Put that gorgeous red rhubarb to good use in this seasonally delicious Rhubarb Custard Pie. While rhubarb has a naturally tart flavor profile, the addition of sugar and a creamy egg custard balances it out beautifully…not too sweet, not too tart…just right.
As a classic dessert, an old fashioned rhubarb custard pie is perfect for late spring and early summer. Don’t forget there’s nothing stopping you from freezing this seasonal fruit so that you get to enjoy a slice of comforting rhubarb custard pie fresh from the oven any time of the year!
Add this classic rhubarb pie to your list of fruity dessert pies along with Lemon Meringue Pie, Apricot Pie, and Key Lime Pie.
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🥧 Ingredients:
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness to the pie and balances the tartness of the rhubarb.
- All-purpose flour: Helps thicken the custard filling and gives it a smooth texture.
- Ground nutmeg: Provides a warm and nutty flavor that complements the tartness of the rhubarb.
- Fresh rhubarb, diced: The star ingredient of the pie, tart rhubarb adds a tangy and tart flavor to the custard filling.
- Orange zest: Adds a bright and citrusy flavor that enhances the overall taste of the pie.
- Vanilla extract: Infuses the custard filling with a sweet and aromatic flavor.
- Heavy cream: Makes the custard filling rich, creamy, and indulgent.
- Large eggs: Act as a binding agent and contribute to the creamy texture of the custard filling.
- Salted butter: Adds richness and a hint of savory flavor to the pie.
- Unbaked pastry pie crust: Forms the base and holds the delicious rhubarb custard filling together, providing a buttery and flaky crust. You can use a pre-made pie crust or make homemade pie crust with our oil pie crust recipe or butter pie crust recipe.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnishes:
- Whipped Cream: A dollop of freshly whipped cream adds a creamy and light element to the pie. You can use plain whipped cream or flavor it with a touch of vanilla or a hint of citrus zest to complement the orange zest in our pie.
- Fresh Berries: Add a pop of color and freshness to your rhubarb custard pie by garnishing it with a handful of fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries. If you love strawberry rhubarb pie, you already know how well berries and rhubarb go together.
- Mint Leaves: Place a few sprigs of fresh mint leaves on top of the pie or around the edges for a touch of herbal freshness and visual appeal.
- Powdered Sugar: Dusting the top of the pie with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar is what we did here. Quick, simple, and it adds just a hint of sweetness.
- Citrus Zest: Grate some lemon or orange zest over the pie just before serving to add a bright and zesty flavor that complements the rhubarb and custard.
- Caramel Drizzle: For an indulgent twist, you can drizzle a bit of brown sugar caramel sauce over the pie. The sweet caramel flavor pairs well with the tartness of the rhubarb and adds a beautiful visual effect.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use fresh rhubarb (either store-bought or homegrown) or you can use frozen rhubarb. If you opt for frozen, make sure that you first thaw it before incorporating it with the other pie-filling ingredients. Drain any excess water and be sure you still toss with the sugar/flour. mixture.
- I’ve used a traditional pie crust for this dessert pie. You could use a Graham cracker crust instead.
- For a gluten-free rhubarb custard pie, use gluten-free flour and a gluten-free pastry pie crust.
- For added warmth, consider including a small amount of cinnamon in addition to the nutmeg.
- Substitute berries for some of the rhubarb in the recipe to make a strawberry rhubarb custard pie.
- You can substitute whole milk for all or part of the heavy cream in this recipe. This will result in a pie with a less creamy custard.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out pie dough and arrange in a 9-inch pie plate or set out frozen pie crust while you prepare the filling.
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, and. nutmeg to make the dry mixture.
Step 2: Toss the rhubarb in the dry ingredients – this helps to suspend the rhubarb evenly throughout the custard filling. Be sure to dice the rhubarb into small ½″ pieces.
Step 3: Whisk together orange zest, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and eggs in a small bowl. Thoroughly beat the eggs into the mixture. Room temperature eggs will whisk more easily.
Step 4: Pour the custard into the rhubarb mixture and gently stir.
Step 5: Gently pour the rhubarb custard mixture into the unbaked pie crust.
Step 6: Dollop pieces of butter over the top of the custard pie mixture.
Step 7: Bake for 45-50 minutes, covering the crust loosely with aluminum foil after the first 20 minutes (when the crust has browned.) Remove the pie from the oven and cool on a wire rack until room temperature. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight, before slicing.
