Vegan + Gluten Free Mini Strawberry Crumbles

I’m simply in love with this recipe.

I mean, just LOOK at these pictures!!  Is this sea of blistered and bubbling strawberries not the most darling image you’ve ever laid your eyes on?

I’m going to argue that it most certainly is.

One of the purest joys of summer is the fresh and bountiful produce.  Yes, with our ever globalized world and my privileged NYC coordinates I’ll admit that I’m spoiled with an array of farm fresh goodies practically year-round.  But when fruits and veggies are at their peak the taste, feel, smell, everything about them is better.  Which is why I’m so excited about these strawberry crumbles.

Proximity to the Union Square Greenmarket is a glorious thing for a blogger like me, and that’s exactly where these in-season strawberries were curated.  Do you have a local farmers market of your own?  Do you love it?  Are you obsessed?  Have you grown from a tepid, side-eyeing browser to enthusiastic purchaser of every damn artisanal product under the sun?!

Great, me too.

When I mosey over to the farmers market fresh produce is always my first pitstop, and I waste no time diving right in.  I know that some people have strong opinions about rinsing and washing fruits and veggies, but when I’m at the market I’ll naw my teeth right into a freshly picked peach, taste-test perfectly plump plums, and nibble on siren red strawberries the second I get my greedy hands on them – No washing, no waiting, no hesitation.

From my perspective the key advantage of a farmers market is being able to tangibly gauge freshness.  You can’t waltz into Whole Foods and sample A single strawberry or ONE handful of blueberries.  I mean sure, you could, though I’m pretty sure that’s stealing.  But at the farmers market the freedom is unprecedented.  Vendors want you to sample, to nibble, to try and taste and fall in love with their perfectly preened product.  And so late last week I dove teeth first into a pile of farm fresh strawberries, and after just one bite I knew they were coming home with me.

I’m one of those unfortunate people who are prone to inhaling sweets vs. actually tasting them like a civilized human being, so to manage this habit I opted for mini crumbles in lieu of one giant heaping pie.  My portioned approached meant I actually ate these one. at. a. time., which is a small miracle unto itself, plus mini things are just so cute, aren’t they?  Mini just makes food better.

Also great?  Now you know exactly how to impress your in-laws or your gal pals or your monthly bookclub/brunch thang.

You make them mini strawberry crumbles.

Serving loved ones a personal-sized dessert is a fancy little gesture, but lucky for you these crumbles couldn’t be simpler to prepare.  All you need is two mixing bowls, two spoons, and a few stirs – That’s as complicated as this recipe gets.  And I can’t believe I’ve waited this long to say it, but YES!  These crumbles are 100% vegan and completely gluten-free.

I’m baking at a whole new level you guys, can you believe it?!

For the filling I made sure to keep things simple, clean, and not over-sweetened.  Traditional pie/crumble recipes call for as much as a cup of sugar, which is frankly ridiculous – fruit is already sweet!  So I settled for 1/2 cup organic sugar + a few drizzles of honey, which provided the perfect level of sweetness without doing too much.  For a gentle touch of tang I add a quick teaspoon of lemon zest, and for a slightly syrup-y consistency a bit of water + dash of cornstarch is all that was needed.  From there, spoon your filling into your dishes and you’re halfway finished.

The crumble is just as quick to make as the filling and is a simple combo of oats, brown sugar, coconut oil, and cornstarch.  Using cornstarch on the crumble (as opposed to flour) kept this recipe gluten-free, and substituting coconut oil for butter made this vegan.

It’s all about smart swaps!

After 25 minutes in the oven these come out piping hot, and the smell is straight-up INCREDIBLE.  It will be loudly tempting you to dig in immediately, so please don’t burn your face off – Let them cool.

The crumbles are aces for texture, flavor, presentation… it’s really an all-around winner.  But the best part is how this back-to-basics recipe simply lets the strawberries shine.  The natural strawberry sweetness bubbles through every crumble crack, sings through the thick syrup-y sauce, and oozes out of each bursting bite.  It’s delicious, it’s gorgeous, and ya need to make it asap.

And ice cream!  Definitely, definitely top this with vegan ice cream. x

Vegan + Gluten Free Mini Strawberry Crumbles

Yield: 4 - 5 servings

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 25 mins

Total Time: 35 mins

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• FILLING:
• 2 lbs Strawberries, quartered
• 1/2 cup Organic Sugar
• 1 1/2 tsps Vanilla
• 1 tsp Lemon Zest
• 2 tsps Cornstarch, sifted
• a few drizzles Agave Nectar (approx. 2 tsps)
• 2 tsps Water
• pinch of Sea Salt
• Crisco to grease

• TOPPING:
• 1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
• 2 tbsps Cornstarch, sifted
• 3 tbsps Organic Brown Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon (1/2 tsp if you like it strong)
• 1/4 cup Coconut Oil, melted
• drizzle of Agave Nectar (approx. 1 tsp)
• pinch of Sea Salt

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Lightly grease four 5″ creme brûlée dishes with Crisco, then arrange atop large baking sheet.  Set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl combine all filling ingredients, stirring until well mixed.  Next, evenly spoon filling into greased baking dishes.
3. In another mixing bowl combine all topping ingredients, stirring well.  Evenly crumble oat mixture atop strawberry filling, then bake for 25 minutes till browned and bubbling.  Allow to cool slightly, then top with dairy-free ice cream and serve.

>> Because the creme brûlée dishes are shallow they will bubble over while in the oven – Try and keep them as centered on the baking sheet as possible!  This will prevent overflow drips on your oven floor.

>> As written this recipe can also be made as one large pie in a ~9″ pie dish.  Baking time shouldn’t vary much but you’ll need to keep an eye on it to be sure.

dying.

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