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Published: Sep 14, 2022 by Sugar Geek Show · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Strawberry Crunch

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Learn how to make strawberry crunch to use as decoration for cakes, cupcakes, or on top of your favorite ice cream. Shortbread cookies, freeze-dried strawberries, and melted butter are all you need, but adding a little strawberry emulsion gives it that authentic flavor.

These strawberry shortcake crumbles will remind you of the classic strawberry shortcake ice cream bars you got from the ice cream truck as a kid. The best part was always the vanilla and strawberry crunchies on the outside of the bar, so why not have a whole bowl of them?!

Table of contents

  • Strawberry Crunch Ingredients
  • How to Make Strawberry Crunch
  • How to Use Strawberry Crunch
  • FAQ
  • Related Recipes

Strawberry Crunch Ingredients

strawberry crunch topping ingredientsVanilla shortbread cookies have a high butter content and stay crunchy while they stick to the cake. Many other recipes use golden Oreos and vanilla pudding mix, but I like the flavor of shortbread or vanilla wafers. I use Keebler because they're easy to buy at the grocery store, but you can use your preferred brand of cookies. Or you can make your own shortbread cookies, just leave the lemon out of my recipe.

Freeze-dried strawberries work best for this recipe, but you can always use strawberry jello if you can't find any.

Strawberry emulsion is not required for this recipe but it adds a sweet strawberry flavor. You can also use strawberry puree or strawberry extract. I like LorAnn oil's strawberry emulsion.

How to Make Strawberry Crunch

  1. First, add the vanilla shortbread cookies to a food processor and chop them until they're broken into very small crumbs. If you don't have a mixer, you can cut them up with a knife or put them in a Ziploc bag and grind them with a rolling pin or mallet. Don't worry if your crumbs aren't all uniform, but break up the bigger pieces with your hands.hands adding shortbread cookies to a food processor.
  2. Then add the strawberry emulsion to the cookies and blend until it's combined. If you don't have emulsion, you can skip this step or use strawberry extract.hand adding strawberry emulsion to the food processor.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a separate large mixing bowl. The strawberries and cookies blend differently, so I do not recommend mixing them in the blender all at once.pouring the food processed shortbread cookies into a large glass bowl.
  4. Add the freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor and chop them until they're broken into very small crumbs. Add the strawberries to the bowl with the cookie crumbs. Pro-Tip: Blend your freeze-dried strawberries straight from the bag and work quickly, as they tend to absorb moisture in the air and will become gummy in your food processor.hands pouring freeze dried strawberries into a food processor.
  5. Next, add the melted butter to the large bowl and stir with a whisk to combine the mixture and break up any big crumbs. That's it!hand pouring melted butter into a bowl with food processed shortbread cookies and freeze dried strawberries.
  6. Store the strawberry crunch topping in a large Ziploc bag or an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for about up to a month, however, they're best used within 1 week.

How to Use Strawberry Crunch

  • Add it as a topping to strawberry ice cream
  • Stir it into yogurt
  • Strawberry hot chocolate bombs with white chocolate
  • Roll it onto a vanilla ice cream sandwich
  • Decorate the sides of a cake
  • Sprinkle it on top of cupcakes

My favorite way to use strawberry crunch is with my homemade strawberry crunch cake. Use a doctored box cake mix to create two delicious white cake layers, and add a little bit of strawberry reduction to make a strawberry layer for the middle. I like using my easy buttercream recipe, but whipped cream or cream cheese frosting would also be delicious. Push the strawberry crumble on the sides and the top of the cake to make an irresistible summer treat.Photo of strawberry crunch cake.

FAQ

Why is my strawberry crunch sticky?

If your strawberry crunch crumbles are sticky, you either added too much butter, or it wasn't sealed and absorbed some of the moisture in the air. Spread it onto a baking sheet and bake it at 350°F for 5 minutes to dry it out.

Can I use fresh strawberries for strawberry crunch?

Freeze-dried strawberries will make your life a lot easier than fresh strawberries for this recipe. If you only have fresh berries, you can dry them yourself.

What is strawberry crunch made of?

Strawberry Crunch, or Strawberry Shortcake Crumble, is a mixture of ground-up shortbread cookies, freeze-dried strawberries, and butter. This nostalgic topping is perfect when sprinkled over ice cream, mixed into yogurt, or used to decorate cakes and cupcakes.

Related Recipes

Strawberry crunch cake recipe

Fresh strawberry cake recipe

Moist & fluffy vanilla cupcake

Recipe

Strawberry Crunch Recipe

You only need 10 minutes and 4 simple ingredients to make this quick homemade strawberry crunch recipe. This crunchy topping is a great addition to many dessert recipes like pies, ice cream, cakes, cupcakes, or even yogurt.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 5 cups
Calories: 1683kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

  • Food processor or knife

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce freeze-dried strawberries (1 cup)
  • 8 ounces shortbread cookies (2 ½ cups)
  • ½ teaspoon strawberry emulsion optional
  • ¼ cup melted unsalted butter (4 Tbsp)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • First, add the vanilla shortbread cookies to a food processor and chop them until they're broken into very small crumbs. If you don't have a mixer, you can cut them up with a knife or put them in a Ziploc bag and grind them with a rolling pin or mallet. Don't worry if your crumbs aren't all uniform, but break up the bigger pieces with your hands.
  • Then add the strawberry emulsion to the cookies and blend until it's combined. If you don't have emulsion, you can skip this step or use strawberry extract.
  • Transfer the mixture to a separate large mixing bowl. The strawberries and cookies blend differently, so I do not recommend mixing them in the blender all at once.
  • Add the freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor and chop them until they're broken into very small crumbs. Add the strawberries to the bowl with the cookie crumbs. Pro-Tip: Blend your freeze-dried strawberries straight from the bag and work quickly, as they tend to absorb moisture in the air and will become gummy in your food processor.
  • Next, add the melted butter to the large bowl and stir with a whisk to combine the mixture and break up any big crumbs. That's it!
  • Store the strawberry crunch topping in a large Ziploc bag or an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for about up to a month, however, they're best used within 1 week.

Notes

Important Things To Note Before You Start
  1. The best investment you can make when you’re getting started with baking is a digital kitchen scale! 
  2. Practice Mise en Place (everything in its place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.
  3. You can freeze strawberry crunch in a plastic bag to keep it for months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 1683kcal | Carbohydrates: 170g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 105g | Saturated Fat: 48g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 1165mg | Potassium: 591mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 68g | Vitamin A: 1613IU | Vitamin C: 346mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 13mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Liz Marek with strawberry cake

Hi, I'm Liz! I'm an artist and cake decorator from Portland, Oregon. Cakes are my obession, which is why I'm dedicated to crafting tried-and-true recipes, small cake tutorials, as well as advanced online cake courses!

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