Strawberry Crisp

Spring break. Amber home for a week. She spent hours with Gayle.

Drove Tuesday-Wednesday.

Gayle stable.

Sunday: fried chicken.

That Sunday felt like a deep exhale—Amber still home, Gayle stable, the whole week behind us. After the fried chicken came off the stove, I wanted something sweet and unhurried to close out the day, something that felt as soft as the mood in the kitchen. Strawberries were ripe and the afternoon was long, so I threw together this crisp and we ate it warm, still at the table, not quite ready for the week to start again.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes

Instructions

Preheat oven. Heat your oven to 350°F. Lightly butter an 8x8-inch or similar 2-quart baking dish.
Prepare the filling. Toss the halved strawberries with the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract until evenly coated. Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
Make the crisp topping. In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse, clumpy crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
Assemble and bake. Scatter the topping evenly over the strawberry filling. Bake for 35—40 minutes, until the topping is deep golden brown and the strawberry juices are bubbling up around the edges.
Rest and serve. Let the crisp rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Spoon into bowls and serve warm, with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream if you like.

Nutrition (per serving)

Strawberry Crisp — The Sweet End to a Sunday That Meant Everything