This delicious rhubarb crisp with oatmeal topping is a perfect spring dessert that comes together quickly, is a family favorite, and is an easy recipe that anyone can make!
Rhubarb crisp is one of my favorite fruit desserts! This classic dessert is a perfect balance of tangy rhubarb in a sweet fruit filling with a signature brown sugar oatmeal crumble topping. Fruit crisps are the best way to use up extra fruit, and super easy to make. Don’t forget the scoop of ice cream!
While I love baking with seasonal fruit, sometimes I just can’t bake enough with the amount of rhubarb that my garden produces. If you also find yourself with an abundance of rhubarb then you’ll be relieved to know that it can be prepared and then frozen for later use! You can also use leftovers to make rhubarb bread and strawberry rhubarb jam. Using half strawberries in rhubarb recipes, which pairs nicely and the sweetness of the berries help to balance the tartness of the rhubarb.
Jump to:
🥧 Ingredients:
- Filling Ingredients:
- Rhubarb – you’ll need 4 cups of rhubarb that are cut into bite size (1-inch) pieces.
- sugar – sweetens the filling to balance out the tart rhubarb.
- vanilla extract – adds just a hint of vanilla flavor.
- lemon juice and cornstarch – works as a thickening agent for the filling.
- Crisp Topping Ingredients:
- flour – we used all purpose.
- old fashioned oats – avoid instant oats, they do not have the same texture.
- ground cinnamon – a little cinnamon adds a warming flavor to the topping.
- Pinch of salt
- butter – keep the butter cold until you are ready to use.
- brown sugar – be sure to pack when measuring.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
Serve old-fashioned rhubarb crisp with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or fresh whipped cream.
Substitutions and Variations
- Frozen rhubarb: if you don’t have fresh, frozen rhubarb can be used and you can follow the same instructions.
- Gluten free: use gluten-free quick oats and then substitute the all purpose flour with a gluten free flour. Bob’s Red Mill is a great gluten-free brand.
- Rhubarb bars: use the shortbread crust from my apple cheesecake bars. Bake the crust for 20 minutes, then add the filling and topping and bake as directed.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Wash your rhubarb well. Peel thicker stalks with tougher exteriors, but peeling is optional and not always necessary for using rhubarb in recipes. Discard the rhubarb leaves, they are toxic. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 1:Combine the fresh rhubarb, vanilla, and sugar in a medium bowl.
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and cornstarch together until dissolved. Pour over the rhubarb filling and toss to coat.
Step 3: Spread the filling into a 9×13 baking dish into a single layer.
Step 4: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon, and salt. Cut the cold butter into the oat mixture using a fork so it forms a crumbly topping.
Pro Tip: The topping mixture should be very crumbly, and remember to keep your butter cold until you are ready to use it.
Step 5: Add the topping so the filling is covered.
Step 6: Bake for 45 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the buttery oat topping is golden brown.
SERVE: Serve this delicious rhubarb crisp with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
- Don’t worry if your rhubarb stalks are different in color from those seen in this recipe. Rhubarb stalks can vary in color due to their variety. A green stalk versus different shades or red is not indicative of ripeness.
- Rhubarb is naturally tart and just slightly sweet which is why most recipes include the use of sugar; we used white sugar as a way to balance this dessert.
- Rinse off the rhubarb and trim the ends of the stalks. The leaves of a rhubarb plant are toxic, so do to not eat those.
Fun Fact
Since rhubarb is naturally tart, it only started making an appearance when affordable sugar became more available during the 18th and 19th century which helped to then balance out the tartness with added sweetness. The first recorded usage of rhubarb in recipes originates in Europe, although, like all good things, the rest of the world quickly followed suit.
Recipe FAQs
If you prefer eating with seasonal produce then it’s good to keep in mind that rhubarb is in season from late winter to early summer. I typically see it in the grocery store in the spring and summer.
Of course, if you have an excess amount grown during the season then you can freeze it for making delicious fall recipes or rhubarb crunch any time of year.
My rhubarb here in Northern California seems to grow year round, so you might have a longer growing season if you live in a more temperate climate.
Absolutely! Either freeze your fully baked crisp once cool for up to 3 months or prepare and freeze the crisp filling for baking later on with the rest of the recipe ingredients.
If you opt to freeze your old fashioned rhubarb crisp filling, place it in a Ziploc bag for easy storage and then when you’re ready to use it simply add it to a baking dish, allowing it to defrost before assembling the crisp to bake.
Rhubarb crisps topped with oatmeal can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for 3-4 days whether you decide to make it ahead of time or are storing leftovers. The crunchy oatmeal topping will soften the longer it sits.
Crisps, much like pies, can sit at room temperature for a short time although if you anticipate it sitting out for longer then storing it in the refrigerator till ready to serve is advised.
This rhubarb crisp can also be baked and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw your crisp overnight in the refrigerator and then heat up in the oven around 350℉ for 15 minutes or until warm throughout.
Simply wash the rhubarb stalks, slice them and store them in an airtight freezer bag for up to 3 months. When ready to use your excess rhubarb for this crisp or other delicious desserts, add them directly to the recipe from frozen (although you may need to increase overall baking time).
More Homemade Rhubarb Desserts You’ll Love
If you tried this Rhubarb Crisp Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Rhubarb Crisp with Oatmeal Streusel
Ingredients
Filling Ingredients:
- 4 cups rhubarb cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice or water
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
Topping Ingredients:
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup rolled oats
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir until combined evenly.
- Dissolve the cornstarch by stirring into the lemon juice and pour over fruit mixture. Toss to combine.
- Spread the fruit mixture evenly into a 9×13 baking dish.
- Prepare the topping by combining flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a medium mixing bowl. Cut cold butter into flour/sugar mixture using a pastry blender until the mixture clumps together into small crumbly pieces.
- Spread the streusel topping over the rhubarb mixture in the baking dish.
- Bake for about 45 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the crisp topping is golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
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