Look, I have no business giving dating advice. Or marital advice. I didn’t, like, scope the scene or learn the rules or think big thoughts about what kind of person would be the right person for me when I walked into a bar 11 years ago and met this guy for a drink. Nevertheless, if you were to try isolate a single trait essential in a life partnership, I think you should look for a person who is pro-whim — that is, encourages you to have whims and pursue them, for better or for worse. Does that sound too abstract? Okay, fine; let me propose instead the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Bar Test, which should be enlisted as follows. 1. Find a potential mate. 2. Say, “Do I need to good reason to make strawberry-rhubarb pie bars?” 3. If they answer, as mine did on Monday, “Nope. I think they’re always welcome,” you’re probably on the right track. If nothing else, your weekend is about to get tastier.
I’d been daydreaming about a late spring riff on an apple-crisp-in-the-pan bars since I got the One Bowl Baking book last fall. I’m not sure I’ve ever met a pie-like cookie bar I didn’t like, but still, these made me nervous because they seemed so (ewww) wholesome. There are more whole grains than white flour, less sugar and less butter than any other cookie bar I’ve ever made. How could this be good? Silly Deb, I should have just trusted the author implicitly. Yvonne Ruperti is a former Cook’s Illustrated writer, America’s Test Kitchen on-air host and bakery owner, so you could say she knows a few things about baking.
But I love that she didn’t just go for the kind of perfectionism or obsessive, detail-oriented baking you’d expect from someone with her resume. Instead, she wrote the kind of cookbook book that I imagine a lot of people would rather have on their shelves because it’s realistic about the way we really want to bake, that is, no multiple mixing bowls, no mise-en-place and questioning everything, i.e. “Does this really taste worse if the ingredients aren’t sifted?” “So what if I don’t mix the wet ingredients separately?” I mean, don’t you wish every recipe writer would ask these questions before adding to your pile of dirty dishes? And the recipes are for not just stand-bys (basic chocolate layer cake, snickerdoodles and creamy diner-style cheesecake) but clever innovations (hellooo, sweet and salty pretzel crunch cupcakes, we are going to be good friends) too.
These bars, though, they win. They’re too easy and delicious not to make a habit of. You dump your dry ingredients in your baking pan and pour melted butter over them and mix up the mixture until it crumbles. You press most of it in to form a bottom crust, sprinkle diced fruit of your choice, a spoonful of sugar and lemon over it and sprinkle the remaining crumble on top. It’s out of the oven in 35 minutes and, you know, I’d thought these would be ideal for a picnic or pot-luck dessert, or maybe for when it’s our turn to bring snacks into preschool. But I can tell you as of 9:32 this morning that these are ideal breakfast bars, too, with a dollop of plain yogurt on top.
One year ago: Two Classic Sangrias
Two years ago: Tzatziki Potato Salad
Three years ago: Vermontucky Lemonade
Four years ago: Spring Asparagus Pancetta Hash
Five years ago: Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
Six years ago: Martha’s Macaroni and Cheese
Seven years ago: Pickled Garlicky Red Peppers
Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp Bars
Adapted from One Bowl Baking
I’m starting to think that these bars might be magic. First, they taste like dessert, not health food, thank goodness. But, they just happen to be pretty low in sugar, butter and use a chock-ton of oats. You could replace the butter with coconut oil to make these dairy-free, and as there’s no egg in it, they’d also then be vegan. You could use white whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour to make them even more wholesome, and although I didn’t audition it, I suspect a gluten-free baking flour mix would work here too, because the plain flour isn’t a majority ingredient. You could eat them warm with a scoop of ice cream or cold for breakfast with a dollop of plain yogurt. And you can make them with whatever is in season; the original recipe calls for thinly sliced apples and adds cinnamon to the crumb mixture but too impatient for spring/summer, I used strawberries and rhubarb. Oh, and did I mention you make the whole recipe in your baking pan so it literally could not be faster? Seriously, what are you waiting for?
* Updated with two changes to reduce softness 5/17/14: I did a bunch of retesting and have come to the following conclusions: the bars are more crisp and cookie-like (as photographed here, and sadly, not what everyone was getting, based on comments) without the heaped 1/8 teaspoon baking soda and with an additional 1/4 cup (and even up to 2 tablespoons more, yes, really) flour. These amounts are now reflected below. They’re tender when they come out of the oven but once chilled in the fridge, become cookie-like in their crisp base; I recommend keeping them in the fridge. I’m so sorry if any of you were disappointed in these bars; I hope you’ll find the recipe now to be as wonderful as promised.
Yield: 16 small bars, as shown, or 8 large ones; recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9×13-inch baking pan, where they will come out a little thicker
1 cup (80 grams) rolled oats
3/4 cup (95 grams) plus up to 2 tablespoons (15 grams) extra all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (95 grams) light brown sugar
Heaped 1/4 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional, but helps firm up the filling)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated sugar, divided
1 cup (125 grams) small-diced rhubarb (from about 1 1/2 medium stalks)
1 cup (155 grams) small-diced strawberries
Powdered sugar, for decoration, if desired
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. For easy removal, line bottom and two sides of 8-by-8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. No need to bother (and no greasing needed) if you plan to serve them right in the pan, as I did.
Place oats, 3/4 cup flour, brown sugar and salt in bottom of baking pan and mix. Pour melted butter over, and stir until clumps form. If the clumps feel soft or look overly damp, add the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crumble mixture. Press the rest of the crumb mixture evenly in the bottom of the pan.
Spread half the fruit over the crust. Sprinkle it evenly with cornstarch, then lemon juice, and 1/2 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Spread remaining fruit over this, and top with second 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Scatter reserved crumbs over fruit and bake bars for 30 to 40 minutes (firmer fruits will take longer), until fruit is bubbly and crisp portion is golden and smells toasty and amazing.
Let cool in pan; I do this in the fridge, where they become crisp once chilled (less so at room temperature). Cut into squares and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Store leftovers in fridge.
Ohhh yum! I’ve always wanted to try a recipe with rhubarb!!
This looks delicious!!
Oatmeal bars that do not taste like card board? YES!!! Thank you Deb for this recipe I can not wait to make it!
How does this compare to your rhubarb crumb bars? The bottom layer on this one seems less cake-y and more cookie-y (totally a word btw).
Vikki — Maybe the blueberry crumb bars? Those are a bit more tender and buttery, like a butter cookie crumble. These have more of a crunch, depth of flavor from the grains. They’re not as sweet.
While we’re here in the early comments, let me make a plug for Deb’s Rhubarb Snacking Cake, which I made all summer last year. It’s a little (but juuuust a little) more sweet and uses more bowls than this recipe, but both are absolute winners. http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/05/rhubarb-snacking-cake/
Deb, you never disappoint! Will have to check out Yvonne’s book. Happy Mother’s Day!
Aaaand you’ve just answered my question of “What do I make MIL for mother’s day?” As usual, you should be the queen of everything.
I think I might make two pans – one with peaches and one with blueberries because my people are sort of strawberry-rhubarb averse (I am cannot related to these people. Who doesn’t like strawberry rhubarb?)
Happy Mother’s day! :)
Do you think these turn into a mess if I upped the fruit-to-crumble ratio? Like, doubled it? :-)
No dishes! Yay. I am making these for church coffee hour on Sunday.
This sounds crazy, but we have two 1-gallon bags of rhubarb in our freezer, picked from the garden last year. My husband made something sort of like these months ago, but I’m sure these are ten times better. Thank you for a rhubarb recipe, Deb! This line is perfect: “They’re too easy and delicious not to make a habit of.” Enough said! Even better, the only thing we need to buy is the strawberries.
I need these in my life RIGHT NOW. where are you find your rhubarb and strawberries? I thought Polar Vortex destroyed all the crops?
Rhubarb and strawberries — Grocery store. I’ve just given up on waiting for produce this year. It’s mid-May and the first asparagus JUST arrived (and were quickly gone at the market). [Insert a gif of me throwing my hands in the air and storming off. Yes, I’m having a little produce tantrum this month.]
Teresa — It can be upped. The more you use, the more likely the base is to get soft as it sits, but I wouldn’t worry that much about it with all of the oats in here.
Frozen rhubarb — I think it would work fine here. I’d mix it still frozen, so it doesn’t get too wet/mushy before baking.
Fate! Posted right on the day I was about to make pie-like bars for a potluck picnic! Thank you for always having the best ideas.
Would frozen rhubarb work in this? I still have lots from last season…and it’s too early here for fresh rhubarb (yay Manitoba!) =)
I used frozen but met thaw in baggie for a few minutes.
This looks delicious!!! I’ll definitely make this recipe some time next week. And I love the rhubarb-strawberry combo! Thanks for sharing.
That sounds so so good and I loved reading your post, very funny.
You had me at “…pour melted butter over them and mix up the mixture until it crumbles.” Plus Stawberry Rhubarb anything. I need to wait a month or so, though, until I can get some local berries, because that’s just how I am.
If say you have rhubarb haters in your family (sad, I know), could I do all strawberries or would that be too soupy or could I sub in some blueberries instead?
I was already stealing your slice-and-bake cookies to take to the Maternity ward this summer, but now I have a back up plan that doesn’t involve softened butter, set up time, OR much prep. You are a dream!
Good thing my webcam doesn’t work, because it would be embarrassing if some hacker caught me drooling on my keyboard. Great recipe!
I have strawberry and rhubarb in the fridge right now! These crisp bars look like the perfect thing. :)
Can’t wait to try these – thank you! Hmmm … do you suppose this concept might lend itself to using up leftover homemade apple sauce?
This looks delicious! And dangerously easy to make :)
Oh yes! Can’t wait to make these! Happy Mother’s Day to you. Have a wonderful weekend!
I’m definitely making this and making a special trip to the far grocery store with reasonable prices just to buy enough fresh rhubarb for two batches of this. Otherwise, I have to buy sad, wilty rhubarb at the regular store or crazy-expensive rhubarb at the expensive grocery store chain (which will not be named). Still, totally worth it based on looks alone… :)
Genius. I make similar rhubarb bars all the time (and instead of strawberries I have also used raspberries — or peaches!) but it never would have occurred to me to mix up the crust IN THE PAN. You just saved me so many dishes this coming summer!!
Oh and beautiful photos, as usual!
I hope there’s a sequel — maybe “Caps for Sale” — sometime soon.
Even easier — I honestly think you could probably put the butter in the empty baking pan first, put it in the preheating oven until it melts and then add the dry ingredients on top and mix. But, make sure you mix well or you’ll have some salty spots, which nobody wants.
Molly — Forget it, he’s already moved on to the Iliad. ;)
Laura — I think applesauce would be too wet. It’s already cooked so there’s no pectin to be released that might help gel the filling.
Coralie — You should be able to use the same amount.
Oh my goodness those look awesome! Like pie, but easier. :) I can see how those would make a person very popular very quickly.
This is great! And not that much sugar at all, really. I’d love to make this to eat with some vanilla yogurt for breakfast. I might try it with whole wheat flour instead of AP flour to up the healthiness factor. :)
I am SO making these for my Mom this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Deb! What would you think about subbing olive oil for butter? I’ve found that regular olive oil (not extra virgin) works well in baked goods– it has a little olive taste, which I like, but it isn’t overwhelming. Should I use more? Less?
Thanks so much! Looks like a great recipe!
Can I bake it in a deep dish pie pan instead? It’s what I have on hand right now and I want to make this RIGHT NOW :)
Oh yum, and I even have a little bit of rhubarb in my garden right now. I bet these would also be fantastic when blueberries are in season later this summer!
Looks great!
You had me at Rhubarb!!!!
Ah! Amazing!! Strawberry-rhubarb is my favourite pie ever, but having a whole pie around the house for 2 people is always a bit much (I mean, we eat it, but maybe shouldn’t). These, however, sound perfect!! I’m going to try out the gluten-free / coconut oil version too, but I love butter, so I think that batch comes first.
I am making these ASAP! (I’ve got the strawberries, now all I need is the rhubarb!)
Happy Mother’s Day, Deb! Last year I made your Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie, which was the first time I had ever used rhubarb in my life (!!), and I paid $8 per pound for it like a dumbass. I was a little bitter. Now that I know where to buy it for less than a small fortune, I’m stoked to make these– they look amazing! I’ve had the One-Bowl Baking book on my Amazon wish list for ages, but now it’s going in the Shopping Cart… :) Thanks for always inspiring me with your humor, relatability, and gorgeous photos. Also, I wholly approve of your dating test– genius!
