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If youโre lucky enough to find rhubarb this season, be sure to make this easy Rhubarb Crisp. With a crunchy nut topping and plenty of fresh rhubarb tossed in sugar, itโs a not-too-sweet treat thatโs perfect for spring. Or go half-and-half with strawberries!
Megganโs notes
Rhubarb is an uncommon vegetable with a short season, but itโs delicious to eat if you grow it or are able to track it down. It has long fleshy stalks (I swear, it looks like ruby-red celery) that you can chop up and use for fruity sweets all summer long.
Depending on where you live, rhubarb can show up as early as March and April or as late as May and June. It shows up at farmerโs markets and grocery stores, or you can grow a plant in your old garden if you live in a cooler climate. Itโs a perennial, so it will come back year after year, for as long as 10 years or more. Just plant it in a corner of your garden, maybe near your compost bin, and watch it thrive.
The leaves of the rhubarb plant are toxic, so enjoy the stems only. Rhubarb plays well with other fruits too, especially strawberries (such as in Strawberry Rhubarb Pie), so feel free to get creative with your favorite fruit.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Rolled oats:ย These flat oats are also known as โold-fashionedโ oats. Quick-cooking oats can work in a pinch, but do not substitute steel-cut oats.
- Walnuts:ย I think the walnuts add a wonderful flavor and crunch to the topping, but itโs okay to omit them. Iโve also tested with raw pecans and raw cashews, and they were both excellent.
- Rhubarb: Rhubarb looks like bright red stalks of celery, but it has a strong, tart flavor that tastes great in applications where itโs cooked with sugar (think jams, pies, and other fruit desserts).
Step-by-step instructions
- To make the topping, in a medium bowl, add flour, oats, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and salt. Drizzle butter over mixture and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the filling.
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or rub with butter. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add rhubarb and toss well to coat.
- Pour intro prepared baking dish and sprinkle with topping.
- Bake until the fruit juices are bubbling and the topping is crisp and golden brown, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 6 cups of Rhubarb Crisp, enough for 8 servings, ยพ cup each (plus ice cream).ย
- Storage:ย Cover the Rhubarb Crisp with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or reheat small portions in the microwave.
- Make ahead:ย You can make the topping one day in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator until baking time.
- Freezer: Fully-baked Rhubarb Crisp doesnโt freeze well. Unfortunately, the crunchy topping turns mushy upon thawing (I tested this myself).
- Extra rhubarb: Put your extra rhubarb to work in Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins, or add to your next Strawberry Cobbler.
Frequently Asked Questions
Depending on where you live, rhubarb can be in season as early as March and April or as late as May and June. Youโll find rhubarb in my April Produce Guide and May Produce Guide.
Similar to celery ribs, you can cut rhubarb into pieces (or just trim the ends) and submerge in water, or stand upright in a jar of water in your refrigerator.
As a certified ServSafe Food Manager, I take food safety very seriously. While itโs possible that rhubarb crispย mightย be safe at room temperature for a day or so, your best bet is to cover and refrigerate any leftovers for up to 4 days.ย Fruit desserts, and crisps in particular, have a lot of moisture in the filling and are prone to mold and spoilage. This is especially true in humid environments. For the best, safest results, refrigerate your leftover crisp.
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Rhubarb Crisp
Ingredientsย
For the crisp topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (see note 1)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup walnuts finely chopped (see note 2)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter melted (1 stick)
For the rhubarb crisp:
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups chopped rhubarb (about 32 ounces or 2 pounds, see note 3)
- Vanilla ice cream for serving, optional
Instructionsย
- To make the topping, in a medium bowl, add flour, oats, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and salt. Drizzle butter over mixture and toss to combine. Cover an refrigerate while preparing the filling.
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or rub with butter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add rhubarb and toss well to coat. Pour intro prepared baking dish and sprinkle with topping.
- Bake until the fruit juices are bubbling and the topping is crisp and golden brown, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Rolled oats:ย These flat oats are also known as โold-fashionedโ oats. Quick-cooking oats can work in a pinch, but do not substitute steel-cut oats.
- Walnuts:ย I think the walnuts add a wonderful flavor and crunch to the topping, but itโs okay to omit them. Iโve also tested with raw pecans and raw cashews, and they were both excellent.
- Rhubarb: Rhubarb looks like bright red stalks of celery, but it has a strong, tart flavor that tastes great in applications where itโs cooked with sugar (think jams, pies, and other fruit desserts).
- Yield: This recipe makes about 6 cups of Rhubarb Crisp, enough for 8 servings, ยพ cup each (plus ice cream).ย
- Storage: Cover the Rhubarb Crisp with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days.ย