How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, 1 hour in the oven, 1 hour to cool Equipment you’ll need: 9 x 13 inch baking pan or dish Servings: 24 bars My mom grows the rhubarb in her backyard and so did my grandma and great-grandma. In fact, I believe my mom’s rhubarb plants are grown from cuttings received from my great-grandma. The thing about rhubarb is that its season is fleeting; it’s one of the first plants that can be harvested in the spring but once the weather gets warm, the stalks are too woody to eat. So when rhubarb is ripe for the picking, you need to make ALL the rhubarb recipes: strawberry rhubarb crisp, rhubarb Instant Pot cake, and easy rhubarb sauce are all on the menu, as are these easy rhubarb bars.
Reasons To Love Rhubarb Bars
Sweet-tart flavor. Rhubarb desserts are all about balance because without that, rhubarb is so tart it’s practically inedible! These rhubarb bars add enough sugar (and strawberry jam!) to make the rhubarb palatable without completely drowning out that pop of tartness. Layers of deliciousness. The rhubarb bars begin with a buttery oat crust that’s spiced with cinnamon. The jammy fruit layer goes over the crust, then a sprinkling of crumble goes on top for the perfect finishing touch. Easy to make. If preparing pie crust from scratch gives you heart palpitations, you’ll love these simple rhubarb bars. Simmer the filling on the stovetop, mix the crust and topping (the same mixture is used for both!), layer, and bake. Like pie, you can serve the bars à la mode for a scrumptious dessert.
Ingredient Notes
Granulated Sugar: We add just enough to take the sour edge off the the rhubarb. Cornstarch: Cornstarch is commonly used to thicken sauces. Look for it in the baking aisle. Rhubarb: The star of the show! If you’re using fresh, remember to discard the leaves. The stalks are edible but the leaves are not. Choose stalks that are smaller in size (larger than two inches wide and they’re likely to be stringy), firm, and free of blemishes. The color of rhubarb can vary from deep red to green. The flavor is the same, no matter the color. Strawberry Jam: Strawberries and rhubarb are often paired together because they’re both in season at the same time and because the sweet berries bring balance to the rhubarb. Here, we keep it easy by using jam. Quick Oats: Quick oats are chopped small to cook more quickly. If you have rolled oats (or old-fashioned oats) on hand, you can use those for the crust instead of quick oats. Simply give them a blitz in the food processor first. All-Purpose Flour: Lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then level off the excess with a straight edge. Light Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar brings a note of caramel to the crust, without the more assertive molasses flavor of dark brown sugar. Ground Cinnamon: The warmth of cinnamon is the perfect addition to bring everything together. Salt: A pinch of salt keeps the crust from tasting bland or flat. Unsalted Butter: Let the butter soften to room temperature so you’ll be able to work it into the other crust ingredients.
How To Make Rhubarb Bars
Prep. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Coat a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray, add a layer of parchment paper, then spray the parchment paper. (The first spritz of cooking spray helps keep the parchment paper from sliding.) Make the rhubarb filling. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan, then stir in the remaining filling ingredients. Turn the heat on to medium and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the rhubarb is broken down and the mixture is thick. Set aside to cool. Mix crust ingredients. Stir together all of the crust ingredients except the butter in a mixing bowl, then cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly and holds together when pinched between two fingers. Use a fork, a pastry cutter, or your fingers to cut in the butter. Make bottom crust. Reserve 2 cups of the crumb mixture and press the rest into the baking dish. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Add filling and top crust. Spoon the filling over the crust, then sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the top, patting it down gently with a large spoon. Bake for 50 minutes more. Cool before slicing. Let the bars cool completely (they’ll be delicate when still warm!), then lift them from the pan using the parchment paper and transfer to a cutting board. Cut with a sharp knife, then serve.
Recipe Variations
Switch up the jam. Instead of strawberry jam, try raspberry jam. Blueberries, blackberries, and peaches are also unexpectedly delicious pairings with rhubarb. Swap cardamom for the cinnamon. Cardamom has a distinctive flavor that’s more complex than cinnamon; it’s a popular spice in Scandinavian cooking and baking.
Make Ahead Ideas
You can make the rhubarb filling up to 2 days in advance. Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. If it’s too thick to spread when you take it out of the fridge, warm it up a bit in the microwave or allow it to come to room temperature.
Storage Suggestions
Store these rhubarb bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. To freeze, wrap each bar in plastic wrap and then in foil. Transfer the bars to a freezer-friendly bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or set them on the counter until they come to room temperature. Quick-Start Guide!
