The BEST Apple Strawberry Crisp

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Apple Strawberry Crisp combines apples and strawberries that are baked beneath a delicious golden crisp topping. It’s a sweet and delicious fruit dessert that’s easy and simple to make. Pop this in the oven and bake until bubbly. Get ready for your home to smell absolutely delicious.

Strawberries are currently in season this time of year which means they’re fresh, juicy, and ripe. If you have a strawberry patch near you, I recommend that you visit and pick your own strawberries. There is nothing better than using strawberries that came directly from a farm and to your home in one trip. 

Jump to:

• About The Recipe 
• The Ingredients 
• What Type of Apple Should You Use? 
• Peeled or Unpeeled Apples? 
• How Apple Strawberry Crisp Is Made 
• How to Store The Crisp 
• Common Questions 
• Looking for More Strawberry Recipes? Try These!
• The Best Strawberry Apple Crisp

About The Recipe 

Before you make this apple strawberry crisp you should know the following: 

• It only takes about 15 minutes to prep this simple dessert 
• You can make this by using an 8-9 inch square pan, 9 inch round pan or deep dish pie plate
• This apple strawberry crisp great served with vanilla ice cream and is best served warm, reheat when you’re ready to eat leftovers 

The Ingredients 

For the crisp topping: 

• Brown sugar: you can use light brown or dark brown, I used dark brown and found that it gave the topping a beautiful caramelized taste 
• Old fashioned oats - make sure not to use quick oats, old fashioned are best 
• All purpose flour - if you’re looking to make this recipe gluten free you can substitute all purpose flour for oat flour or almond flour 
• Cold unsalted butter - using cold butter is important to make sure you get a crumbly topping, make sure your butter is unsalted, if using salted butter, omit the extra pinch of salt 

For the strawberry apple filling: 

• Apples: use a crisp, tart variety, we will talk more about this later 
• Strawberries: look for large, dark red strawberries. Strawberry season is from late April through the beginning of July so be sure to buy around this time for the best results 
• Granulated sugar - enhances the flavor of the apples and strawberries 
• Vanilla extract 
• Cinnamon 
• Lemon juice - adds a little bit of tartness to the crisp and brings out the flavors and juices from the fruit 

What Type of Apple Should You Use? 

Picking the right type of apple for this crisp recipe is crucial. Choosing the wrong apple can lead to a mushy texture. When searching for the perfect apple to bake with, you want to look for one that’s crisp and tart. 

The top three apple recommendations I have are Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Golden Delicious. One the other hand using apples that are softer may cook down too much while baking. Using apples that are sweet will lead to the crisp being overwhelming by all of the sugar. It’s all about finding the right balance. 

Apples I would not use in this crisp are McIntosh, Gala, Fuji or Red Delicious. These don’t have the tart flavor and are much too soft for baking. If you have these on hand, I recommend saving them for an afternoon snack, avoid using them in this crisp. 

Peeled or Unpeeled Apples? 

Which is better, peeled or unpeeled apples? I have always peeled my apples and this recipe recommends that you use peeled apples. At the end of the day, the choice is yours. There are benefits to doing it both ways. 

Using an unpeeled apple will add more color and may maintain more fiber. Some people may argue that there’s a bit of nutritional value in the peel making it great to leave on. Alternatively, peeling your apples can ensure that every bite you take is roughly the same. At the end of the day, both ways are just fine. 

How Apple Strawberry Crisp Is Made 

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray. You’ll thank yourself later since this will prevent sticking and will help cleaning later on. Set aside the baking dish until later. 

Step 2: Prep the filling by combining the apples and strawberries with sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Stir well until all of the ingredients are combined and the apples and strawberries are fully coated. Add the filling to the square pan. 

Step 3: Prep the topping. In a medium bowl, add the brown sugar, oats, flour, butter, and pinch of salt. Using a fork or your hand mix all of the ingredients together until your mixture is crumbly. Spread over the apple strawberry filling covering the filling all the way to the sides of the pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling is hot and bubbly. 

How to Store The Crisp 

Storing the crisp is easy. You can keep the crisp in the refrigerator for up to a week. When you’re ready to eat, I recommend reheating in the microwave for 30 second intervals until warmed through. 

Common Questions 

Can you make this with frozen strawberries? 

I have not personally tried this recipe with frozen strawberries. However, after doing some reading I have found that using frozen strawberries is just fine. If you choose to use frozen strawberries add a little corn starch to help absorb any excess moisture and to prevent the crisp from becoming soggy. 

Is it freezer friendly? 

Yes, this strawberry apple crisp is freezer friendly. You can choose to freeze before you bake or after it has been baked. If you’re making this ahead of time, freeze it unbaked so that the topping doesn’t get too browned. When you’re ready to bake make sure to thaw completely in the refrigerator before baking. 

When freezing make sure your wrap it with two layers of foil to prevent freezer burn. The crisp can stay in the fridge for up to 3 months. 

If you’re freezing crisp that was already prepared and baked, thaw completely in the fridge before reheating. To reheat, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for around 20 minutes until warmed through. 

Can I make this gluten free? 

I have not made a gluten free version of this. However, if you would like to make this recipe gluten free, substitute the all purpose flour with almond or oat flour. Be sure to use gluten free old fashioned oats that were not unintentionally introduced to gluten. 

Can I make this vegan? 

This apple strawberry crisp can be made gluten very easily. Instead of using butter, substitute with a vegan butter instead. 

Looking for More Strawberry Recipes? Try These!

Strawberry Citrus Chess Tart

The Best Strawberry Coconut Muffins