I never feel like summer has really started until I’ve had the chance to whip up my first berry crumble of the season. Simple and completely unfussy, there is just something about this quintessential summer treat that signals the start of lazy days and warm weather. I have a tendency this time of the year to go a little overboard and buy way too many fresh strawberries each week at the grocery store. And what better way to put those gorgeous berries to good use than in a fruit crumble!
For the filling, chopped strawberries are tossed with a little lemon juice, brown sugar and a good splash of vanilla extract, which adds a touch of richness. As for the crunchy topping, oats, pecans and a few other ingredients are mixed together with some melted coconut oil, before being sprinkled over the berry filling in a baking dish. The crumble is popped in the oven until golden brown and bubbling, and then served with a generous dollop of whipped coconut cream. It’s like summer in a bowl.
When it comes to fruit crumbles, I prefer to not use cornstarch in the filling and instead opt for a few tablespoons of regular flour. The flour helps to thicken the filling up and gives it a sort of gooey and juicy texture. However, if you like your filling really thick, you could always use cornstarch instead. Omit the flour from the filling and use some cornstarch in its place (you probably will only need about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch).
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 2 16-ounce containers strawberries, hulled and halved (quartered if large)
- Juice of half a medium lemon
- 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For the topping:
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup white whole wheat flour
- ½ cup chopped raw pecans
- ½ cup lightly packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- Whipped coconut cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Mist a 2 to 3 quart baking dish with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
For the filling:
- Add the strawberries, lemon juice, flour, sugar, vanilla and salt to a medium bowl. Toss until combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
For the topping:
- Add the oats, flour, pecans, sugar, cinnamon and salt to a medium bowl and toss until well combined. Pour in the oil and mix until evenly moistened. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the strawberries in the baking dish.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Let stand for at least 10 minutes. Serve topped with the whipped coconut cream.
Odessa says
YUM! This does indeed look irresistible. This looks perfect for taking to a fourth of July potluck! Although I'd probably toss in a few blueberries for the color 🙂
http://odessadarling.co
Ashley Jennings says
Thank you!
Sara says
Oh man! I made this last night and it is so good! I used AP flour since that was what I had on hand and I omitted the nuts since I didn't have any in the house. It was still incredible. I served mine with a scoop of vanilla bean coconut milk ice cream on top. That seemed to cut the tartness of the berries in the crisp. I love the crumble topping! At first, I wasn't sure about cinnamon with strawberries, but it worked so well.
I am so glad to find a vegan crumble recipe which doesn't use a ton of oil or sugar. This was just perfect. I will definitely be making this again and will try to make one following the exact recipe next time. I used a 3-quart rectangle Pyrex, which worked, but the crumble was thin. Now that I have made it, I think I may either double the recipe to put into the same 3 quart or will use my square 2 quart Pyrex dish. Thank you so much for the recipe!
I plan on making this several more times over the summer, perhaps trying different berries as well, depending on what I can get at a good price. This would also be a great thing to make with my little niece who loves to help in the kitchen and is wild about strawberries.