Fresh and Easy Strawberry Oat Crisp

I love fall crisps. Apple is the most popular, of course, but there's something about squeezing everything I can out of the strawberries I can still find. Here's what you'll need for 4, 5" ramekins:

Photo byAllison

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and halved or quartered *
• 5 Tablespoons granulated white sugar,
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-2 Tablespoons orange zest, optional
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch

Crisp topping:

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup large-flake old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional
• 6 Tablespoons salted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350F . Grease or spray 5" ramekins (with at least 1" of depth), and set onto a baking sheet, then set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the chopped strawberries with white sugar until thoroughly combined. Add cornstarch, vanilla extract, and orange zest (optional), stirring until the strawberries are evenly coated. Spoon the strawberry mixture into your prepared baking dishes.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, oats, white sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and chopped pecans (if using). Pour the melted butter into this mixture and stir until everything is moistened and forms a crumbly topping.

Spread the oat topping evenly over the strawberries. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 35-40 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the topping turns golden brown.

Allow the dessert to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. For an extra treat, serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!

*Notes:

If using frozen strawberries, there's no need to thaw them first. Simply add them in frozen, but be sure to extend the baking time to account for the extra moisture. If the topping begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover the top with foil during the final part of baking to prevent over-browning.

You can also freeze the strawberry crisp either before or after baking for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, cook it straight from frozen, adding extra time as necessary until it's fully heated through and golden on top.