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Home » Desserts » Rhubarb Bars

Published: May 13, 2021 by Kathy · This post may contain affiliate links

Rhubarb Bars

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Three rhubarb bars stacked on top of each other.

A delicious rhubarb bar with a tart rhubarb filling over a sweet shortbread crust and a crumb topping.

This is a perfect dessert to make when rhubarb is in season.

A rhubarb bar on a white plate.
Table of Contents
Why make this recipe
Key ingredients
Step by step directions
Recipe tips
Recipe Faqs
More rhubarb recipes
Rhubarb Bars

Why make this recipe

Rhubarb is one of the first plants to pop up as soon as the snow has melted. It can be harvested before any other crops are ready for picking. There's nothing better than utilizing freshly picked produce after a long winter.

The tart zing of rhubarb really shines through in these bars. This easy to make dessert is perfect for a family dessert or for sharing with friends.

Key ingredients

Ingredients for baking in small bowls.
  • Rhubarb - fresh and cut into small cubes. Frozen rhubarb can be used. Do not thaw before adding
  • Butter - cold salted butter cut into cubes
  • Lemon - zest and juice

Step by step directions

  • Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together
  • Add butter and incorporate into the flour mixture. Use your hands or use a pastry blender.
Small cubes of butter on top of flour in a bowl.
  • Add one beaten egg. Mix together with a fork. The mixture will be dry and crumbly.
A scrambled raw egg in the middle of a bowl of flour.
  • Reserve one cup of the crust and set aside for the topping
  • Add the remaining crust into a greased baking dish
  • Firmly pat crust down to form a smooth surface. Use your hands or the bottom of a flat measuring cup.
  • A dry flour mixture in a glass baking dish.
  • Pushing down a crust with a measuring cup.
  • Use the same bowl the crust was made in - no need to rinse it out. Place diced rhubarb, sugar and cornstarch and mix to combine.
  • Rhubarb with sugar in a bowl.
  • Rhubarb mixed with sugar.
  • Add lemon zest and lemon juice
  • Pour rhubarb mixture over prepared unbaked crust
  • Crumble reserved crust over the top of the rhubarb
  • Cut rhubarb in a baking dish.
  • A crumb topping on an unbaked dessert.
  • Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 45 minutes
  • Allow bars to fully cool before slicing and serving
A fully cooked dessert with a crumb topping.

Recipe tips

  • Use cold butter that has been cut into small cubes
  • To incorporate the butter into the flour mixture, use a pastry blender or your hands. Smear the butter between your fingers mixing it into the flour. The mixture should be crumbly with no chunks of butter left.
  • Dice rhubarb into small ¼ inch cubes
  • If your rhubarb is stringy, just pull off any long strings that form
  • If using frozen rhubarb, do not thaw before using. Increase baking time by 10 minutes.
  • Be certain to scrape any juices that were formed from the rhubarb sugar mixture into the baking dish
  • An 11 x 8 baking dish was used to make this recipe, but a 9 x 13 dish will work as well. Reduce baking time by 5 minutes.
  • Allow dessert to fully cool before slicing and serving

Recipe Faqs

Are rhubarb leaves edible?

No, rhubarb leaves are not edible! They contain toxic levels of oxalic acid. The leaves should be fully cut from the stem and discarded.

What color is rhubarb?

Rhubarb varies in color from a deep, bright red to green. The color does not affect the taste and either colored stalks can be used in this recipe.

How long will the rhubarb bars last?

If stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the rhubarb bars will last for 3-4 days.

More rhubarb recipes

If you have a surplus of rhubarb, you might also want to try these recipes:

  • Rhubarb muffins
  • Rhubarb bread
  • Rhubarb crisp
  • Rhubarb jam
  • Rhubarb sauce
  • How to freeze rhubarb
A stack or rhubarb bars.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Be certain to check out all my delicious dessert recipes!

  • Oatmeal Lace Cookies
  • Ginger Cookies
  • Peppermint Meringues
  • Hot Chocolate Cookies
A rhubarb bar on a white plate.

Rhubarb Bars

Kathy
A tart rhubarb dessert with a sweet shortbread crust and a crumb topping.
5 from 13 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 15 Bars
Calories 207 kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Zester
  • 9 x 13" Baking Dish
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

Crust

  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup butter (cut into small cubes)
  • 1 egg (beaten)

Filling

  • 4 cups rhubarb (diced)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Crust

  • Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together
    2 cups flour, ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Add butter and combine using a pastry cutter or your fingers. Gently smear the butter between your fingers into the flour mixture. The mixture should be crumbly with no chunks of butter left.
    ¾ cup butter
  • Add egg and combine with a fork. The mixture will remain dry and crumbly
    1 egg
  • Set one cup of crust aside to use for the topping
  • Place remaining crust mixture into a 11x7" baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with a nonstick spray.
  • Press crust down firmly with hands or the bottom of a flat measuring cup to form an even surface

Filling

  • Combine rhubarb, sugar and cornstarch together
    4 cups rhubarb, ½ cup sugar, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • Add lemon zest and lemon juice
    1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Pour mixture over prepared crust
  • Sprinkle on reserved crust mixture
  • Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 45 minutes

Notes

Baking Tips
  • Use cold butter that has been cut into small cubes
  • To incorporate the butter into the flour mixture, use a pastry blender or your hands. Smear the butter between your fingers mixing it into the flour. The mixture should be crumbly with no chunks of butter left.
  • Dice rhubarb into small ¼ inch cubes
  • If your rhubarb is stringy, just pull off any long strings that form
  • If using frozen rhubarb, do not thaw before using. Increase baking time by 10 minutes.
  • Be certain to scrape any juices that were formed from the rhubarb sugar mixture into the baking dish
  • An 11 x 8 baking dish was used to make this recipe, but a 9 x 13 dish will work as well. Reduce baking time by 5 minutes.
  • Allow dessert to fully cool before slicing and serving

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1BarCalories: 207kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 126mgPotassium: 148mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 333IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Rhubarb Bars, Rhubarb Crumb Bars
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!
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Comments

  1. David @ Spiced says

    May 14, 2021 at 4:26 am

    5 stars
    Ah, I love rhubarb season! We're just getting our garden planted this year - it's frustrating how long we have to wait up here in these northern states. I don't have any rhubarb planted, but I'm second-guessing that now. These bars sound fantastic for a spring dessert on the back porch! And that crust/streusel...yum!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      May 18, 2021 at 4:49 am

      I hear you on having to wait forever for spring! That's what's so great about rhubarb, it's right there ready to go when spring does finally get here. I hope you can find a neighbor with some they are willing to part with so you can enjoy these bars!

      Reply

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I'm Kathy, a busy working mom who loves to cook from scratch, grow a garden, and raise farm animals. Take a look around and find all my recipes, gardening tips, and country living antics.

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