The Best Rhubarb Crumble

by Dorothy Reinhold on July 29, 2021


Print This Post Print This Post Rhubarb Crumble in a white bowl with visible rhubarb chunks topped by streusel

The Best Rhubarb Crumble is the most perfect way to eat rhubarb, with a tangy-sweet fruit filling topped by a hearty, chewy streusel. 

While rhubarb, which looks like big ruby stalks of celery, is technically, botanically a vegetable, it is legally considered a fruit because most people treat it that way. It needs plenty of sugar to sweeten up the astringently tart, red stalks as they cook. But once you sweeten them, the flavor payoff is huge!

A hand holds several rhubarb stalks against a white marble counter on ShockinglyDelicious.comI learned to love it as a child while I lived in Pennsylvania, where people grew it in their gardens.

We can’t grow it in coastal Southern California where I now live (the winters generally don’t get cold enough) but while growing up my mother kept us in the rhubarb loop by simply stewing it every year. We ate stewed rhubarb on toast, on yogurt or cottage cheese for breakfast, or just standing at the fridge with a spoon. And her rhubarb pies…oh my, the memory! 

These days I rev up the rhubarb motor when I see it show up in my grocery store produce section in the spring. The last few years I’ve become particularly fond of The Best Rhubarb Crumble, which is just about the most perfect reason to eat rhubarb. I hope you try it! 

How to make The Best Rhubarb Crumble

Three fingers atop a large rhubarb stalk show its size on ShockinglyDelicious.comFor this crumble, we’ll be using

  • Fresh rhubarb. How many rhubarb stalks will you need? It kind of depends on how big they are. As you can see in the photo above, 1 rogue stalk I got is the width of 3 fingers while the one next to it is a more average size! It’s more common for the stalks to be the size of large celery. If you run across super-wide stalks, feel free to slice them length-wise before you chop them width-wise. 
  • Sugar
  • Flour
  • Butter
  • Oats
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Almond extract
  • Salt

A hand holding the butter wrapper greases the glass baking dish on ShockinglyDelicious.comGrease the baking dish. You know the trick of greasing it with the butter wrapper (if the recipe calls for butter), right? Simply remove the butter from the wrapper and use your hand to rub the butter-side of the wrapper all over the inside of the dish. If there’s no butter used in the recipe, you can always spray the dish with nonstick spray.

Bright red and green chopped rhubarb in a white mixing bowl on ShockinglyDelicious.comChop the rhubarb into about 1-inch pieces.

Chopped red and green rhubarb in a white bowl with sugar and flour on ShockinglyDelicious.comMix with the granulated sugar and a couple of tablespoons of flour.

Rhubarb mixture in a square glass baking dish on a white cutting board with a white measuring cup and tablespoon measure beside itPut the rhubarb into the greased baking dish. If there is sugar-flour remaining at the bottom of the mixing bowl, pour that over the rhubarb. Don’t leave any behind; your dessert will need it!

Square glass baking dish with rhubarb with streusel on top on a white cutting boardMix the streusel together and put that on top of the fruit in the dish.

Rhubarb Crumble in a square glass baking dish with a large spoon and a corner of the crumble removedBake it and let it cool before serving. Spoon it out into dishes and top with ice cream or whipped cream if you like. I like it plain.

One third of the lower portion of Rhubarb Crumble is gone with juice left behind in the baking dish and a large spoon in the dish Nothing stops me from visiting the kitchen to “even out the edge” when no one is looking.

Or to eat the leftovers for breakfast the next day. Hey, it’s fruit and oats!

Let’s make The Best Rhubarb Crumble, shall we?

The Best Rhubarb Crumble

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: Serves 6

The Best Rhubarb Crumble

The Best Rhubarb Crumble is the most perfect way to eat rhubarb, with a tangy-sweet fruit filling topped by a hearty, chewy streusel. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if you must. I like it just like this!

