Strawberry Apple Crisp

Indulge in the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors with this Strawberry Apple Crisp recipe. Ripe strawberries and tangy apples are baked together under a crumbly buttery  topping, creating a warm and comforting dessert that is sure to delight your taste buds.
I also love this Polish apple cake recipe or these easy air fryer cinnamon apples.

The best apple strawberry crisp recipe

Fruit crisps and crumbles (like this blueberry apple crumble) are in my top 3 on the list of my favorite desserts. I love them so much because they are incredibly delicious but also because they require zero skill to make. Throw some fruit in a casserole dish or a pie dish, top with a simple mixture of flour, sugar and butter and bake.

When I was in college I used to work at a cozy restaurant in Scotland that always had a fruit crumble on the menu and that's how I was introduced to this sensational dessert. Apple crumble with custard is a British classic, of course, but I like to experiment with different fruit and toppings for the ultimate sweet comfort food. 

I find that mixing and matching different types of fruit makes for the most delicious crisps. This easy Apple Strawberry Crisp is a delicious combination of soft cooked tart apples, sweet and juicy strawberries and THE BEST crumble topping made with simple ingredients. Butter is a must when it comes to making the topping crispy! I like using melted butter because it cuts the prep time to just a few minutes. 

Looking for more easy desserts? Try these 2 Banana Muffins, this Easy Rhubarb Cake or these Easy No Bake Cake Pops. Or, check out my Healthy Desserts page for more ideas. 

Ingredient notes

• Strawberries: choose ripe and juicy strawberries
• Apples: firm and crisp apples, such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples or work best for crisps and pies but any type of apple will work
• Flour: I like to use a combo of all-purpose flour and blanched almond flour in this recipe. You can swap all-purpose flour for white whole wheat flour, if you want.
• Brown and White Sugar: using both adds complexity to the flavor and texture of the topping. You can use light or dark brown sugar. 
• Corn Starch: an important ingredient that thickens the fruit juices and prevents the crisp from getting too watery
• Butter: I used unsalted butter but salted butter will work equally well - just skip the salt added to the topping
• Lemon Juice: helps to prevent browning of apples and adds a nice citrus note to the flavor
• Vanilla: use natural vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• Salt: to balance out the sweet and acidic flavors
• Cinnamon: it adds warmth and spice to the recipe. You can skip it if you don't like it.

Substitutions

• To make this crisp vegan, swap regular butter for vegan butter or coconut oil
• You can add more texture to the topping by mixing in chopped up walnuts, almonds or pecans
• If you don't have fresh strawberries, frozen strawberries will also work. Frozen strawberry slices will give you best results. You may need to bake the crisp longer if using frozen fruit.

How to make Strawberry Apple Crisp

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a casserole dish lightly with nonstick spray. I used a 7x11'' baking dish but you can use a smaller or larger dish, too, depending on what you have available.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan (Image 1) or in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl. Set aside. 

3. Juice one lemon into a bowl (Image 2). Set aside.
4. Make the fruit filling. Peel and slice the apples - I usually cut the apple into quarters, remove the core and cut each quarter into 3-4 slices. As you're placing the apple slices in a large mixing bowl, add lemon juice and mix to prevent the apples from browning (Image 3). Slice the strawberries and add them to the bowl together with corn starch, sugar and vanilla (Image 4). Mix well. 

5. Make the topping. In a separate bowl mix together both flours, white and brown sugar, salt and cinnamon (Image 5). Pour in melted butter and mix with a fork to create dough crumbles (Image 6).

6. Assemble the crisp. Place the apple strawberry filling into the prepared casserole dish (Image 7) and cover evenly with the topping mixture (Image 8). 

7. Bake for 45 minutes in 350 degrees until the fruit mixture is bubbly and the topping golden brown.

This crisp can be an awesome healthier alternative to birthday cake! Personally, I love fruit crisps much better than cake. Just scoop it into a bowl, add some vanilla ice-cream, stick a candle in it and celebrate!

This recipe is featured in a post compiling 15 Healthy Birthday Cake Alternatives. Find some more sweet ideas there!

Storage & freezing tips

Storage: Once cooled, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the crisp to an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, allowing you to savor the flavors over multiple servings.

Freezing: Ensure the dessert has cooled completely, then tightly wrap the baking dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Alternatively, you can transfer individual portions to freezer-safe containers. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

Reheating: To enjoy the crisp once again, remove it from the refrigerator or freezer and allow it to thaw at room temperature for a short while. For the best results, reheat individual portions in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes or until warmed through. This will help retain the crisp texture while gently warming the fruit filling. If desired, you can also microwave individual portions on low heat, checking at 20-second intervals until heated to your preference.

More strawberry recipes

• Strawberry Yogurt Cake
• Strawberry Smoothie Bowl
• Healthy Strawberry Banana Oat Muffins
• Strawberry Caprese Salad
• Strawberry Cake Pops
• Strawberry Rhubarb Smoothie Bowl