GARNISH/SLICE/SERVE: Slice this sweet custard pie and serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar. You can also sprinkle cinnamon or ground nutmeg over the top.
Tips For Making Rhubarb Custard Pie
- For this recipe, make sure that you cut your rhubarb into bite-sized pieces. I also mix it with flour/sugar which helps to keep it suspended in the custard filling.
- Chilling the pie helps the custard filling set and firm up, making it easier to slice and serve. Additionally, the flavors tend to meld and develop further when the pie is chilled.
- While the orange zest and nutmeg are optional, they do add lovely complementary yet subtle flavors to the pie filling.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or simply enjoy a slice as is!
FAQs
Absolutely! While I love making use of fresh rhubarb for this rhubarb custard pie, if you have rhubarb in your freezer that you need to use up then go right ahead! My rhubarb plant goes a little crazy during rhubarb season, and it’s nice to have rhubarb in the freezer even during the off season.
There are, however, a few steps that I recommend you follow when making use of frozen rhubarb for this rhubarb custard pie or any other rhubarb pie recipe:
First, thaw your frozen rhubarb. Once thawed, drain it and pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel (don’t use a paper towel as you’ll end up with pieces of paper stuck to your rhubarb). This third step is optional, but you could also toss your rhubarb with an extra tablespoon of flour which will help to absorb any remaining moisture.
As with most pies, you can safely leave this rhubarb custard pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator with no issues for 1-2 days. With that said, the egg custard will start to weep a bit if you leave it any longer than this.
If you expect that you’ll need to store it for longer than 2 days, then this pie must be stored in the refrigerator due to the egg custard element of the pie. You’ll notice quite quickly that the pie crust will become soggy from the custard which is why it’s best to eat this delicious rhubarb custard pie as soon as possible (which, to be honest, is not too much of an issue in my household!)
No, I don’t recommend that you freeze it since custard separates during the freezing process. While it doesn’t affect the flavors, it does change the texture of the custard and will also effect the crisp pie crust.
If you’re looking for ways to make this recipe ahead of time, consider making and freezing your unbaked pie crust for later use as suggested in the recipe ingredients list. For a great pie crust recipe, use Oil Pie Crust, Graham Cracker Crust, or Butter Pie Crust.
Rhubarb stalks freeze really well which is great news in case you have any excess from your garden or the grocery store. Whether you are freezing excess rhubarb for later use or using up your freezer supplies, here are some tasty rhubarb recipes to make:
Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies – glazed hand-sized treats filled with gooey strawberry and rhubarb that are encased in soft and tender pastry, fried to crispy perfection!
Rhubarb Crisp – a mix of sweet and tart with brown sugar streusel topping.
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam – a dynamite combo of flavors in an easy jam recipe that can be spread on toast, scones, or paired with baked brie.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp – Oh how I love strawberry and rhubarb together with butter and brown sugar.
Rhubarb Bread – a simple quick bread recipe that highlights fresh rhubarb.
If you tried this Rhubarb Custard Pie 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 Custard Pie
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 cups fresh rhubarb diced
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1-2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 9 inch unbaked
pastry pie crust Try this Oil Pie Crust recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, and nutmeg. Stir to mix evenly.
- Rinse the rhubarb and pat dry. It does not need to be peeled. Dice into small ½” pieces. Measure out 3 cups of diced rhubarb and add to the sugar/flour mixture. Set aside.
- Whisk together orange zest, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and eggs. Whisk to thoroughly beat the eggs into the mixture.
- Pour cream mixture into the rhubarb mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour filling into the unbaked pie crust.
- Dot small pieces of the butter over the top of the filled pie.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, covering the crust loosely with aluminum foil after the first 20 minutes (when the crust has browned.)
- Remove from the oven and cool completely on a cooling rack. Transfer to the refrigerator, wrapped loosely with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.
- Serve with fresh whipped cream, a sprinkle of powdered sugar, vanilla ice cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Notes
- For this recipe, make sure that you cut your rhubarb into bite-sized pieces. I also mix it with flour/sugar which helps to keep it suspended in the custard filling.
- Chilling the pie helps the custard filling set and firm up, making it easier to slice and serve. Additionally, the flavors tend to meld and develop further when the pie is chilled.
- While the orange zest and nutmeg are optional, they do add lovely complementary yet subtle flavors to the pie filling.
Nutrition
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