I’ve been looking for a good recipe to make use of the abundance of fresh rhubarb that’s hitting the stores lately, and this looks like a winner! Glad to know they can double as a breakfast food :)
I loved the clip of Jacob reading!! My son is about 2 months younger than Jacob and I am so amazed at Jacob’s reading skills! My little guys loves books also but I never imagined that reading so fluently before K was possible. How did you do it??? (on top of EVERYTHING else you do!)
Deb, quickest question about substitution: I want to make these ASAP! I’m stuck in the house all day/night in the middle of a torrential rainstorm, and I have everything except rhubarb.Could I double the strawberries instead? Or maybe just 1.5x them? I’m afraid that it might make the filling too wet. Perhaps more cornstarch to offset the problem? I’m looking for any advice here! LOL
(PS: I think I’ve told you this before, but this site -and your cookbook- really taught me everything I know about being in the kitchen over the last few years. A thousand thanks, always)
Also, any thoughts about how these would freeze?
All in one pan?! YES!
Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. These are TO DIE FOR. They just got cool enough to try and oh my. This recipe could not have come at a better time. I had some strawberries and rhubarb in my fridge, needing to be used, but I didn’t have enough strawberries to make a crisp. Turns out I had the perfect amount for this recipe. Such a delicious and easy treat during finals time. Thank you for posting this, Deb!!! Divine!
Do you think these are a good choice for shipping overnight?
OH, DEB! I LOVE YOU! Can’t wait to make these with the raspberries and rhubarb I have in my fridge.
Your photography here is delicious! I meant what I wrote there. I’m sure the bars are delicious as well. :]
In the oven as we speak!! No rhubarb. Made with apples and dollops of peanut butter! Perfect for this rainy day :)
Thank you for this recipe and your perfect timing! I love rhubarb and got only 2 measly stalks in my last CSA box. I’ve been trying to figure out how to make the most of them and along comes this recipe, hooray! I will be giving this a try right after my usual Saturday visit to the farmer’s market for strawberries. Can’t wait!
Deb – these look wonderful! Just one question, though – how would you adjust the baking time and temperature if making in a glass pan? Thanks!
Shilpa — For a glass pan, bake it at 25 degrees less. The baking time should be approximately the same but it cannot hurt to peek in on it midway.
Alison — They’d probably hold up but they wouldn’t be my first choice because they stay most firm and together when refrigerated.
C.P. — I’d expect them to freeze well. You can replace the 1 cup rhubarb with 1 cup any other chopped fruit. Rhubarb is actually really juicy so I wouldn’t worry too much about excess liquid with a replacement. And thank you!
Binsy — Thank you. We did nothing; he taught himself! I understand that by the end of K they’re all at the same level anyway and it doesn’t much matter when they start, so I wouldn’t read too much into it. :)
Ellen — I think so! You won’t even need a deep-dish because they’re quite thin.
This is in my oven right now!! We are gluten free so I replaced the flour with a mixture of buckwheat, tapioca and coconut flours. *fingers crossed*
These look absolutely fabulous. Can’t wait to give them a go!
Perfect timing after this morning’s discussion with my kids in what they’d like in their lunch boxes next week!
I just made these! I admit I was a bit dubious at first as there didn’t seem to be very much mixture for the size of the pan (I used a 7’x10″ so about the same as an 8×8) but it was fine. Have just taken them out of the oven – DELICIOUS! The strawberry/rhubarb combination is divine. Also I didn’t have any lemons so used lime juice which doesn’t seem to have made any difference. Roll on breakfast time tomorrow when I can dollop on the plain yogurt. Thanks! :-)
wygląda świetnie:)
These are SO delicious. I’m live overseas and am somewhat limited in my produce and baking supply selections, so I used only strawberries, lime juice instead of lemon, and I halved the recipe and baked the bars in a small foil pan. They came out thinner than I think they should be, but it doesn’t matter a bit, because they taste amazing. Thanks for another winner, Deb!
Your timing is amazing! I just got back from the u-pick farm with tons of berries, and I have rhubarb in the fridge. This looks absolutely wonderful – it will be on the table tonight!
Just made a double batch with coconut oil, whole wheat pastry flour and just strawberries….FANTASTIC!!!
I just made these and took a mixed-berry approach (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries). It turned out very tasty but I would make two suggestions: If you are using parchment paper it’s not worth the effort to mix the crumble in the pan (although I understand that is the conceit of the cookbook they came from). And I would add an extra 2 tablespoons of butter for an even stick. It was hard to get enough butter on all of the crust crisp.
Deb – you are my hero. After baking an incredibly fabulous strawberry rhubarb pie (my grandmother’s recipe, and mom passed along her exceptional homemade crust skills), I was pondering what to do with the remaining strawberries and rhubarb. Boom.
I am such a huge fan of the One Bowl Baking book! I just got it a month or two ago and it’s my new obsession. So to see a recipe adapted from it on my favorite blog ever makes my day! Between your site/book and the One Bowl book, I am set for life for all of my baking needs. And yes I realize how cheesy that sounds.
I’ve never cooked rhubarb before, but this looks like a great starting place!
These look amazing, I can’t wait to try these with blackcurrant and apple
Mine is cooling now and it smells wonderful! Thanks so much for this recipe! I was just beginning to search rhubarb recipes as my rhubarb is nearly ready to be harvested, and I still have lots in the freezer from last summer. No strawberries from the garden yet this year (Seattle area) but I had strawberries in the freezer also. Instead of using it frozen in case it would add too much liquid to the recipe, I let the diced rhubarb thaw almost completely in a colander so the excess water would drain off–and since rhubarb has such a high water content I even pressed a little more liquid out before mixing with the thawed sliced strawberries. It still seemed plenty juicy, so we’ll see. Thanks again!
So pretty, too! These kind of crumbly bars are my favorite.
Thank you! I needed to bring something to a get-together tonight and I had very little time and no ideas. I have a pan in the oven now (except with peaches and blueberries because that was the only fruit I had). I can’t believe how easy that was! I think I will be making these a lot
These look so delicious! I think I’m going to make them this weekend for a mother’s day snack/dessert. I see some people are swapping the strawberries and rhubarb for other fruit so I might make a few batches doing the same.
These look amazing!
thats quite a stack of joy!
Would it work just as well to use ONLY rhubarb??
Love these pretty spring bars, they look so lovely!
These are cooling in my kitchen right now!! I have lots of rhubarb in my garden. I have a suggestion that would disqualify this recipe as “one bowl” but I think it’s better to mix the berries, cornstarch, sugar, and lemon juice in a separate bowl and then dump it over the crust. On the bars I just made, I notice the cornstarch thickening is a little uneven since it was just sprinkled on. Also I admit I added one more T of sugar since my rhubarb is very tart and the berries are not super sweet.
They look so perfect! I love any dish that allows me to bring nutrition to my life. I don’t like to think about restrictions. I’m all about adding nutrients to my diet. Vitamin C and K, plus calcium from the rhubarb!
Oh, Deb, I must share. I have had a garden, and a beautiful one, every year for 31 years. I’ve never grown rhubarb before this year. Planted it last year and waited…. and I saw this today and I bolted out the back door and picked a couple of stalks. Diced those babies and popped a few in my mouth… woooo weeeeee… what a surprise. Anyway, nice and fresh tasting… (puckers, still as I type). I had a cup or so of diced strawberries from the morning and it’s cooking as I type. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for such fun and delicious recipes.
We are a month away from rhubarb and strawberries here in Minnesota, but when they arrive at the farmers’ market, I will definitely make these!
These might help me get over my rhubarb purist tendencies. I like my pie to be all rhubarb all the time, no squishy steamed strawberries. But with a crisp it’s different, the strawberries get a chance to roast/caramelize a bit. Oh yeah, I’m making this stat. Typo: missing “ago” in 1st paragraph…when you met Alex 11 years in bar. Those times make me think of your old archives…so funny to have read all of that and feel like I know you when I totally don’t, but wish I did!!
I see rhubarb…I see strawberries…when will I see “the pie that fell on the kitchen floor” last spring? It must be getting close to that time, no? Ple-e-e-ease. Needless to say I will make do ;) with these bars until then…but hurry.
Also, I recently moved from Western Mass to SF Bay Area and while I can’t complain about anything else food-related (or otherwise), it’s surprisingly difficult to find good rhubarb here! I paid $17 for a small bundle of it at the farmers market awhile back and it was woody and tough! In Mass, people give the stuff away by the grocery bag full!
Deb – I just put these in the oven! I doubled for a 9×13, and I think I’m wishing I had slightly more than doubled the crumb recipe. I’m a little concerned that the bottom crust isn’t thick enough, and I also thought the topping seemed a bit skimpy, and I reserved a slightly heaped cup of it. We’ll see! But, I know it will be delicious, even we just have to spoon it out of the pan. Hooray for the first rhubarb!
I just made this with fresh local strawberries and frozen blackberries and using white whole wheat in the crust. It was great! I will probably leave out the cornstarch next time though. I don’t think it was necessary with the less juicy fruit and not all of was incorporated, leaving some white powder sitting on top of the bars. The white whole wheat flour worked very well in the crust. Very tasty.
I just made these and made some mistakes along the way and they are still delicious.
The big mistake was reading the directions too quickly and just grabbing a 9×13 pan and missing the part about that’s how big a pan to use if you’re doubling it. So everything is much more spread out and thin and crispy. Good, but probably not as good as they should be. (There wasn’t much crumbly stuff for the top, either.)
FYI, I used Earth Balance instead of butter with no problems.
These look so pretty! And they probably taste pretty great, too :)
Mine turned out perfectly! I’ll definitely make this again! I doubled the recipe, baked it in a 9×12 glass baking pan (lowering the temp to 350) and followed the recipe completely, except I used frozen diced rhubarb and frozen sliced strawberries from our garden. I’ve been looking for a recipe to use our frozen fruit and this is perfect! I thawed the rhubarb completely in a colander and drained it well, so it wouldn’t make the bars too mushy with all the extra liquid. I used cornstarch per the recipe, added a smidge more since I was using frozen fruit, and the filling was just right–not too runny and not too thick. I’m a rhubarb purist, and have never liked strawberries mixed in a rhubarb pie, but these bar cookies are really great! Yum!
Do you think this would work with frozen strawberries and frozen rhubarb?
I freaking love strawberry and rhubarb together. These bars look perfect!
I revoke my earlier concern about doubling the crumb not being enough for a 9×13 – the bars are cooled and hold together perfectly!
Update: these bars are ADDICTIVE, beware!! I have eaten 1/3 of the pan all by myself today. I used gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill brand) and it worked well. Next time, I will pre-mix the fruit, sugar, lemon, and cornstarch so the filling will be more evenly thickened. Also I prefer a little sweeter dessert so I increased the sugar in the fruit; no big deal. I think you could also go the other direction and use NO sugar if that’s your thing. But the crust/topping is the perfect sweetness! Thanks again for another winner, Deb.
Ladies – you’ve all missed the point! The man you need in your life is the one who is a cheerleader for every whim. What could be better?
Oh! This is all kinds of awesome. Thank you so much for sharing!!
I am so making these this morning. I have rhubarb in the garden and strawberries in the freezer from last year’s bumper crop. Thinking about strawberry/blueberry too. I’ll let you know how the frozen strawberries work.
I think I’ll treat myself with this Mother’s Day treat! So seasonal and absolutely beautifully photographed. Thanks so much for sharing!
These might actually make me like rhubarb :)
No fresh rhubarb or strawberries in my neck of the woods yet. Can I use frozen instead and would that require any adjustments?
Thanks! They look delicious!
Deb, I can’t wait to make these! Tomorrow won’t be too soon—and since every recipe I’ve made from your book has been incredible, (and, yes, I’ve been working my way through it obsessively!), I can look forward to having my stepdaughter and her mom (one of my dear friends, go figure1) over tomorrow for a feast. Thank you and Happy Mother’s Day!
Your martial advice is spot on. He’s got to have whim, after the years go by, other things come and go, but whim/whimsy are fun forever. I’ve been married 29 years, so I get to say that!
I love, love, love rhubarb, so I will be making these soon!
Hi, Deb. I’ve never posted, but please know that you’ve been welcome addition to my life for several years now. My question is due to the fact that I have a strawberry-hater for a husband. If I made this with only rhubarb, would I just increase the sugar a little? Thanks and Happy Mother’s Day! Sarah in Sheridan, Wyoming.
