We have an obsession with rhubarb! Some of our other favorite recipes using this unique seasonal ingredient are Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream, Layered Rhubarb Pudding Dessert, and Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!
Bring on the rhubarb!
We are so in love with rhubarb that every year in late spring when rhubarb starts to make its appearance on grocery store shelves and at farmer’s markets, we stock up and freeze it to have on hand. Which means we get to enjoy rhubarb crisp year round! Rhubarb is a “vegetable” that performs best in fruit dessert recipes with the help of a little sugar to balance its tartness! Like carrots, zucchini, and pumpkin, rhubarb is a veggie that everybody loves for dessert! Often rhubarb is paired with another fruit, particularly strawberries, and they play tag team with your tastebuds. Cherries, raspberries, blueberries, and apples also go well with rhubarb. You could replace half of the rhubarb called for in the recipe below with one of these other fruits if you don’t have enough rhubarb on hand or you want to change things up. Just keep in mind that you may need to decrease the amount of sugar since these other fruits contribute their own natural sweetness. But we love a good, old-fashioned rhubarb crisp with nothing more than those vibrant red and green stalks for the filling without any other fruit competing for our attention. It’s tart and sweet and jammy when it bakes down in the oven. Then we go and top it with the most delicious crunchy oat crisp topping imaginable. Our perfect crisp topping has twice the amount of oats to flour, which makes it extra wonderful because of the added texture. Mix in a little cinnamon and butter using your hands, then sprinkle it over the top and bake until everything is bubbling and golden brown on top. Serve as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a perfectly satisfying summertime dessert!
Rhubarb crisp ingredients
Nothing too crazy here! Aside from the seasonal rhubarb, these are all common ingredients you probably have in your pantry already. Don’t forget the full recipe directions and increments that are at the bottom of this post in the printable recipe card.
fresh or frozen rhubarb, cut into 1-inch chunks granulated sugar cornstarch lemon juice old-fashioned oats all-purpose flour brown sugar salted butter cinnamon salt
How to make rhubarb crisp
Any type of fruit crisp is a great dessert for beginning bakers or kids to get a little experience since it doesn’t require any special skills or techniques like rolling out a crust. The nice thing about rhubarb crisp versus a pie is that you aren’t worrying about whether a bottom crust is done. Since it gets scooped out instead of sliced, even if the filling isn’t as set up (which can be particularly true with frozen rhubarb), it’s not much of a problem. Also, you don’t have to wait for hours for the rhubarb crisp to cool down before enjoying it. A crisp is a rustic-looking dessert that is best eaten warm!
Can this be made gluten-free?
Yes, you can make this gluten free! For this Rhubarb Crisp, simply use gluten-free oats and a gluten-free flour, substituting both 1:1 in this recipe. Be sure to read the labels to ensure they are in fact gluten free, especially on the oats.
Make ahead and freezing instructions
It doesn’t take long to throw a rhubarb crisp together and pop it in the oven, but sometimes I want to just be able to have dessert ready beforehand. You can assemble the rhubarb crisp, then wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months before baking. Or bake the rhubarb crisp and reheat individual portions in the microwave or place the entire dish in the oven to serve it warm.
More summer fruit dessert recipes
Southern Peach Pie Summertime Strawberry Shortcake Blackberry Nectarine Crumble Fresh Strawberry Pie Old-Fashioned Fresh Peach Ice Cream
This post first appeared on Best Desserts, where I am a contributor.
Homemade Peach Cobbler
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars
Strawberry Peach Crumble
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