Gluten-Free Strawberry Crisp (Nut, Wheat, Egg and Fish-Free, Can Be Soy and Milk-Free)

It's summertime, and that means strawberries up here in Northern Michigan!  There is nothing better than fresh strawberries, especially Michigan berries (sorry, California, but it's true).  If you are like me and looking for a way to use those beautiful berries before they go bad (assuming you haven't eaten all the ones you've purchased/picked in a timely manner or  assuming (like me) that you bought/picked way too many to eat fresh, turn into jam, etc.), this crisp is a great way to do it!

This crisp is a great alternative to strawberry shortcake.  It is wonderful plain or with ice cream or whipped cream.  It is also great hot or cold.  It's like eating an oatmeal cookie with strawberry jam, I mean, come on!  That's good eats right there!  Did I mention that this recipe is nut, wheat, egg and fish-free, and can be soy-free (if you use all soy-free ingredients), and milk-free (see variations)?  It is!  Allergy-friendly and delicious!  What more could you want?

Note: The gluten-free flour and baking mix I recommend do not technically contain soy, but the one contains xanthan gum and the other contains guar gum (see "Soy-Free" under variations for more details) which can cause issues for people with soy sensitivities or allergies, and that is why I will not claim that this recipe is soy-free.

Gluten-Free Strawberry Crisp

4 Cups of fresh strawberries, quartered or halved (depending on size) 
(and that's 4 Cups after quartering or halving)

1/4 to 1/2 Cup white sugar
(I always use cane sugar.)

1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
   
Topping:

1/2 Cup gluten-free flour blend or baking mix 
(I recommend Pamela's Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour or King Arthur Flour's Gluten-Free Baking Mix)

   

1/2 Cup gluten-free quick cooking or old fashioned oats

  

6 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

  

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

1/2 Cup salted, full-fat butter

  

1. Preheat oven to 350^oF.
   

2. In a large bowl, gently toss together the strawberries, white sugar and lemon juice (if using); set aside.  (Note: The amount of sugar is based on how sweet you want the filling, and that lemon juice is added for a bit of brightness and balance of flavor - it is not essential, but recommended.)
   

3. In a separate large bowl, combine gluten-free flour, gluten-free oats, brown sugar,  and cinnamon (if using).
    

4. Cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly.
   

5. Pour fruit mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan, and then sprinkle the gluten-free flour mixture over the top of the fruit.
  

6. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and the topping is golden brown. (Note: Because the strawberries tend to release a lot of water, you will want to cook this until the topping is pretty golden brown.  The first time I made this, I thought it was done at 40 minutes (as seen in the pictures above), but I realized after I'd taken the pictures that it was still pretty liquid-y, so I decided to put it back into the oven and cook it for about 10 to 20 minutes longer until the filling looked like bubbling gel vs. bubbling liquid and the topping was very golden brown.  It was wonderful set after that and delicious!)

Serve hot or cold, plain or topped with ice cream or whipped cream as your diet allows.

Makes 12 to 24 servings, depending on size. 

Variations (Please keep your individual dietary needs in mind when using substitutions!):

• Milk-Free: Use lard, coconut oil, or a dairy-free butter for the butter.  You may need to add 1/8 teaspoon of salt (1/4 teaspoon if doubling the topping amount) to the topping, however, if you use an unsalted fat.  
    
• Soy-Free: Neither Pamela's Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour or King Arthur Flour's Gluten-Free Baking Mix claim to contain soy, but Pamela's contains guar gum and King Arthur Flour's contains xanthan gum, which can cause issues with people who have soy sensitivities and allergies, and hence the reason I won't claim this recipe is soy-free already.  You can use regular flour (if you can have it) or a soy-free, gluten-free flour of your choice. 
    
• More Topping: If you want more topping, you can double the amount of topping.
     
• Different Flavors: I can use almost any fruit combination you desire, even frozen fruit (though the cooking time may need to be increased if you use frozen fruit).  You could use a combination of strawberries and another fruit or even sub apples (all one type or a mix of a few types, peeled or not based on preference), blueberries, rhubarb, raspberries, cherries, peaches, pears - anything you wish as long as it doesn't exceed 4 Cups of fruit, and you can use any combo that appeals to you.  I would not, however, recommend using canned fruit or bananas as the consistency would be greatly changed, and the result would be more mush than you'd want.
   
• Sugar Substitutions:  You could use any sugar substitute that is approved for baking for the sugar.  Make sure that you sub it according to the recommendations for that sweetener.  Not all sugar substitutes are subbed with a 1:1 ratio.  I would not recommend using honey, molasses or other liquid sugar, however, as that would greatly change the consistency, and the result would be more mush than you'd want.
   
• Topping Variations:  If you can have tree nuts, you can always add up to 1/8 Cup pecans, almonds, walnuts, etc. to the topping.  You can even sub nuts for the oats, though I would not exceed 1/8 Cup of nuts regardless (unless you are doubling the topping amount, then you could use 1/4 Cup).  You can also increase the cinnamon amount to up to 1/2 teaspoon (1 teaspoon if doubling the topping amount) if you want more cinnamon flavor.

Looks yummy, right?

It is!

Enjoy your weekend!