Deb
It’s early (Rocky Mountains) where I am reading this, some friends gave us fresh rhubarb, we have strawberries needing to be used up, we are HUGE rhubarb fans. who needs cold cereal for breakfast one more day…..can I say more? “Gentlefolk, start your ovens”! Thanks for a great recipe.
I made these last night and they were delicious for dessert, and I’m having some with my yogurt and coffee this morning. Although I have rhubarb growing in my garden, I didn’t happen to have fresh strawberries, so I used an organic strawberry fruit preserves in place of the berries and reduced the sugar a bit. I also used half coconut oil and half butter. They taste delicious! Thanks! I have more rhubarb in the garden, I may make another batch soon!
These look amazing!! I love strawberry rhubarb anything :-)
I just took a double batch out of the oven and if smell and looks are any indication, this is going to taste heavenly! I couldn’t get my hands on rhubarb, so used a combination of frozen fruit (strawberry, blueberry, blackberry) instead. Off to wait with baited breath for ths to cool enough to take a bite — hopefully I won’t taste-test too much since this is suposed to be headed to a potluck BBQ later today. :)
These reminded me so much of my grandma. She always made an amazing rhubarb crisp at this time of year. I made these last night, and while they were absolutely divine, next time I’m planning to add a little cinnamon to the crust, I felt like they were missing something there.
I love easy and good!! I usually have the ingredients on hand too, even better. Happy Weekend!
Yummy!
Oh, my gosh! If you are out of sugar, may I suggest you simply watch that little clip of Jacob whilst noshing on these? ? ?
I bought Yvonne’s cookbook a while ago, and I’m constantly impressed with how easy and amazing the recipes are! I would highly recommend buying it if you haven’t yet. Also, we have a whole bunch of rhubarb ready in the backyard, so will definitely be making this! :)
yum! I love the ratio of filling to topping/crust!
xoxo
Taylor
yay for bars – I made a strawberry creme fraiche pie this week- jammy!
Deb, your golden commentary is as treasured as your recipes. You have nailed everything about what a food blog should be: crisp visuals, solid humor, and a knack for inspiring readers to get in the kitchen, when so many foodies tend to intimidate rookies. THANK YOU! These bars will be happening over here this weekend….in one pan nonetheless.
i can’t wait to try this! perfect for the upcoming season!
I made these today using frozen rhubarb only (2 cups), so I mixed it first with just under half a cup of sugar and the cornstarch. I baked it for 55 minutes, and the bars are delicious, nice and chewy. If you are using just rhubarb, you need the extra time for the fruit to get jammy.
I made these this afternoon with custard instead of plain cornstarch: they were truly wonderful!
These look amazing
For the record, or bakers without seasonally-appropriate fruit, roughly 3/4 c of a good jam (I used plum, but probably any flavor) also worked as an excellent filling (skip the lemon, starch, and extra sugar…and look at that, I didn’t even dirty the cutting board). Skillet-toasting the oats beforehand a la Megan Gordon adds a nice (if not strictly necessary) dimension to the oats, too. Very clever, very tasty.
Thanks, Deb.
just made these with some substitutions based on what I had on hand and they were marvelous – subbed whole wheat pastry flour for AP, added 2 tbsp ground flax seed to crumble mixture which I think added nuttiness like toasting the oats would, subbed coconut oil for butter (we have a dairy allergy in the family), used 1 + 1/2 cups frozen blueberries and 1/2 cup frozen cranberries + 1 teaspoon orange zest for fruit (and increased the cornstarch a bit to account for the water in the frozen berries. yummy yummy yummy. thanks deb!!!
I just made these and forgot *sigh* to put the brown sugar in the crust. Fortunately no one seems to notice and they are being eaten and enjoyed.
made these last night with rhubarb from my neighbors garden (and gave him half of the bars, of course). Delicious!!!
These are amazing. Great recipe!
Sarah (99)-howdy! I grew up in Cheyenne, WY :D
Living in coastal AL now, so we have a lot more fruit options here….my boyfriend’s garden is starting to produce and we have tons of blackberry vines around our house. I don’t have strawberries or rhubarb though…would blackberry and blueberry go well together? I plan on making this as soon as I replenish all my baking supplies after the birthday cake that cleaned me out. My kingdom for a cup of flour! Great post, Deb!
This is in the oven right now, with rhubarb and frozen blueberries (sadly here in the Southern Hemisphere strawberries are long gone).
Deb, I hope you don’t mind, but I just had to brown the butter. The recipe seemed almost too easy and I just couldn’t help myself!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe!! The were a great hit at my game night. I might make them again today as a treat for Mother’s Day.
These look lovely! What a beautiful combination, strawberry and rhubarb!
I have a batch in the oven as I write and I’m hoping they will be the answer to my school snack prayers. We have a no nuts rule at my son’s school and most of the commercially made bars seems to contain them. We’re lucky he is provided lunch at school, but we need to send him in with a mid-morning snack. I usually send fruit, but feel that sometimes he needs something a bit more substantial especially if he’s doing a lot of sport. We are lucky enough to have rhubarb in our garden so I’m always on the lookout for ways to use it. Thanks as always Deb for your fabulous blog and endless inspiration!
The rhubarb at the back of my garden is only 3 inches tall. Spring is behind schedule here! You will get feedback from the different rhubarb time-zones; we Northeners have to wait patiently (or buy a few stalks).
I literally ran into the kitchen to make this recipe. it’s now in the oven as we speak. My sister juist made your Bienenstich and this afternoon I’m going to taste it. We grew up in Germany, were this was our favorite sunday Torte. Thanks for your wonderful site!
New to your site. This recipe looks delicious; I can’t wait to make this when I visit my mom. The pictures are extremely helpful–thank you!
Ha! I like your combination of dating/cooking advice. I agree – anyone that would say you need a reason to make a tasty treat needs to go! Thanks for the recipe – the last time I had strawberries and rhubarb combined was in scones.
The night before this appeared, I made a strawberry-rhubarb crisp. I threw in some raspberries that I had on hand. Totally yummy and very easy. Am preparing lunch for my synagogue in a few weeks and think I’ll make your bars instead.
These look delicious! In my family, we love rhubarb but I unfortunately can’t eat strawberries. If I leave them out and use 2 cups of rhubarb, how would you suggest I adjust the sugar? Thanks for your blog. Last night my sister made your short ribs and parsnips – delicious!
What a delicious way to use the remaining lingonberries in my freezer! I doubled the recipe, but measured accidentally only 125 grams of butter instead of 170 grams so they became a little less bar-like.
We made these last night and, while delicious, they turned out rather soggy and fall-apart, with more the consistency of a scoop-able topping for ice cream than a bar cookie you could pick up with your hand. (We, obviously, promptly scooped out some vanilla ice cream and life was good). I think that to fix this I would have needed a lot more cookie mixture, maybe even double, and to cook it for longer than the 40 minutes it took for the top to get brown and the filling to bubble. I might even give the bottom cookie a 10 minute head-start on baking and then add the fruit and topping next time I make these–and there will be a next time!
We had these for Mother’s Day brunch. So perfect! My pan was about a 9×9 so rather than scoop out a half cup for the topping, I used all of it for the base and then made about a 1/3 batch for the topping (the topping had all whole wheat flour). We used about 1 1/2 cups of raspberries for the fruit. I think they are probably best served the day they are made as they were a little soft. I cant wait to make them again when the rhubarb is plentiful (it’s just starting to grow here in northern VT). As always, thank you!
I cooked these using apples as the bottom layer and blueberries on top – absolutely delicious!
I just made these with apricots and blueberries (frozen, from last year)…totally delicious! I used whole wheat flour, dark brown sugar, and skipped the extra white sugar in the filling. With vanilla ice cream, a perfect Mother’s Day treat. I’m looking forward to using this recipe as a template for all kinds of season-specific additions.
Hi Deb, would the cooking times remain the same if I were to double the recipe and use the bigger pan? I assume so, since the ‘height’ of the bar, so to speak, would be the same.
I just made these and am waiting the final five minutes of cooking time….They smell so good that it was worth turning the oven on in 80 degree weather! I actually did the whole “borrowing a cup of flour from the neighbor” thing, just so I could make them. Now I don’t think I’ll want to share as repayment for the flour :(
Just made these with rhubarb from my garden and strawberries from Florida! They were a hit! Eve with picky eaters. Thanks for a wonderful recipe with humorous stories.
“Look, I have no business giving dating advice. Or marital advice. I didn’t, like, scope the scene or learn the rules or think big thoughts about what kind of person would be the right person for me when I walked into a bar 11 years and met this guy for a drink…”
Look, I know it’s tough to come up with a fresh lede for every damn recipe, and I can see that you’re struggling heroically not to succumb to the same old same old (at the and of the day, you’re still writing about FOOD) but Jeez…this was just too cute, not just by half…by about 10X. It was hard to stomach. Unlike the bars.
Love the recipe though!
These are currently baking in my oven right now. They look amazing…and there’s the buzzer. Time to go find out if they’re as delicious as they appear!
Just delicious, Deb! Thank you so much! My first fruit bar but not my last for sure! I haven’t had rhubarb in so many years, I’d forgotten how good it is (used frozen, defrosted rhubarb but fresh strawberries). My daughter & her boyfriend had never even heard of it, yet loved these bars also! A few mods: browned the butter, used 1/2 reg sugar, 1/2 coconut sugar (will use all coconut sugar next time) & made gluten-free with GF oats & half millet, half almond flours. The almond flour may have made it a bit crumbly, but the taste was fantastic & they held up better once they were cool. Next time, tho’, I may add some chia, psyllium or xantham gum to help bind. Also tried with raspberries & choc chips for the kids, but we all thought the chips overwhelmed the flavor & much preferred all fruit, esp the strawberry-rhubarb version. So good! Thanks again. I highly recommend!
So simple and so delicious! I cannot wait to make these bars. I am stocking all of the stores to get more and more rhubarb!
Oh I just love you and your recipes so much I want to hug you until you explode!
Yes, it happened to be ready at 9.20am and was just the perfect breakfast ! Thank you ! Q: whenever I make something like this I end up using more butter than listed in the recepie. Somehow it never holds together unless I add butter. I got used to it but still…any idea what I’m doing wrong…?
Thanks for the spring breakfast inspiration. I made these last night with whole wheat flour, half-butter-half olive oil and a little extra fruit to convince myself this was a healthy breakfast. Delish!
Hi deb, I’ve never substituted oil (coconut or olive) for butter before. Do I literally just use six tablespoons of the oil instead or is there something else I should be aware of? Thanks!
For everyone who has made these — What was your texture like on these bars? Crisp? A bit soft? If soft, what kind of fruit did you use and did it go over two cups? So strange, I made these twice and they were very crisp and cookie-like — then I posted about them here — the third time I made them, Saturday, they were kind of soft and became more so in the fridge for a day or two. I liked the crisp better. In one of the crisp batches (the one photographed here) I realize I completely forgot to add the baking soda! I’m going to be making these again soon and will see if not having baking soda in them gets them back to that crisp bar that I’d preferred.
Lara — You can just use 6 tablespoons.
marie — Interesting. I actually find myself adding another spoonful of flour on this (but I use very coarse, slow-cooking rolled oats from Bob’s which I suspect are less absorbent) because I want it to be crumbly and not have crumbs that just melt.
Sara and also Sarah (!) — You can add another tablespoon of sugar if you want to keep the tartness in check.
Molly — Thank you, now fixed.
What baking soda?! There’s none in the recipe above…at least not in the list of ingredients. Should there be baking soda I here, as you mentioned in your response above to Lara, Marie, Sara, Sarah, & Molly?
It was removed in subsequent testing, but was in the original recipe — the recipe doesn’t need it.
I made these with frozen rhubarb and fresh strawberries and they were SUPER delicious but way soft. By the second day there were still good but almost mush. I will to try again because I would like a crisper bar. Maybe I didn’t bake them long enough?
These came out great, used fresh strawberries and the final bag of last year’s rhubarb that I have been saving for something special. Delicious but my favorite part of this post was watching Mr. Adorable reading the I want my hat back book.
As you wrote in the Grandmother of Sils’ apple cake* post, tastes alter over a lifetime (I used to hate olives, now love them; still can’t get over the texture of eggplant but like the flavor; now realize artichokes are gifts from God) but I find that rhubarb turns me off. I wanted to give these a shot with blackberries and raspberries, which I have on hand, but both those fruits cook up rather jammy, and I’m worried that the bars could get soggy without the benefit of something with more body, like apples (from the original) or rhubarb. Unfounded fear?
