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This easy rhubarb crisp recipe is the perfect springtime dessert. With a jammy, sweet-tart filling and a nutty, crumbly spiced topping, every bite provides an irresistible combination perfect for topping with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
I adore fresh rhubarb and look forward to rhubarb season every year. It’s such a nostalgic garden plant that my mother tended to on the side of our house on Wagon Wheel Lane, just as her mother did across the back of the lawn at their family home on Maple Street. I can’t help but think of my grandmother in her apron, bending over in the yard to pick the rhubarb to make sauce. My mom felt connected to her mom with any bite of rhubarb, and I feel the same, anxiously waiting to put those vibrant red stalks to use in recipes like my rhubarb cake, strawberry rhubarb pie, and rhubarb tart.
However, when I need a quick, easy, crowd-pleasing option, a simple rhubarb crisp recipe is what I turn to. With minimal prep work and easy steps, it comes together in about an hour and is perfect for sharing. What I love about my recipe is the unique additions for layers of flavor: rose water with the rhubarb and cardamom in the topping. So aromatic with a nod to those flavors we love so much. The only problem: I never have any leftovers to enjoy later!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and instructions!
- Cold Butter – Using cold butter is key to creating rich, buttery crumbles that bake up golden brown and crisp on top. If the butter melts before baking, it’s likely to make the topping soggy.
- Fresh Rhubarb – When selecting rhubarb stalks, look for firm, crisp pieces and avoid those with soft spots or stalks that are very bendable. If fresh rhubarb isn’t available, frozen rhubarb can be substituted. Just make sure it’s thawed and well-drained to avoid excess moisture, which can cause your crisp to become soggy or the juices too thin.
- Sugar – White sugar (granulated sugar) sweetens the filling, balancing some of the sour or tangy flavor of the rhubarb. Then, I add brown sugar to the filling for a more complex sweet taste with subtle molasses notes. Use either light or dark brown sugar, depending on how much molasses flavor you like.
- Lemon – Fresh lemon juice and zest brighten the filling and enhance the rhubarb’s natural tanginess. The citrus also helps balance the sweetness and floral notes in the dessert.
- Rose Water – Just a small amount of rose water adds a delicate floral flavor that pairs so well with the rhubarb.
- Flour – All-purpose flour helps bind both the filling and the topping, creating the classic crumbly, crisp texture we want. If needed, substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to keep your rhubarb crisp gluten-free.
- Spices – Cinnamon and cardamom add warmth and depth to the topping, complementing the rose water and rhubarb nicely.
- Nuts – I like to include either walnuts or pecans in the crisp topping for added richness and crunch. You can use all nuts or half nuts and half rolled oats for a more traditional buttery oat topping.
How to Make Rhubarb Crisp
Before you begin, arrange an oven rack in the middle position, and preheat your oven.
- Combine the filling. Toss the rhubarb, sugar, ¼ cup of the flour, lemon juice, lemon zest, and rose water in a bowl, coating the rhubarb pieces evenly. Spread the mixture evenly in a greased baking dish or pie pan.
- Prepare the topping. Next, pulse the butter in a food processor with brown sugar, remaining ½ cup flour, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. The mixture should just begin to clump together and form large crumbs. Be careful not to overprocess! Add the nuts and oats and pulse just a few times to distribute them throughout the mixture.
- Layer and bake. Crumble the topping over the filling. Then, transfer the crisp to the oven, and bake just until it’s golden and beginning to brown. That’s it!
Serving Suggestions
Serve your rhubarb crisp recipe warm or at room temperature. It’s delicious on its own, but I love to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of rhubarb syrup for extra sweetness.
How to Store
Once cool, cover leftovers with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or transfer them to an airtight container. Leftover rhubarb crisp will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months!
To serve, thaw frozen crisp in the fridge overnight. Then, warm individual portions in the microwave. Or, reheat larger portions in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or just until warmed through and the top is crisp again.
Rhubarb Crisp Recipe
Equipment
- 1 (8 or 9-inch) Baking Dish
- 1 Medium Bowl
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing pan
- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds rhubarb, trimmed, tough strings removed, and cut into 1½-inch pieces (about 5 to 6 cups)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup in the topping, 1/2 cup in the filling
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
Instructions
- Arrange an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch baking dish (square, oval, or round) with a little butter. In a medium bowl, toss the rhubarb with the granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of the flour, lemon juice and zest, and rose water. Spread the rhubarb evenly in the baking dish.
- Put the 6 tablespoons cold butter in a food processor along with brown sugar, remaining 1/2 cup flour, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt, and pulse for about 20 or 30 seconds, until large crumbs begin to form and clump together. Add the nuts and oats and pulse just a few times to combine.
- Crumble the topping evenly over rhubarb and bake until golden and beginning to brown, 45 to 50 minutes. At about 30 minutes, if needed, tent the top of the crisp loosely with foil to prevent the top from getting too dark while the rhubarb fully cooks through.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
