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Rhubarb Crumble Bars

Rhubarb crumble bars with oat topping and vanilla ice cream on side

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These bars feature a buttery oat crust, a tangy-sweet rhubarb filling, and a crunchy crumble topping. They are a perfect make-ahead dessert for spring gatherings, potlucks, or a simple treat. Simple ingredients yield impressive, crowd-pleasing results.

Ingredients

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  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 4 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Add cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Use fingertips, a pastry cutter, or two forks to work the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized clumps.
  4. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of this mixture for the topping and set aside.
  5. Press the remaining mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to compact it.
  6. Bake the crust for 12-15 minutes, until edges are lightly golden. Remove from oven.
  7. While crust bakes, make the filling. In a large bowl, toss chopped rhubarb with granulated sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
  8. Spread the rhubarb filling evenly over the hot crust.
  9. Sprinkle the reserved crumble topping evenly over the rhubarb. Do not press down.
  10. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until topping is deeply golden and filling is bubbling vigorously at the edges.
  11. Let the pan cool completely on a wire rack for about 2 hours.
  12. Use the parchment paper to lift the entire block onto a cutting board. Slice into 18 bars with a sharp knife.

Notes

Use cold butter for the best crumbly texture. Do not skip the cornstarch, as it thickens the filling. Let bars cool completely before cutting for clean slices. Frozen rhubarb can be used without thawing; add a few extra baking minutes.

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