*I still haven’t found my anise gateway drug, but your post convinced me that I need to either a) go to Corfu and drink ouzo with salty pistachios or b) put Sambuca in an apple cake. Right now (b) is the option that seems most feasible :)
My texture was definitely soft – & crumbly – which I assumed was due to using half almond flour for the AP (other half millet), but I also may have added a tad bit more strawberries. I also doubled & baked in a 9×13 but didn’t change the temp or timing. Crispy does sound enticing – I’d forgotten they were meant to be that way. Next time I’ll try baking longer, halve or omit the baking soda, & swap the almond flour for a grain-sub like buckwheat (needs to be gluten & grain-free). I’ll let you know how it goes. But crispy or not, we loved them. Looking forward to trying with some peaches & candied ginger! Thanks again for ALL you share!
Oops! Not grain-free, of course, since I did use GF oats. But we try to keep grains to a minimum. :-)
I couldn’t wait either to make this! Or rather, a version of it since i didn’t have rhubarb or strawberries at hand.
I used 50-50 frozen forest fruits (berries etc) and finely chopped apple. I upped the total amount of fruit by about 150 grams, no problem! And considering i misread the size baking tin and used the recommended tin for double the amount, it still turned out pretty well!
Next time i make it, especially using sweeter fruit as i did, i will use even less sugar, as it is still a bit sweet for my taste. Especially if i want to look myself in the eye and eat a nice, big piece for breakfast :-).
Thank you so much for these! I’d bought rhubarb because it was there and I love it, and needed something other than a compote (as if that’s problematic, but still). I did sub gluten-free flour (King Arthur), coconut oil, and Whey Low Brown Sugar to keep me from diving off the edge of treat oblivion, and they worked beautifully. My 6.6yo scarfed hers (with a side of fresh strawberries) for breakfast this morning. I “limited” myself to 3 last night, and husband loved them, too. The 4yo thinks they “don’t look good.” What does he know?
One tip for folks: make sure you have a small enough pan. I think my pan was a 9×9, and it made a difference. The bars were almost too thin, and hard to cut when not refrigerated. Glorious in smell and taste, though.
These look so so good!
Mine were a little soft. I made mine per the recipe, but substituted an equal volume of raspberries (frozen) for the fresh strawberries. Because I expected the frozen raspberries to be juicier and tarter than fresh strawberries, I added the cornstarch and omitted the lemon juice. I also cooked it for the full time and maybe just a bit more, until the crumble topping looked truly toasted. And I browned my butter first, because I’m crazy like that. (No butter may be melted for a recipe without browning. Love the salty butterscotchy flavor it adds.) My fruit filling set up just right. However, the crumble bits were definitely softer rather than a super crisp bar. They also stuck like crazy to the pan. Next time I am going to use baking parchment and try quick oats rather than my standard hearty Bob’s Red Mill oatmeal, which I think were too thick and tough for the bar. With all that said, they only lasted 24 hours, so they were a huge success anyhow!
These were so delicious! We had them for dessert with Mother’s Day supper, and I had a warmed scoop with yogurt this morning for breakfast. Heaven!! Thank you, Deb, for your delicious, never-fail-to-please recipes! Happy Mother’s Day to you!
Made these yesterday. Happy Mother’s Day to me! So yummy! Thanks for the recipe. I can’t wait to make these again!
I made these yesterday with fresh rhubarb and strawberries, and they came out quite soft even after an extra couple minutes of bake time. I chalked this up to using a combination of spelt and brown rice flour, and also large flake oats. Very tasty, regardless! And I love being able to put the baking pan on my scale and just weigh the ingredients into it – thank you for the recipe!
I made these last night using frozen raspberries as the fruit and coconut oil as the fat. They were delicious, but the texture was soft. I’ll try omitting the baking soda on the next batch to see if that crisps them up. Even as a soft bar, this recipe is a keeper. It was so easy, I can see using different fruits, and matey even addin some chopped nuts to the topping.
I made these yesterday with my 8-year-old–it’s a fun recipe to make with a kid! Lots that he could do or help do.
In terms of fruit, we found that 3 stalks of rhubarb only made ONE cup (after we trimmed and diced them), though the recipe suggests it will yield two. So we used three cups of chopped strawberries, in order to have 4 cups of fruit, total (because we were doubling the recipe). And the tartness and texture was PERFECT! So next time we’ll stick with 3 stalks of rhubarb and 1 big carton of strawberries. Thanks for the recipe–what a keeper!
I am soooo excited to try these. I got some rhubarb at the farmers market this past weekend. We’re supposed to have a few cool nights this week, so I won’t have any hesitation about warming up the kitchen. I’m expecting these to be yummy. This recipe arrived at the perfect time!
I just made them using coconut oil and baking soda and about 200 grams of strawberries (no rhubarb). They seem pretty crispy and crumbly and delicious to me! I only hope that Jakey wakes up from his nap soon because they are disappearing VERY quickly… This is a fantastic recipe. I’ve been looking for lunchbox-appropriate dessert recipes and I am very excited about this one. Now, do you have advice on how to keep my husband away from the finished product???
Thank you for another wonderful post.
I had rhubarb and strawberries in my fridge…fresh from a local market…and was bored with studying…so made these! The smell from the oven wafted through my kitchen, and made my school work a bit more bearable. Thank you for the lovely, quick and easy recipe that can be adapted for the seasons! To note, I made my vegan by substituting 4 of the 6 TB’s of butter with virgin coconut oil, added 2 TB of water, and threw in 1 TB of ground golden flax seeds to help bind. Excellent…can’t wait for breakfast tomorrow! Hooray!
Amazing. That was a delicious recipe. Though I may disagree with the health food assessment. However, if I add more strawberries I might be able to go with you on that. I added a bit of cinnamon to the second batch and used orange instead of lemon due to what was on hand. My vote- cinnamon was a good add, lemon is superior to orange.
I made these yesterday, and they are delicious! One note; I doubled the recipe, and no way would it have been enough for a 9 x 13 pan. I used an 8 x 11, and that worked well. A must repeat!
These look insanely delicious! And, yes, definitely always go for the pro-whim guy ;)
Thank you! I needed to bring something to a get-together tonight and I had very little time and no ideas. I have a pan in the oven now (except with peaches and blueberries because that was the only fruit I had). I can’t believe how easy that was! I think I will be making these a lot
As you wrote in the Grandmother of Sils’ apple cake* post, tastes alter over a lifetime (I used to hate olives, now love them; still can’t get over the texture of eggplant but like the flavor; now realize artichokes are gifts from God) but I find that rhubarb turns me off. I wanted to give these a shot with blackberries and raspberries, which I have on hand, but both those fruits cook up rather jammy, and I’m worried that the bars could get soggy without the benefit of something with more body, like apples (from the original) or rhubarb. Unfounded fear?
*I still haven’t found my anise gateway drug, but your post convinced me that I need to either a) go to Corfu and drink ouzo with salty pistachios or b) put Sambuca in an apple cake. Right now (b) is the option that seems most feasible :)
if you looking for indonesian food rcipes visit http://resep-masakanistimewa.blogspot.com/
These were tasty, but I wasn’t a big fan of the one-bowl method (and I say this as a fellow dishwasher-less cook). Mixing the crisp component in the square baking pan was a little awkward, and since I put the fruit in a bowl once I chopped it anyway, it really would have been easier to mix in the cornstarch and sugar and skip sprinkling it on once the fruit was in the pan. I found the bars to be pretty crumbly, too; fine for a casual dessert at home, but didn’t hold together well enough to work for company or traveling. Sorry to be critical of this recipe; you’ve given us so many all-time favorites, including those lamb meatballs last week!
I used coconut oil instead of butter and coconut sugar instead of white sugar. Everyone loved the slight coconut hint from the coconut oil. I agree with some other commentters, I’m not a huge fan of the one pan method because in my first batch, I had a couple white specks on the fruit from cornstarch that hadn’t dissolved. I will mix the fruit in a bowl with the cornstarch/lemon/sugar next time. I cut an 8×8 pan into 9 pieces and kept them in the fridge. No crumbly problems. Love this recipe. Its a keeper. Your cookbook just came in my Chapters orders, looking forward to going through it!!
Cant wait to make these! Definitely will share with all our gluten free friends on Curry Girls Kitchen! Super easy to make Gluten free too! Bob’s Red Mill GF oats and Pamela’s Artisan baking flour! Will let you know how they turn out! Thanks for your wonderful post!
Well, I can say that these were a huge hit! In answer to your question Deb, the bars were fairly crisp when first made, but after a night in the fridge went a bit softer. I followed your recipe exactly (to the weight). I have been informed that they also go rather well with custard (kind of like a crumble I guess), so the change in texture over time hasn’t been an issue.
I made these yesterday. After cooling, they were soft, but held their shape when sliced. Instead of eating out of hand, they had to be eaten on a plate with a fork. They spent overnight in the ‘frig and they are still soft. Modifications: I used pourable brown sugar (cassonade sugar), a 9×7 pan, and baked the bottom crust for 10 minutes before loading with fruit. I used fresh rhubarb and strawberries. Berries were extremely juicy, so I used the cornstarch, which was sprinkled on with the sugar and lemon. Have to agree with Annie 171 that it would have been simpler to just mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl. That said, flavor was delicious!
Tried these. I have rhubarb growing out the back so welcome this new recipe. My mother used to make rhubarb sponge with custard usually and I haven’t really seen another recipe idea for rhubarb.
Anyhow, I had some textural issues with this but my teenagers didn’t seem to mind cos they demolished them. Thanks.
Oh my goodness, these sound amazing. I don’t think I ever had the combination of strawberry and rhubarb before. I shall make these and let you know how I get on with them.
P.S. I love your blog, it is wonderful.
I used a combination of strawberries and pears (one cup of each) and a rectangular 7 x 14 inch pan. I skipped the lemon juice because the strawberries were so juicy. The bars came out a bit on the soft side after 40 mins cooking. But they are delicious and I can assure you I’ll be making them again! They’re a great baking project for little kids to help with.
Hey there,
Someone else might have asked…but where did you get that leaf/branch etched serving dish? I love it almost as much as these bars!
I have a silly question. I assume that the pan you baked it in is one of those Williams and Sonoma gold baking pans. How do you cut the bars? I have a few of those pans and I’m overly protective of them. I afraid to cut inside the pan with a knife for fear of scratching the coating. I’m probably just being overly cautious.
Melanie — I’m just really, really, really careful (I tap the knife down for many tiny cuts, rather than drag it across the bottom). If you’re nervous, go with the parchment sling and cut them on a cutting board.
Kristine — I bought it maybe a year ago from West Elm.
I made these with frozen blueberries (about 260g) because it won’t be rhubarb season here for another month or so.
I thawed the blueberries most of the way in the microwave and stirred the cornstarch in with them. They turned out tasty, but quite soft. I took them to a pot luck and the host put them in the oven to warm up before serving. They were a bit messy getting out of the pan, but firm enough to be held on a napkin to eat.
Beautiful photos! I have never had rhubarb, but these may just convince me to give it a try!
These just came out of the oven and they taste amazing. I don’t have rhubarb on hand and refuse to leave the house hence, a few changes. Doubled the recipe, I did all strawberries (halved, frozen, unthawed) and added a couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to jazz it up. Short one tablespoon butter for the crust so substituted one tablespoon grape seed oil. They are sooooo good, perfect, no sogginess at all, and beautiful, too. Perfect for a lazy day. Can’t wait to try them for bfast tomorrow with yogurt as suggested, but I can’t guarantee there will be any left.
I used half strawberry, half blackberry and they were nice and crispy – almost crumbly at the bottom. My fruit didn’t really bubble/cook very much and almost stayed in pieces, but since the bottom was on the very done side already, I took it out. I think that next time, I’ll cut the fruit way smaller and see if I can get more of a bubbly fruity middle.
I used a glass form by the way. I think next time I’ll try a round metal spring form and put parchment on the bottom. That way, they don’t break quite as easily and come out easier. Or so I hope :)
Anyways, I loved the taste of them and will experiment with different fruit, oil instead of butter, and a different form. Loved them especially for breakfast. Amazing! And I love that they’re so simple to put together. Thanks for another great recipe!!
Deb- how do you feel about using peaches in this recipe? I have some peaches that want to be baked, and I’d like to take the final product to work. I’m looking for a bar recipe instead of a crumble because of office sharing logistics/messiness.
Mine are in the oven baking right now! I figured if I had people to share them with I would not eat the whole pan myself, so they are going to my Maj Jong game tomorrow to share with the girls!
