Rhubarb Dessert Recipes
Rhubarb season calls for simple, old-fashioned desserts, and this page collects four favorites that pair tangy rhubarb with sweet toppings and cozy baking aromas. From a biscuit-topped strawberry-rhubarb puff to a crisp with an oat-brown sugar crumble, these recipes are straight from a vintage community cookbook tradition.
Use the jump links to pick a recipe, then serve warm with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream for the classic finish.
Recipes on this page
Strawberry Rhubarb Puff
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz) package frozen rhubarb, thawed
- 1 (10 oz) package frozen strawberries, thawed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups flour (if self-rising, omit baking powder and salt)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup salad oil
- 2/3 cup milk
- Butter (to dot biscuits)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Instructions
- In an ungreased 9 x 9 x 2-inch pan, mix rhubarb, strawberries, and 1/2 cup sugar. Place pan in oven until hot.
- In a bowl, measure flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Pour oil and milk into a measuring cup (do not stir). Pour all at once into flour mixture and stir until mixture forms a ball.
- Drop dough by 9 spoonfuls onto hot fruit. Make an indentation in each biscuit and dot with butter.
- Mix 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over biscuits.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm. Serves 9.
- Fresh option: Use 3 cups cut-up fresh rhubarb and 1 pint fresh strawberries (cut up). Increase the 1/2 cup sugar to 1 1/2 to 2 cups, and add 1/2 cup water to the fruit-sugar mixture.
Rhubarb Crunch
Ingredients
- Crumb mixture: 1 cup flour
- Crumb mixture: 3/4 cup uncooked oatmeal
- Crumb mixture: 1 cup brown sugar
- Crumb mixture: 1 cup melted butter or oleo
- Crumb mixture: 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Cooked mixture: 1 cup sugar
- Cooked mixture: 1 cup water
- Cooked mixture: 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Cooked mixture: 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Rhubarb, uncooked (diced)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Instructions
- Mix crumb mixture ingredients until crumbly.
- Cook sugar, water, and cornstarch until thickened; stir in vanilla.
- Press half of crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Add diced rhubarb.
- Pour cooked mixture over rhubarb. Top with remaining crumb mixture.
- Bake 1 hour.
Rhubarb Kuchen A La Mode
Ingredients
- Crust: 1 cup sifted flour
- Crust: 1 tablespoon sugar
- Crust: 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- Crust: 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Crust: 2 tablespoons margarine
- Crust: 1 egg
- Crust: 2 tablespoons milk
- Filling: 1 (3 oz) package strawberry-flavored gelatin
- Filling: 1/3 cup sugar
- Filling: 3 tablespoons flour
- Filling: 1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, sliced (about 5 cups)
- Topping: 2/3 cup sugar
- Topping: 1/3 cup flour
- Topping: 3 tablespoons margarine
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in margarine until coarse crumbs form.
- Beat egg with milk; add to flour mixture and stir until dry ingredients are moistened.
- Pat dough evenly on bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9 x 9 x 2-inch pan.
- Combine gelatin, 1/3 cup sugar, and 3 tablespoons flour. Toss with rhubarb; add to pan.
- Combine 2/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup flour; cut in margarine until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over filling.
- Bake 45 minutes, or until rhubarb is tender and topping is lightly browned.
- Cut into squares while warm and top with vanilla ice cream. Serves 9.
Rhubarb Crisp
Ingredients
- 4 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon water
Topping
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Instructions
- Mix rhubarb with flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and water; pour into a buttered 1 1/2-quart casserole.
- Make topping: cream butter, flour, and brown sugar together; add oats to form a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle over rhubarb mixture.
- Bake 40 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.
FAQ
Can I use fresh rhubarb and strawberries instead of frozen?
Yes. The Strawberry Rhubarb Puff includes a fresh-fruit option: use about 3 cups fresh rhubarb and 1 pint strawberries, increase the sugar, and add water to the fruit mixture as noted in the recipe.
Which of these rhubarb desserts are best served warm?
All four are great warm, but Strawberry Rhubarb Puff, Rhubarb Kuchen à la Mode, and Rhubarb Crisp are especially good served warm with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream.
What pan sizes are used on this page?
Strawberry Rhubarb Puff and Rhubarb Kuchen A La Mode use a 9 x 9 x 2-inch pan, Rhubarb Crunch uses a 9-inch pie pan, and Rhubarb Crisp bakes in a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish.