Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Why This Crumble is Impossible to Resist

Summer is the time for allll the fruit desserts, and I love making the most of seasonal produce. And the combination of strawberry and rhubarb is an enduring classic with good reason: The mouth-puckeringly tart rhubarb is balanced by the inherent sweetness of the strawberries (plus a bit of sugar), making for a pairing that's neither too sour nor too sweet. Add a buttery, crumbly topping and bake to perfection, and you've got the makings of an irresistible summer dessert. This crumble is:

• Quick and easy. This recipe is so simple that it'll come together in about 15 minutes of active time, making it an ideal choice for a last-minute dessert option.
• Great warm or cold. A potluck-worthy treat, crumble is so good served warm, at room temperature, or cold!
• Gluten-free. My two favorite gluten-free flours, oat and almond flour, combine here to make a lovely soft topping to go on top of the jammy fruit.

Cobbler, Crumble, Crisp - What's the Difference?

I call these the Big 3 of summer desserts, and each one showcases seasonal produce. They are totally different from one another when it comes to the topping. Here's how to tell them apart:

• Cobbler - A cobbler features a sweetened, biscuit-like dough that's scattered across a fruit base.
• Crisp - A crisp relies on oats mixed with flour, sugar, and butter to make up the topping.
• Crumble - A crumble contains no oats (it's more similar to a cobbler dough, but less cake-y) and features a mix of flour, sugar, and butter.

Ingredients Needed

Give the ingredients list a read for substitution suggestions if needed. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.

• Oat flour - You can learn how to make oat flour or pick up a package at the store. Swap brown rice flour if you can't have oats.
• Almond flour - I use finely ground almond flour, not almond meal, for a smoother texture. If you can't eat almonds, try another nut flour, tiger nut flour, or brown rice flour.
• Baking powder - A little fresh baking powder gives the crumble lift (this is another difference from a crisp, which doesn't call for any rising agents).
• Salt - I always use fine sea salt, and table salt works, too.
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar - Light or dark brown sugar is fine.
• Lemon - You'll need the zest and juice of 1 lemon.
• Butter - Unsalted butter is best.
• Rhubarb - About 8 stalks of rhubarb (340 grams). Choose firm rhubarb with no brown spots.
• Strawberries - I used 1 quart of strawberries (450 grams).
• Arrowroot - This is used to help gel the filling. If you don't have arrowroot, cornstarch works well in a 1:1 substitution.

Tips & Substitution Suggestions

• Chill that topping - Even 15 minutes in the fridge will help the flours to hydrate and the butter to firm up a bit, which will make it even more tender and buttery after it's baked.
• Rest the crumble - I like to let the crumble rest for at least 20 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This lets the filling gel a bit, so it's not goopy when you dig your spoon into it. You can also let it sit and cool to room temperature for a few hours before serving.
• Other berries - Swap the strawberries for raspberries or blueberries.
• Make it dairy-free - Use melted coconut oil or non-dairy butter instead of the butter.
• Use gluten-free flour - Instead of the oat and almond flours, substitute 350 grams (about 3 ¼ cups) of a 1:1 gluten-free flour such as my homemade gluten free flour blend.

How to Store & Reheat Extras

• Counter - Leave the crumble in the pan and cover it with foil, then store it on the counter for up to 2 days.
• Fridge - Tightly cover the pan of crumble or transfer the crumble to an airtight container, then store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• To Reheat - Crumble rewarms great in the microwave for 30 seconds per portion, or pop the pan in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.