I had some problems with the crust. I put half in the bottom as instructed, but they pretty much fell apart when I served them. Still delicious, just not very pretty. I also had a lot of topping doing 50/50.
From your picture, it looks like maybe you (unintentionally?) did more of a 66/33 mix. I think I’d try that next time. And there will be a next time, I think with a splash of vanilla mixed into the fruit and some ginger mixed into the crumbly bits!
Deb – To your question, my bars definitely came out a bit soft but they did firm up slightly in the fridge. However, they never became very crisp or bar-like. BUT … they were so delicious that no one minded scraping a big heap into a bowl. I used a cup each of the strawberries and rhubarb as called for and a smattering of some raspberries I needed to use up. I did add another tablespoon of sugar at the end to mellow the rhubarb. This recipe is a keeper for sure and I think I may now have passed my love of rhubarb on to my husband.
My four year old and I tackled these this weekend subbing in a gluten free whole grain flour and using all rhubarb (since we had it in the back yard.) I was tempted to double the recipe but for a first time always try to follow it to a T. They were gone in 24 hours. A new summer staple that can be baked while the pizzas are done.
Oh, alright, I suppose I love my husband enough to make these for him. Rhubarb is his favorite thing ever, and I’ve made several of your rhubarb recipes! I don’t particularly like it, but these will make him smile. :)
Made these yesterday and followed recipe as is. I baked them for 45 mins and the crust was very crunchy although the fruit was soft it never really bubbled. They were delicious, simple and not too sweet. I tried one this morning topped with 2% greek yogurt and it made a nice breakfast treat with my morning coffee. The crust was definitely softer this morning so I put the pan in the refrigerator.
This is the most delicious thing I’ve had in a while. Made it this morning. Used frozen rhubarb because I couldn’t find any fresh. Baked mine about 5 to 10 minutes longer than directed (glass pan) and it came out crisp, but soft, at the same time. Absolutely perfect and just sweet enough. Super easy to make. Will use this recipe again and again. Highly recommend!!
Made this a bit distractedly and also forgot the baking soda. They are crispish (but I also overbaked (distractedly) and the sugar hardened a little). Thanks for another rhubarb recipe!
I went straight from reading about this to downloading the electronic version of this book. So far I’ve made two of the recipes – a malted milk chocolate chip cookie (amazing) and the magic coconut bars (delicious). As much as I enjoy more challenging types of baking, I love that this book shows that simple, straightforward recipes and techniques can be equally amazing. I mean, the chocolate chip cookies have now supplanted the famous NY Times chocolate chip cookies and the Marshmallow-Cornflake-Chocolate chip cookies from Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook as my husband’s new favourite. And they are so much easier to make! I fully intend to make this, although I may have to do the apple version first for hubby, as he is not a rhubarb fan.
RE: Texture – Mine are pretty soggy and not holding together well. Fairway was out of rhubarb so I did two cups of diced strawberries. Maybe less fruit next time? I’m interested to hear your results on the difference of baking soda vs. no baking soda.
I just made these. They’re in the oven as I type this. Even un-baked they look exactly like the picture. I love it when that happens. I used white whole wheat flour in place of the AP, fresh strawberry, fresh rhubarb. My first time using rhubarb, btw. I liked mixing in the baking pan, but I agree that mixing the fruit with the lemon, sugar, and cornstarch would be easier. I have a whole list of fruit to try this with. Can’t wait for peaches to come to season. Thanks Deb for something fairly healthy and so easy!
@Amy- if you make it again, the recipe calls for 1/2 cup, not 1/2 the mixture! :-)
-SallyO, I think I screwed up the same way Amy did, putting a little more than half of the mixture in the bottom instead of all of it except 1/2 a cup. Sigh. That might explain the massive sogginess. Guess I’ll have to make them again! :)
Made these last night as a way to support teen daughter as she headed off to take her AP US History test this am. Made them with diced apple from one lunch and threw in some raspberries I had frozen when they were still fine but too mushy to enjoy out of hand. Perfect combo of tart and sweet. I also added some wheat germ to the oat/flour crust to add in a few more undetectable B vitamins. Sent kid off with three bars and she said they were like a portable apple crisp and the perfect pre and post test boost. Thanks so much for providing another breakfast option for us, Deb!
I liked these but I also had some sogginess issues – the edge pieces were perfect but the middle ones were a bit too mushy. I think next time I would 1) increase the crust a little bit 2) sugar the fruit in advance and then pour off the liquid before adding the cornstarch.
Oh, and I made them with strawberries and rhubarb as written, using the weight measurements. I made one single batch in a 8×8 and one double batch in a 9×13 and had the same problem with both.
I just made these! Swapped the white flour for rye! Used only rhubarb since I wanted to let the rhubarb shine since it never seems to get to shine on it’s own. Added some ground cinnamon and ginger to the dry ingredients as well for a little spice punch. They were absurdly delightful!
Forgive me for this pun, but this is why I *love* reading your blog. Morsels of wisdom to go with my tasty morsel :)
Completely agree with everything Dominika said. The only fresh rhubarb they had at the store was very sad looking, so I went with frozen. That meant I couldn’t dice as small as I would have liked, but I tried to pick out the tiniest pieces and leave the big ones in the bag. We just moved and I still can’t find my 8×8 so I used a glass 8×6. I needed to cook it a little longer, but it came out perfect – crispy on top, soft underneath. My husband keeps hopefully asking if I plan to make it again soon.
Made them with apples and blackberry, and the result was between a bar and a crumble, but I didn’t press well the cookie base, so I suppose I’ll try again and juss press harder. Also, after reading the comments, I’ll definitely mix the cornstarch, lemon and sugar with the fruit in a bowl.
Apart from that, they were wondeful, and soooo quick to prepare! I had them in the oven by the time my pasta had cooked, and they were a very welcome after-dinner treat for my children!
I would like to make these – but only if I can be sure they’ll be crisp enough… There are too many “soggy (though delicious)” comments above, and I want to be able to slice and plate these… Did eliminating the baking soda give you crispy bars, Deb? Thanks!
Hey everyone — I’m sorry, I got taken under by being sick this week and didn’t get a chance to see if it’s the baking soda making them soggy. Two things: 1. When I made them without the baking soda and they were crisp and worked just fine. 2. But, because it was an accident, I didn’t want to update the recipe until I reconfirmed this in the kitchen. I hope to make them again late this afternoon (we have Snack Week at preschool next week so it will be good to stock up!) and will update then. I’m so sorry not everyone has been happy with these.
I made these this weekend, doubled the crumble and tripled the fruit, baked in a 9×13 pan. I was worried about the tripling of the fruit, but the crumble was still crisp. I served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and a sauce I made from the leftover strawberries and rhubarb. It was for a dinner party, everyone loved it – thanks for this great recipe!
I made these exactly according to instructions, except it was in a 9×9 pan instead of 8×8 so they came out a little bit flatter, but otherwise they were delicious! Mine were a combo of soft and crispy. After putting them in the fridge though, they crisped up when eaten cold. I reheat mine though to get that fresh out of the oven feeling :) Awesome recipe as always.
i have to try this!! yummm!!
I liked these but I also had some sogginess issues – the edge pieces were perfect but the middle ones were a bit too mushy. I think next time I would 1) increase the crust a little bit 2) sugar the fruit in advance and then pour off the liquid before adding the cornstarch.
“…welcome anytime.” Gotta love that guy of yours!
Will give these a try when my daughter comes home for college in just a few weeks!
Went to the farmer’s market on East 47th. Bought rhubarb. Guess what I’m making this weekend….
strawberry rhubarb? delightful! apple? very good – chopped figs? almost virtuous! thanks for posting this Deb — it’s opened up weeks of experimenting!
Also — my crusts have been just right except this last one when I spaced out and added 1 cup of brown sugar — tastes good but crumbly.
I made these last night and what a hit! I added just a little more fruit, especially since I doubled the recipe. I thought I’d have enough for a couple of days, but there was just a leetle square left this morning. Amazing!
I’m definitely pro-whim. Since it has to include a little spontaneity, this can be a hard quality to find in another person. Looks like you found yourself a good man! Anyway, I will have to give these crisp bars a try! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
They were still mushy and crumbly when I made them again today with the right amount of crust. I doubled the recipe for the 9×13 pan. I used 3 cups of strawberries and 1 cup of rhubarb. Definitely not cookie-like in texture.
Still good in a bowl with yogurt for breakfast.
Goddamnit, Deb. You’ve ruined my life.
You just HAD to mention that the original recipe called for apples and cinnamon instead of strawberries and rhubarb. Well, I wanted to make them, I didn’t have strawberries or rhubarb, but I did have two apples that needed using. My own appropriately whim-centric husband encouraged me.
That was 6 days ago. I’m almost out of flour. We’ve gone through almost an entire box of oatmeal.
I hope you’re happy.
I come home from class, volunteering, errands, I kiss my husband, and then I smell it on his breath. He’s been at them. Again. Three batches. He keeps telling me he’ll stop, that this will be the last time. I wish I could believe him. Today my husband gchatted me from work that he was sick and coming home. Innocently, trustingly, I asked him if there was anything I could get for him to make him feel better.
I should have known. You know that look Puss in Boots gave the guards to get them to drop their weapons? I was getting that IN TEXT FORM.
Desperate, I mentioned that there are lovely blueberries and raspberries on sale. If he’s not into rhubarb, couldn’t we try those? Nope. The fourth batch is in the oven as we speak.
I must go. The timer summons me. Other readers, please heed my warnings and avoid this fate, I beg of you. Deb, may God have mercy on your soul.
well, i must have done something(s) wrong. made these for my almost-3yo who is on a super restricted diet right now as we are trying to figure out if he has food allergies/sensitivities.
So I’m gonna be one of THOSE people who makes a bunch of substitutions and then wonders what went wrong. :) I am a knowledgable baker, though, so I’m just not sure where the problem lies.
I doubled the recipe, subbed Bob’s Red Mill GF AP flour for the flour, subbed coconut oil for the butter, arrowroot powder for the cornstarch, coconut sugar for the sugar (and a lot less of it), left out the baking soda and lemon. I baked it for at least 50 minutes, maybe more. It’s definitely more like a baked oatmeal — nothing at all like a bar. I know others (like Karina) mentioned using GF flour so I don’t think that’s the problem…perhaps I went wrong somewhere with my measurements, but I don’t think so. When I poured the melted coconut oil into the oats, etc. for the base, it definitely didn’t get crumbly, just sort of gloppy. I sprinkled some chia seeds and ground flax seeds over the top of the “crumble,” hoping it would help solidify. I know lots of people said these turned out soggy so I guess it’s not just me. I just wasn’t expecting it to have a baked oatmeal texture. Still pretty yummy, though!
Oh, and I used an 8×8 pan for the doubled recipe!
It’s autumn here so I made these with pears and apples and cinnamon as suggested, and rarely have I had such a success! Everyone loved them and they are so easy. Recipe is already memorised. Thanks Deb.
Made this with all strawberry and quick oats. Could not wait for them to cool completely and am seriously contemplating not sharing with my coworkers tomorrow as planned. I multiplied everything by 1.5 since I had an extra cup of strawberries except the brown sugar (I prefer things less sweet). Next time I will mind my salt ratio better but it’s still yummy! To answer your question, the top is crispy, while the bottom is soft.
Yummy!!!! what a good idea!!!
I made this for Mother’s Day last weekend and it was so yummy. I put a little bit too much fruit so it was a tiny bit mushy. BUT STILL SO YUMMY. (I gave you a shout out on my blog too!)
Any chance bananas would work in here? I like the combination of bananas and blueberries, and I happen to have both on hand at the moment.
I made these last week and while the flavor was good, they were very soft (to the point of sogginess). My fruit mixture was 50/50 rhubarb and strawberries (which were definitely on the ripe side) and came to just over two cups. I baked in a glass dish and extended the cooking time until the edges were very brown, but that didn’t seem to help. Because half the pan is sitting uneaten in my fridge one week later (despite the presence of a foraging husband with a sweet tooth), unfortunately I think I need to call these a fail.
All of this said, we cook from your blog/cookbook regularly and this is the first time we have made anything that has been short of delicious!
Made these yesterday, with cherries – about half tart (frozen) and half sweet (fresh, because they’re in season here right now, although it took me so long to pit them all that I kinda regret not going all frozen fruit on this one), it ended up around 600-650g total.
