Gramma’s Rhubarb Crisp

5 from 3 votes

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My Gramma’s rhubarb crisp comes together in no time and is the perfect dessert to serve up once the warm weather hits! Featuring fresh rhubarb and a handful of pantry ingredients, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to put together.

closeup of rhubarb crisp


I try to eat (and cook) seasonally whenever possible. There’s something so special about using fresh fruits and vegetables that I know were just picked. Rhubarb is one of those ingredients that I look forward to using every spring and summer! 

Every year as a kid my family would drive south to San Luis Obispo from San Francisco and spend the warm summer with my gramma Mac. She taught me how to make fresh lemonade, and two of my favorite desserts…. Apple Crisp and this Rhubarb Crisp!

Warm weather desserts hold a special place in my heart. Between this delicious old-fashioned cherry crisp, these no-bake strawberry cheesecake cups, or my ultimate favorite, my Meyer lemon tart — I just love their refreshing flavors. 

I’ve been serving up my Gramma’s famous rhubarb for quite a while now and every time I do, people go crazy for it. The tartness of the fruit is perfectly balanced out by the sweetness in the crumbly topping. 

It takes about 10-minutes to prepare and then a little under an hour to bake. Serve on its own, or add some whipped cream or your favorite ice cream. You probably already have most of the ingredients on hand, so let’s get started!

slice of Rhubarb Crisp on a white plate

INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS

  • Rhubarb – It wouldn’t be a rhubarb crisp recipe without the star of the show! You could technically replace it with another fruit of your liking (like cherries or peaches), but that would make it a totally different recipe, wouldn’t it? Now, you could add another fruit to the rhubarb if desired. I like the idea of adding some fresh strawberries or apples!
  • All-Purpose Flour – If you have a gluten sensitivity, feel free to replace it with gluten-free flour, such as almond or coconut. This is one recipe that can easily be made gluten-free!
  • Sugar – Rhubarb is naturally very tart. Balance it out with some sweetness from the sugar!
  • Baking Powder – Don’t be tempted to skip out on this baking essential. It helps inflate the crumbly topping.
  • Vanilla – A bit of vanilla extract goes a long way to add a bit more flavor to this yummy dessert. You could also use almond extract for a more unique flavor. 
  • Egg – An egg helps hold the topping together.
  • Butter – You’ll need the butter to pour over the crumbly topping before you pop it in the oven. It ensures that your crisp comes out, well, crispy!
  • Cinnamon – Like the sugar, cinnamon adds more flavor to the dish. You’ll use it with the butter to finish off the topping.

HOW TO MAKE RHUBARB CRISP

1. Prep The Ingredients. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F, and while you wait, prepare your rhubarb. Rinse well, then cut off the ends before chopping into ½ inch pieces. If you want to add another type of fruit, make sure to peel it if necessary (if you’re using apples) and cut it into small pieces. Place the produce into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan.

2. Make the Crumble. Grab a mixing bowl and add the flour, sugar, baking powder, egg, and vanilla. Use a hand mixer to mix until you get a crumbly consistency. Sprinkle your crumbly topping over the fruit.

piece of Rhubarb Crisp on a white plate with a fork

3. Drizzle With Butter. Melt the butter and drizzle it over the top of your rhubarb crumble.  Sprinkle cinnamon over everything as a final touch.

4. Bake. Bake for 40 minutes or until the topping is crispy, but not burnt. Serve on its own, with whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

closeup sideview of a piece of Rhubarb Crisp

Can I Use Frozen Rhubarb?

While I always prefer to use fresh, you can absolutely make this rhubarb crisp recipe with frozen! You’ll have to pay extra attention to the quantity if you do go for frozen, as the stalks will shrink as they thaw. Measure it out before freezing, and make sure to use any juices that leak out as it reaches room temperature. The juice contains pectin, which helps keep the dessert from falling apart!

Should You Soak Rhubarb Before Baking?

No, you don’t need to soak rhubarb before baking this rhubarb crisp recipe. Do remove any leaves as they are toxic. Wash the stalks under cold water and make sure to remove the hard ends. If there are any dark or damaged parts, you can remove them with a vegetable peeler. The pieces will naturally soften as your dessert bakes. 

When is Rhubarb in Season?

You’ve probably noticed that rhubarb shows up in dishes during the warmer months. That’s because this vegetable’s peak season is from April to June. Now, sometimes you can find it as early as February, depending on where you live. If you want to make this rhubarb crisp recipe out of season, check your local supermarket for frozen. You could also stock up and freeze it yourself to use later!

ready to serve Rhubarb Crisp on a white plate
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Gramma’s Rhubarb Crisp

5 from 3 votes
Tangy, delicious, filled with fruit, and topped with a sweet crumbly topping, my gramma’s rhubarb crisp is the ultimate summertime dessert!
Servings: 6 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 50 minutes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400˚F.
  • Rinse and cut off the ends of the rhubarb and chop into 1/2" pieces. If adding apples or strawberries, peel, core and slice the into bite size pieces. Place in a greased 13" x 9" baking pan.
  • In a mixing bowl beat the flour, sugar, baking powder, egg and vanilla until it becomes a crumbled mixture. Sprinkle this mixture over the rhubarb.
  • Melt the butter, drizzle over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 40 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 103mg | Potassium: 285mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 430IU | Vitamin C: 6.2mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 1.4mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!
Rhubarb Crisp in a baking dish

Kevin

Whether in the kitchen or on the grill, you’ll find me cooking American favorites with a love for BBQ, Mexican and Tex Mex. I’m passionate about making tasty food because life’s too short to be bland!

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11 Comments

  1. Hi – very happy to have come across your site – both for the al pastor recipe and this one – I plan to make both this weekend! In the picture of the crumble, it looks like there are some oats in there, but I don’t see them in the recipe. Do you use oats too? Thank you!

    1. Yes, there is 1 cup of old-fashioned oats in this one Chris. Thanks for trying the al pastor, too! 🙂

  2. Can you tell us about how many cups equals two pounds? I froze our chopped rhubarb in bags with four cups of fruit.

    1. A pound is equal to about 4 cups of chopped rhubarb Christine. With varying sizes and thickness of rhubarb stalks, giving weight measurement is best for this. Hope this helps and enjoy!

  3. 5 stars
    I have a question with one of the ingredients. when you list the ingredients you have 1 tsp baking powder ? In the bottom you have listed in Step 3 you have listed baking soda I guess I would have to ask which one ?

    1. I would thaw them out as the recipe is written for fresh apples. Not sure how much time I’d tack on for frozen or if the topping might over cook.