A spring staple, this rhubarb crisp has a tart and bright rhubarb base and buttery, sweet oat topping with notes of caramel from the brown sugar. This is made just with rhubarb, no other fruits mixed in, so it's a nice balance of sweet and acidic. Use thin, early-season rhubarb stalks for the best results.
If you have plenty of rhubarb to use, try making a lemon rhubarb cake, this rich and buttery rhubarb bread, or German classic rhubarb streusel cake with yeast.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Flour: for a slightly more wholesome version, use whole wheat pastry flour or sifted spelt in place of all-purpose.
- Oats: quick-cook oats can be subbed for the rolled in a pinch. Don't use steel cut oats.
- Brown sugar: light and dark brown sugar can be used interchangeably for this recipe.
- Cornstarch: If you don't have cornstarch (also called corn flour) use tapioca flour or arrowroot starch.
- Make it gluten-free: use certified gluten-free oats and a good gluten-free flour blend (you can also use oat flour).
- Make it vegan: substitute a good dairy-free butter substitute that comes in stick or block form for the butter.
Method
Step 1: mix the rhubarb base ingredients in a bowl.
Step 2: add the rhubarb mixture to a baking dish and set aside.
Step 3: mix the oat topping (you can use the same bowl as for the rhubarb).
Step 4: top the fruit with an even layer of topping, and bake until golden.
Top Tips
- Serve with something creamy: serve with a pouring custard, whipped cream or ice cream (vanilla or even something like elderflower or white chocolate), or a thick sweetened sheep's milk yogurt.
- Use an extra sheet: because crisps can bubble over, we recommend pacing your baking dish on a baking sheet to protect your oven.
- Make it with frozen: you can use frozen rhubarb in this crisp. Set it out for a little while so that it can be broken apart, then mix and bake as usual. You may need a slightly longer baking time but be sure to check every 5 minutes that the topping isn't burning.
Recipe Notes
There are plenty of additions you can make to jazz up your rhubarb crisp a bit. Substitute 2 cups raspberries or sliced strawberries for equal volume rhubarb for a sweeter crisp. Try adding ½ teaspoon cinnamon to the topping, or even a pinch of cardamom. Rhubarb also pairs well with ginger, so you can add a little grated fresh ginger to the base, or a pinch of dried to the topping. Try adding ¼ cup chopped nuts to the crisp top – almonds, hazelnuts, and pistachios are all compatible.
How to Store
Storage: keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The topping softens up a bit as it sits but you can reheat in the oven to crisp it up again.
Freezing: transfer the fully cooled crisp to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and reheat in the oven to re-crisp the topping.
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Rhubarb Crisp
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
- Medium bowl
- Rasp or microplane
- 8” or 9” baking dish
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 6 cups rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into ½ in. (1 cm) slices (about 2 lb)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ cup brown sugar, not packed
- ¾ cup old-fashioned oats
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup salted butter, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with the rack in the middle.
- In a bowl combine the rhubarb, lemon zest, lemon juice, white sugar, and cornstarch. Toss to combine then place in the baking dish (no need to grease or line it).6 cups rhubarb, Zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ cup white sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- In the same bowl mix together the brown sugar, oats, and flour until combined. Then, using your fingers, mix in the butter until the mixture begins to come together like a cookie dough. Ball some crumble topping in your hands and break the clumps over the rhubarb, covering all the fruit (you want some chunks, but nothing larger than a bean or pea)¾ cup brown sugar, ¾ cup old-fashioned oats, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup salted butter
- Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake in the middle of the oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until the juices boil around the edge of the dish and the fruit is soft when pierced. Remove from the oven and let the crisp rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Rhubarb crisp can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and freezes well.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided as a courtesy. For precise nutritional data, please calculate it independently using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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