As some others have done, I also browned the butter (again, might not have been the best decision, time-wise), and I replaced a little of the flour with barley flour, but otherwise did not change the recipe.
It turned out great, no soggy at all, and was a great success at the picnic I went to today. I actually had to hide the last few pieces so I can bring some cake back home!
Like a few other’s, mine were also way too soft – you had to eat them off a plate, with a fork.
And, well, they were very ^ordinary^. I suppose I was hoping for something a bit more zingy or something, but these weren’t a big hit with us. Won’t be doing them again.
Hi Deb. I’d like to make these but strawberries aren’t available in my area yet — only rhubarb. If you made them with only rhubarb, would you up the sugar a bit?
Ingrid — Maybe just an extra tablespoon.
I had to double the crust part, it didn’t even cover the bottom of my 8×8, let alone leave any for the topping! Did I have it spread too thick? It didn’t seem like it could really go any thinner.
I made these yesterday, doubling the recipe, using weight measurements. I left out the baking soda (on purpose). It was a great hit by everyone! However, it was definitely soggy. No one minded except for me, since I was looking forward to crispy. I’ve never really had rhubarb that I can recall, and the flavor was delightful. I did use parchment paper, which I would leave out next time since you have to scoop out of the dish anyhow. I used a 12×8 metal pan, but could have easily used a 13×9, as there seemed to be plenty of crust. I’m wondering if the type of pan used dictates soggy vs not soggy?
It usually takes someone from the Midwest to appreciate the wonderful tartness of rhubarb. Seems to be an acquired taste. I’ve enjoyed variations of these rhubarb crisp bars since I was young and love them!
Thanks, Deb!
Yum! Just made a double batch, using Granny Smith Apples, no cinnamon. The filling never got bubbly, or really juicy at all. But they are really good! The edge pieces are firm/crisp enough to pick up. The middle pieces tend to crumble. But they are delicious!
Hi Deb, I just made these tonight without the baking soda. They were delicious, to be sure, but “crisp” would still, unfortunately, be the wrong word used to describe them. Its also very possible that I pulled them out of the oven a little prematurely (at 35 minutes).
I made a couple changes, and after a couple hours on a humid evening, they’re still crisp.
No baking soda, 1/4 c sugar, 1/4 c brown sugar; baked the bottom crust for about 7 minutes while i chopped the strawberries and rhubarb, then baked with the fruit and topping for another 28ish minutes.
Just made these, and they are delicious! I used whole wheat pastry flour. Tossed the fruit (strawberries and rhubarb) with the sugar in a bowl rather than trying to do it all in the pan – I skipped the cornstarch because my fruit wasn’t very juicy, and the lemon juice because it seemed unnecessary. I added a bit of cinnamon for the heck of it. The texture is crisp/chewy, not soggy, sort of like an oatmeal cookie with fruit filling. I don’t eat much sugar so these were a little sweet for me, I may try again with a bit less sugar. I’m also thinking of trying them as cookies rather than bars – drop the dough by spoonfuls on a baking sheet, and top them with the fruit and more dough. What do you think, would this work?
Hi, Deb. New to your blog and love it! This was first recipe I tried and only substitution I made was slight reduction in butter. As other folks have commented, it was delicious but far from bar-like. I noticed in the pic the amount of butter you were pouring and amount already in pan; suspecting that more liquids in order. I will adjust going forward. Keep up grand work!
Fantastic. Thanks for giving the weights, Deb.
Used baking soda, all rhubarb, 1 generous Tbs sugar. Crisp (not shortbread crisp, but could eat out of hand) but baked 50 minutes at 375.
I was worried about losing dry ingredients underneath the parchment, so mixed in a bowl, then used the SAME bowl to toss the fruit, starch, sugar and lemon juice. One bowl, one cutting board, knife and the measuring spoons, since I only needed to weigh the sugar, oats and flour.
It is interesting to me how diverse we are in tasting sweetness. To me 1/2 c brown sugar in the crust and 1 tablespoon of sugar in the filling would never have been sweet enough. Even though I used blackberries in the filling and two tablespoons of sugar, it was still not sweet enough to me or my husband, although quite tasty. I served this soft “bar” cookie in a bowls, sprinkled with powdered sugar and with homemade vanilla yogurt over the top. Served warm we did enjoy it, but I will have to see how it is after a night in the fridge.
This looks amazing. I actually never cooked with rhubarb until last year, when my in-laws gave me some from their garden. I’m a convert! Yesterday I made a rhubarb walnut loaf (yum, half-gone already) and am looking for more recipes. Hello, there!
Updated, at last: I’ve now retested these two more times and added some new notes in response to comments that the bars were soft and not crisp or cookie-like as promised. 1. I suggest a good bit more flour. 2. I suggest you nix the baking soda. The recipe has been updated to reflect these changes. Again, so sorry that some were disappointed. In my kitchen, these two changes did the trick.
Definitely worth making a double batch! I cooked these up yesterday and they’re already half gone. A little soft, somoerhaos a tad more baking time. They smelled done, and the fruit was bubbly, but oerhaos a tad more time to caramelize the sugar/butter in the crust. Delish!
Made these yesterday for the party celebrating my husband’s retirement. Rhubarb from garden to oven: ten minutes. Had the same softness issues as others, but they were the hit of the party. Went back to your post and now found the instructive ( and fun) conversation. Like neighbors sharing across the fence, which is how my neighbor Kelly told me about you in the first place.
Next time – and there will be LOTS of next times with this one – I will double the recipe, using the increased flour and no cornstarch, but do it in the 8 x 8 pan, I think we’d like it as a thicker bar. So we’ll see, maybe pre bake the crust a little. This kind of experimenting is what makes cooking fun!
My cooking began with my mothers help. (her family had owned a Hollywood steak house) When our household became motherless my father continued her instruction. Dad insisted that my brother Roy and I were to share recipe improvements or suggestions whenever we had them. Now Happily married for 40+ years I’ve learned to share these changes by cooking them and not having the discussion while eating them as had been the experience of my youth. These bars were an instant Winner!
I made them twice this weekend they were so delicious! Next time I will definitely double the recipe. My daughter loves them topped with plain yogurt & a swirl of honey for breakfast. The first batch I made according to the first recipe you posted and they were excellent, soft when warm, but nicely firm the next morning. The second batch was made without the baking soda and with a butter/coconut oil/applesauce combo for the fat. Still delicious, maybe slightly crisper?
Thanks for this great recipe. My next plan is to make rhubarb snacking cake (we just harvested our rhubarb plant!).
When I refrigerated them the crumble got soggy. Any suggestions?
No lemon. 3x more sugar on the fruit and they were GREAT with only rhubarb. Definitely will make these again when raspberries are ripe. May also be a good recipe for my ever -difficult red currants….
I made this and they are absolutely delicious. Mine also wouldn’t work as “bars”… but since I’m eating them warm and topped with roasted rhubarb frozen yogurt, that’s hardly an issue here.
I baked these this morning with the updated instructions and they came out perfectly – the crust at the bottom is pretty crisp and stayed together. I doubled the recipe and did half white flour, half white whole wheat. The rhubarb from my garden has been SUPER tart so this could have used a tad more sugar for me (or maybe less lemon juice)…but everyone who has tried them so far loved them, so I’m calling it a win! Thanks for a great recipe!
Ooh, I made these for ‘afters’ for Sunday brunch but we couldn’t wait for them to cool down, so we ate them as semi-crumble, with yoghurt. Absolutely delicious. (Also, I doubled the recipe, so we have leftovers, which are somehow still surviving in the fridge…) Will make for both occasions again, can’t get over how simple they are to mix in the one tin – but for crumble, next time, I would put in double the fruit again.
HOLY Rhubarb these are so ____ good. I doubled the recipe, then ate a fifth of the pan. Off for a run? YUM. Thanks, Deb!
A friend made these for us at work and wow they were delicious. I tried to stuff my pockets with them but they were gone by the time I wondered around the break room again. Thank you Cindy!
I am also pro whim-encouraging-husbands, and though I’d never thought of it quite that way before, I am happy to note that I have one. Also? The One Bowl Baking Book sounds amazing! Can’t wait to check it out in person.
This looks so amazing! One of my favorite things about summer is making rhubarb pie, but now that I know I can make these, I’m definitely going to try. Do you think they’d be easy to freeze and if so, how long would they last in the fridge?
Alex — I think they’d last about 5 days (maybe more) in the fridge. I haven’t frozen them but don’t see why you could not.
I tried the updated recipe with the additional flour and no baking soda. They came out PERFECT! They are the crispy cookie-like strawberry bars of my dreams. Yay! I also used a little less fruit, just under 2 cups of strawberries to make sure they didn’t get soggy.
I’ve tried the recipe both ways and shared with family and friends. My husband and a few friends preferred the original(I think it was the extra bit of saltiness the baking soda added), anyway, both a hit!
These turned out well for me, and the crust seemed to firm up a bit as the finished bars sat overnight. I really like rhubarb, so next time I’ll probably use 1.5 cups of rhubarb and .5 cup of strawberries (and maybe increase the sugar slightly?). They were perfect with plain yogurt for breakfast.
I’ve made these twice now, once with flour and once with gluten-free mix (Pamela’s baking/pancake mix – http://www.pamelasproducts.com/products/baking-mixes/pamelas-baking-pancake-mix/ ). They were both enjoyed and devoured. The first time I made it (with flour), I made it exactly to recipe. The second time (with the gluten free mix), I doubled it and made it with all strawberries, instead of a strawberry rhubarb combo.
The main difference I found with the second variant (which I’m not sure if it was the fruit or the mix) was that it didn’t seem to firm up as quickly. It was more like a crisp than a bar. Although it was more cohesive after it had spent the night in the fridge.
p.s. Try them with a smear of mascarpone on a leftover bar. Yum!!
My local newspaper ran your recipe for this today! Wow! Delicious!
Deb, I’ve been a fan of your site for about 2 years and have never commented before until now. I have used your recipes nearly exclusively for the last year. Each one is amazing.
I’ve read your comment sections a lot, and I’ve seen questions about an app vs. a mobile friendly site, and I vote for a recipe app.
Just this past week I was searching for potato recipes on my phone screen as I perused the farmers market in Baltimore. An app would be so much easier, or at least make a mobile-friendly site with the recipe search tool being the main thing.
If this already exists, please send me a link!
this is yummy..i made this yesterday and it really was a great recipe! just yum!
Mmm, made these last night and they made a fine crumble for this morning’s yogurt – but unfortunately that’s all they can be. Made them with the updated amounts (w/o baking soda, etc) and the result was really thin and impossible to get out of the pan. Still, delicious crumbled over yogurt… just not a bar.
These are delicious! And so much easier than a pie. I will use this with blueberries and peaches this summer!
Can I use Quick Cooking Oats for this recipe? It’s all I have in the pantry. Thanks!
I made these last week before the updates were made, and they were a little softer than expected but still totally pick-up-able! I doubled the recipe and used strawberries and blackberries and they were an enormous hit with the husband and the toddler.
I actually prefer less crunch in my desserts so when I made a second batch this morning (this time I used strawberries and cherries on one side and plain peach on the other ZOMG), I kept things the same – just a thought for any of you who prefer a soft slightly underdone cookie to a crunchy one! (Why yes, I also prefer the brownies from the middle of the pan.)
So good; my breakfast today and over the weekend. I ground oatmeal for the flour as we are moving to a gluten free kitchen [so used rolled oats and oat flour]. I did not notice a difference, but had not tried it with the all purpose flour. Love, love rhubarb and strawberries. I borrowed the cookbook from the Library and it’s on my wish list. The chocolate wacky cake was delicious! also used the oat flour for that.
Hi Deb,
Made this recipe today – big hit but I wanted to alert you to a couple of typos in the second paragraph of the recipe because they change the meaning of the recipe and can be confusing (for me, at least!).
Where it’s written “Place oats, 3/4 flour, …” it should say 3/4 cup of flour.
Where it’s written “set 1/2 cup…” it should say set aside 1/2 cup..”.
Thanks
Trish — Yikes, thanks for the heads up.
Rosemary — Yes.
Made these with good-quality white chocolate drizzled on top and felt like a total genius, because wow. They only really function as bars after they’ve been chilled a bit, but straight out of the oven I am more than happy to eat them with a spoon.
These are awesome! I am soon to be making my 4th batch this week (don’t judge). First made a single, then a double, and now will do another single. Recipe worked great, even doubled, but I doubled both the rhubarb and the berries for all of it, just because that’s how I like it. Result is a bit softer, but still were bars for sure. Big hit! I see someone pointed out the typos, but was no big deal to figure out. This recipe will go into serious rotation year after year. I love that it doesn’t require massive quantities of anything; makes it truly a quick treat to throw together. Thank you!!