Ingredients

  • Rhubarb
  • 5 cups fresh rhubarb (cut into 1-inch pieces; about 6-7 big stalks should do it)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • Streusel
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup quick oats
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 of a stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350F degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with butter (see tip above) or spray with nonstick spray and set dish aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together chopped rhubarb, sugar and 2 tablespoons flour. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
  3. In the same mixing bowl (no need to wash it), add the brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, oats, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine. Sprinkle on the almond extract and mix. Cut in the butter until you have a streusel-type crumb. You can do this with a pastry cutter, or with an electric mixer on low, or by rubbing it all together with your fingers. I most often do it with an electric mixer for speed and efficiency, but a pastry cutter works really well too.
  4. Sprinkle the streusel over top of the rhubarb, and bake for about 35 minutes. Streusel will get a little brown and rhubarb will become soft and juicy.
  5. Remove from oven, allow to cool, and spoon into small bowls to serve. It's great plain, or with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
  6. Serves 6.

Notes

Recipe source: heritage recipe passed down in the Reinhold family.

https://www.shockinglydelicious.com/rhubarb-crumble/

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A white bowl of rhubarb crumble at the top with a glass baking dish of it at the bottom with the title superimposed over the photoom

 

 

 

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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }

Cathy August 5, 2021 at 10:43 am

You can never have too many rhubarb recipes! This one is definitely a keeper!

Reply

Amanda Livesay August 4, 2021 at 9:10 am

My new favorite way to use rhubarb! It’s so delicious.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold August 4, 2021 at 10:44 am

Amanda,
Thank you!

Reply

Beth August 2, 2021 at 3:57 pm

Oh my goodness! This was such a great and very yummy dessert! My family absolutely loved how this turned out and so delicious! Definitely making this recipe again.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold August 3, 2021 at 3:31 pm

Beth,
I’m so glad to hear that! YAY!

Reply

Jessica Formicola August 1, 2021 at 12:50 pm

I haven’t had rhubarb at all yet this summer! And this crumble will be the first thing I’m trying!

Reply

Catalina August 1, 2021 at 6:14 am

Oh my goodness! How good and inviting this dessert looks!

Reply

Jolene August 1, 2021 at 5:19 am

So happy I have some rhubarb stashed in the freezer, we would definitely love this!

Reply

Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic July 31, 2021 at 6:10 pm

Rhubarb is a life long favorite of mine, as well. I have some in the freezer that will have to be this crumble very soon.

Reply

Erin | Dinners, Dishes and Dessert July 31, 2021 at 5:40 pm

This Rhubarb Crumble is looks totally awesome!

Reply

Lisa Kerhin July 31, 2021 at 11:55 am

I’ve been told I need to make this ASAP! Good thing I have some rhubarb frozen!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold July 31, 2021 at 12:01 pm

Lisa,
The person who told you that will be verrrry happy, I predict.

Reply

Rebecca July 30, 2021 at 11:34 pm

I think it’s so fun to use rhubarb compared to always using the same fruits and vegetables to cook with! I loved the tart and sweet combination of this dish, and the crumble just made it even better!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold July 31, 2021 at 12:02 pm

Rebecca,
I cannot get enough of rhubarb while it is here. I’m sure it’s an acquired taste, right?

Reply

Hezzi-D July 30, 2021 at 5:46 pm

This looks awesome! I love rhubarb in anything.

Reply

Cindy July 30, 2021 at 4:57 pm

I can always use more rhubarb recipes. This is definitely a keeper!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold July 31, 2021 at 12:06 pm

Cindy,
I have a whole folder for rhu recipes!

Reply

Cathy July 30, 2021 at 2:21 pm

Looks like perfection to me. Can’t wait to try it.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold July 31, 2021 at 12:06 pm

Cathy,
I’m sure you will figure out a way to make it WAAAAAY prettier!

Reply

Krystle July 30, 2021 at 1:33 pm

The topping is so crunchy! Thanks for helping me use up rhubarb from my garden.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold July 30, 2021 at 2:10 pm

Krystle,
So glad! Oh, I wish I could grow it!

Reply

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