This homemade strawberry crumble is simple, quick and utterly delicious. Ripe, juicy strawberries bake beneath a crisp, buttery crumble made from basic pantry ingredients — an easy way to turn seasonal fruit into an irresistible dessert.
As it bakes, the strawberries release fragrant juices that form a glossy syrup beneath the crumble. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, custard, cream or whipped cream for a truly comforting finish.
Strawberries are at their best in season, and this crumble is one of the loveliest ways to enjoy them. It’s also forgiving: slightly soft or overripe berries work well here, turning into extra-flavourful filling as they cook.
Ingredients and substitutions
These are the ingredients typically used for this easy strawberry crumble, with a few substitution ideas to suit what you have on hand:
- Flour – plain / all-purpose flour for the topping.
- Sugar – regular granulated sugar works. Golden caster or demerara adds extra crunch and caramel notes; a mix of sugars is nice.
- Butter – salted or unsalted is fine.
- Ground cinnamon – optional; a small pinch brings gentle warmth to the crumble topping.
- Strawberries – fresh are ideal, but frozen (thawed) or canned strawberries can be used in a pinch.
- Cornflour / cornstarch – helps thicken the strawberry juices into a syrupy filling. Ground almonds make a good alternative if you prefer not to use starch.
- Vanilla – optional; a teaspoon of extract or a little vanilla bean paste enhances the flavour.
Scroll to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and amounts.
Instructions
Preheat the oven, then prepare the fruit. Hull the strawberries and halve any large berries. Toss the fruit with the cornflour to coat, then add the sugar, vanilla and a little water, mixing gently to combine.
Mix the strawberries, cornflour, sugar, vanilla and water in a large bowl until evenly combined.
Make the crumble topping by combining the flour, sugar, a pinch of salt (and cinnamon if using) then mixing in the butter. For a chunky texture, use melted butter; for a sandier texture, rub cold butter into the dry ingredients.
Transfer the strawberry filling to a pie or baking dish.
Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the fruit and bake until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges (about 30–40 minutes). Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Hint: You may not need all of the topping — see the FAQ section for ideas to use any leftovers.
Best strawberry crumble topping
There are two common approaches to crumble topping: rubbing cold butter into the flour to create a fine, sandy texture, or pouring melted butter into the dry mix for chunkier clumps.
I prefer the melted butter method because it’s quicker and produces a mix of small and larger clumps that give a satisfying bite. If you use melted butter, chilling the assembled crumble in the fridge or freezer for 30–60 minutes before baking helps the topping hold its shape.
The melted-butter topping creates chunkier clumps and more variation in texture.
Rubbing cold butter into the flour gives a finer, sand-like topping.
Either method yields a delicious crumble; choose the texture you prefer. For a balanced basic ratio, use roughly half the weight of butter to flour (for example, 250g butter to 500g flour) and a similar amount of sugar to suit your taste.
Variations
A crumble is versatile — here are a few easy variations to try:
- Add more crunch – Replace part of the flour with flaked almonds or rolled oats, and sprinkle demerara sugar on top for extra texture.
- Extra add-ins – Stir chocolate chips, desiccated coconut, seeds or chopped nuts into the topping. A little lemon zest or juice brightens the filling; a dash of cardamom adds a fragrant twist.
- Different fruit – Use blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, rhubarb or chopped apples either on their own or combined with strawberries.
- Gluten-free – Substitute plain gluten-free flour for a gluten-free crumble.
- Vegan – Use a plant-based butter to make a vegan-friendly crumble.
Equipment
A 1.5L ceramic pie dish or heatproof baking dish works well for this recipe. A Pyrex-style dish is a fine alternative. If you use a smaller or larger dish, adjust the ingredient quantities and baking time accordingly.
This recipe scales easily — double or halve to suit the number of servings you need.
Storage and freezing
Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered with clingfilm or foil, for up to 3 days. Reheat portions in the microwave or in the oven until warmed through.
This crumble freezes well, baked or unbaked. For baked crumble, transfer to an airtight container and freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For unbaked crumble, you can freeze the whole dish (wrapped) or the filling and topping separately, then thaw in the fridge before baking.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Thaw frozen strawberries first and omit the added water from the filling so the fruit doesn’t become too watery. Frozen berries work well and make a great filling.
Leftover topping is great sprinkled over ice cream, puddings, muffins, coffee cakes or sweet breads. It also freezes well for up to three months.
Absolutely — divide the filling between 6 ramekins and top each with crumble. Adjust baking time so the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling.
If you try this recipe, please rate it or leave a comment — feedback helps other readers and is always appreciated.
📖 Recipe
Best Homemade Strawberry Crumble
Equipment
- 1 large pie dish or heatproof dish (approx. 1.5L capacity)
- 2 large mixing bowls
Ingredients
For the crumble topping:
- 500 g plain flour
- 250 g unsalted butter, cubed or melted
- 250 g sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
- 1 pinch of salt
For the strawberry filling:
- 1 kg fresh strawberries, hulled
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 60 g sugar (adjust if berries are very sweet)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste (optional)
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 185°C (165°C fan).
- Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the melted butter and mix with a fork to form a mixture of small breadcrumbs and larger clumps, or rub cold butter in for a finer texture.
- Put the strawberries in a separate bowl, toss with the cornflour, then add the sugar, vanilla and water and mix gently to coat.
- Transfer the strawberry filling to the pie dish and evenly sprinkle the crumble topping over the fruit. Optionally scatter some demerara sugar on top for extra crunch. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let rest 5 minutes before serving with ice cream, custard or cream.
Note: recipes are developed and tested in metric grams. For best results use digital scales; US conversions are provided for convenience but may not be tested.
Notes
Sugar: Reduce the sugar in the filling if your strawberries are very sweet.
Strawberries: Fresh or thawed frozen berries both work.
Oats or almonds: Replace part of the flour with rolled oats or flaked almonds for extra texture.
Make ahead: The crumble topping can be made up to two days ahead and stored in the fridge, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Baked or unbaked crumble freezes well for up to 3 months — thaw overnight and bake or reheat as instructed.
Nutrition
Serving size: 70 g — Calories: 867 kcal. See recipe card for full nutrition breakdown.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment or rating — I love seeing your variations and it helps other readers.