These were a big hit at my bridge club today – everyone wanted the recipe (and grabbed extra bars on their way out the door). I like my rhubarb straight up, so skipped the strawberries, used 2 cups of rhubarb and increased the granulated sugar to 6 Tbsp. The bars turned out both crispy and chewy, salty and sweet. Does it get better?
How do you think this would be with almond flour? Just a thought. Thanks.
Deborah — They could work, but they also might not hold together as well. However, if kept in the fridge, they will stay the most firm. I’d love to hear how it goes.
Just made these and they are delicious!! My family loved them as well, thank you for sharing another great recipe.
I doubled this recipe! Plenty of rhubarb around. I used gluten-free flour and coconut sugar crystals, and cut the butter amount with some coconut oil. The gluten-free flour made the bar texture very crisp, but very light, and very very good. This is a perfect recipe for gluten-free!
The flour I used was King Arthur, I’ve also used Domata GF flour. Both yielded good results.
I made these using raspberries, but otherwise following the recipe (I did use the optional corn starch). I found that they were soft and crumbly until I had put them in the refrigerator overnight. Then they came together really nicely. I wouldn’t call them crisp, necessarily, but the bottom was very cookie-like, and the flavor was wonderful and worked well as a treat for breakfast with a dollop of plain yogurt. The corners did stick like crazy to my Pyrex pan. I’m planning to make them again today!
We made these tonight for our Memorial Day picnic. They were perfect! I made them in a 9×13, so I’m looking forward to trying them for breakfast since there were some left.
Deb – hi – I made a run to our favorite farmer’s market on Sunday and, in keeping with the Great Spring Tradition of over- purchasing strawberries when they first make an appearance I arrived home with way more than we could reasonably eat with ice cream. Your recipe to the rescue! I made two batches – one following the revised recipe exactly, the other with extra crumble topping. Did you realize you should triple the crumble portion to offset the amount that will inadvertently slip past the baker’s lips during assembly? I can report that the first batch passed the Husband Test while the second (a double batch with extra crumble topping) withstood the not-overly-worried-so-long-as-it’s-free scrutiny of my co-workers. I had numerous rave reviews & 2 requests for the recipe. Thanks for yet another great recipe. Can’t wait to try this with peaches!
I picked rhubarb out of an elderly friend’s garden last night and discovered its leafy origin. When looking for recipes on your site, I found it listed under “Fruits”. As it’s picked like celery and grows like other veggies, I had assumed it was a veggie. Turns out… it is… it just acts an awful lot like a fruit when cooking. (Except my elderly friend said her favorite way to use it is to add a tiny bit of water, boil it down into a mush, and add sugar. THEN it sounds like a veggie!) Sneaky rhubarb…
Just thought I’d say that I’ll be making these *again* for a potluck I’m going to tomorrow. I made them right after you originally posted the recipe, using cherries instead of strawberries (because its what I had), and they turned out amazing. I ate the whole pan myself, I’m only slightly embarrassed to say.
Made exactly as listed for an 8×8 pan and came out lovely, crunchy, sweet, tart, and totally and utterly perfect with some greek yogurt. HEAVENLY!
I made these with blueberries and rhubarb. I used white whole wheat flour and added a bit of cinnamon. They were delicious!! Everyone at my house loved them and they were so quick and easy. We have a lot of rhubarb and have tried a lot of rhubarb recipes– this is one of the easiest, plus super delicious. Thanks!
Even with the adjustments, I found the batch I made to be on the liquid-y side; I wasn’t able to cut them into bars. They turned out more like an apple crisp-but that didn’t bother me at all! Served warm in a bowl with a scoop of sour cream and a grate of fresh ginger I otherwise followed the recipe to a tee. Delicious!
Have a lovely summer!
Ok, I made these. They didn’t make it 24 hours at my house. Sad? i don’t know, but they”re THAT good!
You’ve been warned!!
Bliss is the only way to convey these.
Delicious! And totally addicting, especially with the local strawberries that just came into season. In the last week, I managed to find excuses to make three batches…
It’s autumn here in South Africa, so I made them with apples and cinnamon. So very very delicious. The apples went all saucy. Yum! And this is so wonderfully quick and uses so few dishes. Absolute winner!! :)
These are awesome! I’m not much of a baker but wanted to try these out to use some farmers market strawberries – they were phenomenal and so easy. I doubled the recipe and would highly recommend it as they go fast. One tip is I mixed the cornstarch, sugar and lemon juice with the fruit before pouring it in, which made it easier and perfectly mixed.
Any suggestions on other fruit to use? I was thinking peach-blueberry, maybe cherry? Other ideas? And any tips on how to modify the sugar accordingly? Thanks for the great recipe!!
The flavor was good. I forgot about the glass pan and they got too brown on the bottom and a little hard to cut. They also stuck to the parchment – not fun peeling paper off at a party. Also I don’t recommend trying to mix the crust on top of the parchment for a 1 pan thing. But I will try again!!!
I was totally inspired by your make-it-in-the-pan instructions, and made a gluten-free and refined-sugar free version of these bars that I posted to my blog today! I used chia seeds instead of corn starch to thicken the filling (which I also cooked a bit to make it more jam-like), and I used oats to make the flour. They are FANTASTIC as a breakfast bar!
Just made these and everyone in my house cried when they were gone. I followed recipe to the letter (maybe adding a bit more strawberries) and they came out perfectly. A beautiful (and beautifully easy) recipe. Thank you!
This is great. It reminds me of the apple pies that my mom used to make. It’s going on my list – thank you!
I just did an improv–could not find rhubarb anywhere, so used all strawberries instead. Thought we had lemons but we didn’t, so used lime juice. Substituted a little bit of coconut oil for the butter just for fun. Magnifique. Thanks, Deb.
I will say that I chose some of the less-ripe strawberries to avoid too much juiciness.
So good, I made these twice last weekend, then shared the recipe with my whole office. I didn’t use lemon juice (didn’t have any), and they came out fine. I would also up the rhubarb – too often strawberry/rhubarb things lose their tartness, which is the whole point of eating rhubarb!
Also of note, the office vegan made these with coconut oil instead of butter. They required a firm packing of the base in order to hold together, and she also added some flax seeds. They do have a slightly different flavor, but still delicious!
I’ve made these bars a few times now and love them every time- as does everyone who tries them! The problem is, strawberry season is coming to a close here in Venezuela, where I currently live. Do you think mangoes and/or bananas would work? Thank you Deb, and thanks for yet another great recipe!
I wanted to love these. Raspberry bars are one of my favorite summer cookies. But, I just didn’t like these all that much. They were fairly bland, in my opinion. I loved the idea, the sound and the picture, but not the finished product! ;(
Our household now refers to these a Rhubarb Crack. My husband and all the kayakers on the Front Range thank you for the recipe.
Have to agree with Gail – just made these and they are quite bland with much too high of a crumble-to-fruit ratio; there’s a ton of dry, crumbly oat/flour mixture left on the bottom of my pan. In the unlikely event I make these again instead of my go-to rhubarb crisp recipe (from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, btw), I would reduce the flour by at least a 1/4c and up the fruit. Too bad, since the strawberries I used were perfect!
A lovely addition to my rhubarb (and sometimes strawberry) repertoire. Was looking for something faster than a pie or galette and more portable – this was it! One tiny note: if you use parchment paper to line the pan, you ought to grease it. I did not and had a heck of a time getting the paper off the bottom of the bars…but worth every second it took. And those bits that crumbled were rewards for the effort.
Made these last night with blackberries & strawberries – I had a perfect breakfast this morning! Thank you!
Nice and tart fruit layer. Delicious. I doubled the recipe, added half a cup of coarsely ground almonds (per batch…because I had them kicking around) and an extra quarter cup (per batch) melted butter because the oats seemed dry. Used 2-9 cake pans. Delivered one batch to my parents who are the rhubarb suppliers and this is our new Favorite! Thanks Deb!
This recipe looks so good! Would love to double it, as you suggested, in a 9×13 pan for Father’s Day this weekend. Would I bake it for the same time as an 8×8 pan…30-40 min?
Erin — It will probably take just a few minutes longer, probably not more than 10 extra minutes. (Oops — what Layla said!)
Erin, I doubled this recipe and baked it last night for around 40-45 minutes. It turned out great!
You said keeping these in the fridge is best…. I was thinking of mailing them to a friend, do you think they’d hold up well for that? Thanks!
Tucker — They wouldn’t be my first choice for shipping because that fresh fruit (even cooked) won’t hold up nearly as well as something without fresh fruit baked on.
I followed this recipe to the letter, but mine came out salty, overly oat-y, bitter, and sticking to the pan. It was so bad, I just threw it away. Since it looks like a hit for most of the other bakers, I have to believe I botched this in some unbelievably egregious way.
Google gave me the choice of your bars or Martha Stuart’s and I traditionally always choose her, but now I choose you. They’re baking now. I used only rhubarb and a little extra sugar, so if it doesn’t turn out it’ll be my own fault ,and I won’t run back to Martha.
I love this recipe it’s so yummy and easy to throw together! I’ve made it four times since you’ve posted it (using the original version you posted). I actually decrease the butter and sugar a bit since I like it tart. I’ve even eaten it for breakfast :-)
I made this recipe before the change and after the change. They definitely held up in bar form better after you changed the recipe. I store them in the fridge. I really enjoy the light coconut flavor that coconut oil gives. Everyone loves these. SO good.
These are amazing bars. I was out of brown sugar and only had half a cup of oats so I subbed in coconut sugar for the brown, and added half a cup of shredded unsweetened coconut to make up for the missing oats. Delish!! I know i will be making these again and again with as many variations of fruits as I can dream up! Thank you!
Just made these and they are already gone. Thank you!
I’ve made this recipe three times in the last three weeks with consistently excellent results! Every time, the entire pan disappeared. The only two things I did differently were: using frozen strawberries and frozen rhubarb, which I cut up with a very sharp knife and worked perfectly. Also, I ended up using a bowl to mix the base. I didn’t have any cornstarch on hand, so they were a bit crumbly, but as I served them straight from the pan, it didn’t really matter, Another hit straight out of the park!
Heritage wheat flour would work for most people who have gluten intolerance so you get all the flavor and goodness of wheat but without having physical reactions.
Posting again now that I’ve made 5 batches (at least one per week) this month. They are amazing and always a big hit no matter the audience. I’ve found the blueberry-peach combo works nicely with a 3:1 ratio because the peaches melt away but provide nice flavor to complement the dominant blueberries. The strawberry-rhubarb bars can be too wet if the fruit is too juicy, so keep an eye on that and try to drain off as much juice as possible.
Lastly, I made them for a preschool class and reduced the brown sugar by half – you could barely tell the difference.
Super delicious! I had never baked with rhubarb, but I love the taste of strawberry rhubarb anything. Used whole wheat flour and doubled the fruit/rhubarb, still came out great! I think if I made them again, I would reduce the brown sugar just to see if I can healthify them a little.
Is it ok to use frozen strawberries? how should i thaw them before using them so theat they don’t lose all flavour? Thanks!
Do you think I could bake these in a muffin tin?
I made these a few weeks ago and they are delicious! I cut the sugar and ate them over greek yogurt with maple syrup. Mine were too crumbly to pick up and eat as a bar, but that didn’t stop me from devouring them!
Can these bars be frozen?
Elizabeth — I haven’t frozen them, but I think they’d freeze just fine.
Made these for a party last night, and they were really popular. Followed the recipe and they came out great! I did try the parchment paper liner in the pan, and that was a bit of a disaster initially. I could not mix the ingredients with the paper in place, so removed the paper. I was using a glass baking dish and was able to easily removed the bars after cutting them up with e heavy-duty spatula. I think the parchment liner would work if everything was mixed in another bowl and then pressed on to the paper, rather than mixing on top of the parchment paper. But then you’d obviously have two dirty dishes instead of one :-)
Made these today and followed the recipe exactly, including the parchment paper. They came out perfect. Not too sweet, perfectly tart and the bottom had setup nice so I could eat it like a bar. I did cool them in the fridge for a couple of hours before eating. Delicious!
I made these and while the bottom was crisp, they weren’t my favorite – they were a little too soggy from the fruit (I did a blueberry/strawberry combo, and made sure that the fruit was pretty dry). I’ll stick to the peach shortbread bars, which I LOVE!
