set the bowl of topping in the refrigerator to chill while you finish the fruit — you want the topping firm and slightly cohesive so it creates crunchy clusters when baked.

Step 2: Hull and macerate the strawberries, assemble the filling

Hull and quarter about 2 pounds of fresh strawberries (you should have roughly 6 cups), place them in a large mixing bowl, then sprinkle in the cornstarch, drizzle the honey (or maple syrup), squeeze in the lemon juice and add the vanilla. Toss gently but completely so every berry is glossy and coated; you should see juices draw out and thicken slightly as the cornstarch and sweetener start to bind the fruit into a syrupy mixture. Transfer the glossy strawberry mixture, including all the collected juices, into a 9x9‑inch square baking dish, smoothing the fruit into an even layer and leaving the chilled oat topping nearby so it’s ready to scatter across the surface.

Step 3: Top, bake until bubbling, and serve warm

Scatter the chilled oat topping evenly over the strawberries, leaving some larger clusters intact for texture, then bake on the center rack until the topping is golden in spots and the fruit is hot and vigorously bubbling at the edges, about 40–50 minutes (tent loosely with foil if the topping browns too quickly). Remove from the oven and let the crisp cool for a few minutes so the juices settle slightly, then serve warm straight from the same 9x9 square dish with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of plain vanilla Greek yogurt; watch the ice cream melt into glossy ribbons through the crunchy, buttery oat clusters and steam rising from the hot fruit.

Notes

• Chill the oat topping briefly to form clusters for crunch.
• Add extra cornstarch if your berries are very juicy to prevent a runny filling.
• Reheat in the oven to revive the topping's crunch; add a sprinkle of oats and butter if needed.
• Use ripe but firm strawberries for best texture after baking.
• Swap maple syrup for honey to make the filling vegan.