Rhubarb Crisp
intro
Tart, tender spring rhubarb baked under a buttery, crunchy oat streusel, served warm for a bright, cozy, easy seasonal sweet treat.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep oven and pan
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F), and grease a 20cm (8-inch) square glass baking dish with a thin layer of butter or nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Set the dish on a rimmed metal baking sheet to catch any bubbling filling that may spill over during baking.
Toss rhubarb filling
In a large mixing bowl, combine 500g chopped rhubarb, 100g granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss thoroughly until every rhubarb piece is evenly coated in the sugar-starch mixture, then pour the filling into the prepared baking dish and spread into a single even layer.
Make streusel topping
In the same mixing bowl (no need to wash it), combine 120g rolled oats, 80g all-purpose flour, 100g packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add 113g cold cubed butter, and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms coarse, pea-sized crumbs with some larger clumps remaining.
Assemble the crisp
Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the rhubarb filling, covering the entire surface without pressing the crumbs down tightly. Leave some larger, uneven crumb clumps intact to create extra crunch after baking.
Bake until bubbly
Place the baking sheet with the crisp into the preheated 190°C (375°F) oven, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is deep golden brown and the rhubarb filling is visibly bubbling thickly around the edges of the dish. Do not underbake, as the cornstarch needs to reach a boil to set the filling properly.
Cool and serve
Remove the crisp from the oven and let it rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes at room temperature to allow the filling to thicken slightly. Serve warm, optionally paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Tips
2.Taste a small piece of raw rhubarb before mixing the filling: if the stalks are extra tart, add an extra 2 tablespoons (25g) of granulated sugar to balance the bright, sour flavor.
3.Avoid using instant or quick-cooking oats for the topping: old-fashioned rolled oats hold their shape during baking, creating a chewier, more satisfying crunch than finer, processed oats.
OMG this rhubarb crisp was the star of our Sunday family dinner! My kids gobbled up two servings each and kept asking when I’d make it again. I added a tiny scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top and it was CHEF’S KISS. So easy to throw together too, even with my 3 year old “helping” me stir the topping.
Game changer! I’ve tried so many rhubarb crisp recipes over the years that turn out too tart or have a mushy topping, but this one nails the balance of sweet and tangy. The cook time was spot on too – 55 minutes in my oven and the edges were perfectly bubbly.
Used rhubarb straight from my backyard garden for this and it turned out SO good. I was worried my homegrown rhubarb would be extra fibrous, but cooking it for the full time made it perfectly tender. Will be making this every rhubarb season from now on!
Super easy recipe even for a total beginner like me! I made this for my dorm floor potluck and everyone thought I was a baking pro. Only thing was I didn’t have quite enough rhubarb so I subbed in a cup of chopped strawberries, would that mess with the texture next time if I do that again?
I’ve been making rhubarb crisp for 40+ years and I have to say, this recipe is right up there with my old go-to! The oat topping has the perfect amount of cinnamon, I’ll definitely be adding this to my regular rotation.
Meal prepped this on Sunday to have with lunches all week and it held up so well! I kept the topping separate until I was ready to eat so it stayed crispy, 10/10 would recommend that trick. Only complaint is I ate the whole pan in 3 days oops 😂
Made this before a weekend backpacking trip and it was the perfect camp dessert! We heated individual portions up in our little camp stove skillet and it tasted just as good as it did fresh out of the oven at home. Easy to pack, minimal ingredients, total winner.
Made this for my kid’s soccer team end-of-season cookout and every last bite was gone. Parents were coming up to me asking for the recipe all night, I felt like a celebrity. It’s so straightforward I didn’t even have to stress about messing it up while I was also manning the grill.
This looks SO good, I can already taste it! Quick question before I whip it up this weekend for my book club – can I use frozen rhubarb for this? I have a big bag in my freezer from last summer’s harvest and I don’t want to run to the grocery store just for fresh. Also, do I need to thaw it first, or can I toss it in frozen?
I added a tiny pinch of nutmeg and a dash of fresh orange zest to the rhubarb filling and it elevated this so much! The base recipe is already perfect, but those little add-ins gave it such a bright, cozy flavor that had my roommate going back for thirds last night. 10/10, will be making this all spring.