Hi everyone! Can anyone recommend an ingredient for me to substitute for rhubarb? Maybe another fruit, apples or berries? I just can’t get any fresh or frozen. I would really appreciate it. Thanks :-)
This is in the oven now! I had partly thawed bags of strawberries and rhubarb and needed a quick but tasty recipe! Thank you so much! Rhubarb bars in November ! Wooeee!
Did you realize you should triple the crumble portion to offset the amount that will inadvertently slip past the baker’s lips during assembly?
Long-time reader, first comment. I have made these multiple times, as written, and with adaptations. I go by the weight of the fruit, and had made a batch with apricots and some grated fresh ginger. But I wanted to share my latest adaptation: as a Midwestern transplant to Houston, the weather here (and many food blogs) are signaling rhubarb season, so I set out to find some. Three grocery stores and several puzzled clerks later, no rhubarb. Not to be deterred, I used some diced mangoes in place of rhubarb, juice of 1 small lime (in place of lemon) and just 1 teaspoon sugar. The result? Still delicious, but quite sweet (realizing mangoes and rhubarb are on opposite poles of the sweetness continuum). And I’ll continue my search for rhubarb in Houston!
I know this is going to sound crazy but I only fell in love with strawberries a few years ago (at the age of 41) and yesterday decided to get really adventurous and try it with rhubarb. I love crisp bars and thought this would be the perfect way to try the two together. These bars are delicious! Mine were soft, too and as suggested, put them in the fridge to cool and firm up. I shared them with some neighbors -brave, I know trying out a new recipe…but they raved about them! My neighbor’s husband said they tasted like his grandmother’s bars. My son and I loved them as well, as we are up to our ears in farm-fresh strawberries. Thank you for your beautiful website and I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Is there any reason not to mix the lemon and cornstarch with the fruit before putting it over the crumb base? I had a hard time getting my sprinkles even.
Found rhubarb at the farmers market today, so was searching for a good recipe when I found this one…I was out of butter, so I subbed coconut oil as you suggested, and it came out amazing!! I’m not a vegan, but it’s nice to have some vegan dishes in my aresenal for guests. Thanks for a great recipe.
Laura — It was all about streamlining the recipe and avoiding extra bowls. You can premix them if it makes it easier.
Our rhubarb is up but strawberries aren’t ready. So I used frozen strawberries from last years harvest. Cut them up frozen and they all worked like a charm. Delicious. Perfect Mom’s Day snack. Thank you!
late to the party but obsessed with rhubarb right now but I’m also obsessed with crisp(ish) crust. I’m going to try to parbake the crust..I don’t think that affects the one bowl benefit but we’ll see if the rhubarb cooks down before crust burns. I’ll report back if successful. I love this blog!
Oh my god. Where has rhubarb been all my life? Over the past two weeks I’ve made your almond cake with strawberry/rhubarb compote (amazing), and now this. My only issue with this recipe is that my pan was 9×9, and I didn’t bother scaling the recipe up. So my bottom layer, while deliciously crisp, is a bit thin and doesn’t easily support the rest of it. But that’s on me, not on you. Next time I won’t be so lazy. ;)
These are excellent! I made a double recipe with 3.5-4 cups of rhubarb (no strawberries) in a 9×13 inch pan. I added 1-2 tablespoons more sugar to make up for the lack of berries. I also added a few dashes of cinnamon and cardamom to the crumbles. I baked them in a glass pan at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes and they came out with a nice crispy bottom. Next time I’ll just mix the rhubarb with the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a bowl first.
Made these last night- so delicious! I added a generous handful of thinly sliced kumquats which added a nice zippy citrus note. Thanks for the great recipe!
Oh my. These come together in minutes, and they are delicious. I’ll be making them a lot during rhubarb season, and freezing a ton of pie plant so I can make them in February too.) Thanks, Deb!
Hi Deb, I just made these and they were delicious and firm. The only part that was confusing for me was that they were much thinner than the bars pictured. The only things I did differently were omitting the lemon juice and adding a bit of almond flour to the base/crumb (which I thought would make them thicker than those pictured). I used an 8×8 ceramic pan.
jamie — It might be hard to tell how thick mine are from the pictures, but they’re not very, just stacked with pretty zoomed photo. The mesh sieve shown is a tea strainer, to give you an idea of scale. What kind of oats did you use? I used a pretty thick old-fashioned oat from Bob’s Red Mill when I made these last year, which were less likely to go soft or lose form once baked.
Made these for a staff potluck tonight and they were a huge hit! They held together nicely (I was afraid they were going to be too crumbly or soft, they weren’t). Followed the recipe as is but doubled it to make it in a 9 x 13. Nice tartness from the rhubarb.
If you are looking for other good camp snacks, these have been awesome for us! Our 3 year-old is a huge fan. And when strawberries are in season, we haven’t even added sugar.
Lindsay — Thanks, great idea! I should freeze some with blueberries, which are in.
I just made these and while they taste delicious, they came out VERY thin….about half as thin as the pictures. So I can’t really cut them into bars, I’ve just been scooping and eating. I went by weight and I suspected my problem was not enough oats so I just checked and a cup of my rolled oats weighs 115 g. Just a heads up if anyone is making these by weight. (I also used an 8×8 pan just like the one in the pictures.)
Allie – I just checked, and King Arthur says that 1 cup of rolled oats should equal 99 g, so you’re right that the weight is probably off –
The whole thing with rolled oat weights came up when I was editing my last book and honestly, it’s very hard to get a consistent weight. Think of a canister or bag of oats. Up top, they’re fluffy and intact. This is where the 80 grams per cup comes from. As you get lower in the canister, they’re more broken up and condensed, this is probably where the 100 grams comes from. Etc.
Has anyone tried preparing, freezing and baking?
H — I have baked then frozen these, and it works well.
Hi Deb,
Hope you don’t mind but I altered these to make them gluten-free and wrote about them on my blog (www.thelazywhisk.wordpress.com) please please let me know if there is anything you want me to change or if I’ve not credited you enough! Delicious easy recipe, thank you!
I love this recipe. I didn’t have rhubarb so used strawberries and apple. It was so yummy. I added more butter as seemed too dry but worked out really well when cooked.
I take that back. It’s not too dry. I made it again today and I didn’t add extra butter. I must have done something strange first time. It’s a great recipe. Thanks for sharing.
February not rhubarb season (not that I’m a purist, I just couldn’t find any), so I made this with strawberries and frozen peaches. I doubled the lemon juice so that there would be some tartness. I agree with some of the other comments about the whole one-bowl… I think someone called it a “conceit”… anyway, I mixed my crust outside the pan so as not to bunch up my parchment paper, and I think it would have been better to mix the fruit outside the pan too– either that, or leave out the cornstarch, which as others have said remains powderily visible after baking. Although a smidgen of powdered sugar takes care of that problem. :) I think, if I were to make these again, I would add more sugar to the fruit! Especially if I were using rhubarb. That’s a matter of taste, though.
If I wanted to swap coconut oil for the butter, would I use equal amounts? Thanks, I’m looking forward to trying this!
Kathryn — Yes, equal amounts.
Hi! Recipe looks wonderful! Just a quick question, what brand of light brown sugar did you use?
Kimberly — I generally use Domino brand.
Would this taste good without the rhubarb? I currently have all the needed ingredients except for rhubarb. My wonderful mother-in-law took my daughter strawberry picking, and I have more strawberries than I know what to do with!
Nicole — Probably you’ll be just fine. You might replace it with something else, like more strawberry or diced apple.
It has been SO warm here lately (BC Canada of all places) that I just discovered today that my rhubarb is already flowering… gah
this will call me into the garden asap
Made these last night using last autumn’s blackberries from the freezer and the last of the now rather yucky looking apples we picked in October and stored in the garage. They were absolutely delicious. I didn’t have light brown sugar so used demerara, but otherwise stuck to the recipe. These will definitely become a regular feature in our household. I doubled the recipe and baked in a 9 x 12 pan and they were the perfect thickness and consistency.
I just made these this week using all rhubarb, and subbing in orange and adding a bit of cinnamon. They are phenomenal! Check it out: http://imaginariyum.com/rhubarb-orange-crisp-bars/
Recipe looks fabulous. If I want to serve these warm with ice cream, should I cool them in the fridge first, to retain crispness, then reheat, or simply bake right before we eat them?
Made these last night for a potluck – they were a huge hit! I served them warm (right out of the oven) with ice cream, doubled the recipe, and used whole grain flour. No one was hungry by the time dessert rolled around, but the kids are glad we had too much, because they scarfed them down for breakfast and asked me to make them again for their lunch boxes this week. Oats? Whole grain flour? Fruit? OK!! So much better than any packaged lunch goodies! Thanks for another great recipe to add to the repertoire.
Great recipe! The powdered sugar sifted on top helps tame the tartness a bit. Will try peach raspberry next time. Thanks for sharing!
I’m sticking my batch, just out from the oven, in an ice bath inside a larger pan to cool down quickly, before putting it in my (warmer-than-I-wish-it-were) “fridge.” Could this just keep baking forever so the house could always smell like this? As always Deb, you are my hero as well as my secret weapon.
Amazing recipe! I made a second batch today with leftover rhubarb but I substituted all-purpose flour with almond flour! I can’t wait to try them!!!
Thank you sooo much for this lovely recipe! I have a too-hot oven that I’m learning to manage and they came out beautifully. However, I would not say they were crisp. After a day (and then two) in the fridge the leftovers were very soft. Very delicious, but not cookie-like. I don’t think I added the two Tbs of flour because the crumb-mix didn’t seem to need it, but maybe that was it. Next time!
These were delicious. I added the extra 2 tablespoons of flour as suggested and mixed things in bowls rather than in the pan. I had no trouble with softness. They were chewy and had great texture. The fruit combination really is very tart, but next to the sweet bottom it wasn’t a problem.
Just made these bars and ended up putting in the 2 extra Tablespoons of flour. These bars are PERFECTION! I’m eating them out of the pan steaming hot and I can’t stop! The husband has already approved them as well :) Thank you!
I’ve never commented on a recipe before but I just made this with an over abundance of rhubarb from our CSA box and they are amazing. Possibly the best thing I’ve ever baked (I’m not a baker but was desperately drowning in rhubarb). Thank you! I used coconut oil per your suggestion and the bottom was crisp and delicious, now how to not them all while I wait for the husband to get home….
This looks absolutely delicious! I am only ten, but I cook a lot so I hope to make these soon. You said that you did it all the pan; what did you mean by that?
—Aili
Hi Aili! — I meant that you can mix all of the ingredients IN the pan that you bake it in, i.e. the crumbs and then just scatter the fruit over. No bowl needed, so it’s quite easy. Good luck.
This one looks unbelievably pretty
hi Deb, I can’t wait to make these today! Thanks for the tips. I was curious that if I did want to take them out of the pan, would you suggest spraying with Pam? Thanks, Ruth
Pam always works, as does lining the pan with parchment paper. You could also make something of a “sling” with it, but these probably won’t lift well in one piece unless they’re fridge-cooled and very hard.
Thanks, Deb! Decided to double the recipe as you mentioned they would be great for breakfast!
I doubled the recipe and made in a 9X13″ pan. I took these to a party and received a ton of compliments! Great recipe. I made a few adjustments in my double batch: 1 extra Tb of butter, 1 extra Tb of each rhubarb and strawberry, and I reserved a little more than suggested for the crumble topping. I cut these into 20 portions for “medium” bars. Had no sogginess problems.
I made these with just rhubarb and they were horrible! I’m guessing the strawberries add the necessary juice. Or maybe my rhubarb was too close to the end of the season. :(
How necessary is the lemon juice? I want to make these now and have everything but!
I want to use cranberries instead of rhubarb and strawberries… how much more sugar should I add to the filling?
Maybe just a couple tablespoons, I wouldn’t go overboard.
Put this together in 5 minutes (no really, before the oven had even preheated) using the delicious rhubarb/strawb leftovers from the Rhubard and Strawberry Soda recipe. Smells amazing, can’t wait to dig in!
I’ve made this countless times with many different variations and it’s always good. Most often I double it in a 9×13 pan, reduce the sugar 2/3 to 3/4 of a cup, use a 16 oz. bag frozen mixed berries (coarsely chop the larger berries and throw them in still frozen), skip the lemon juice and cornstarch and just sprinkle a heaping tablespoon sugar on top of the berries. I think I like it even better leftover than fresh! We call it berry crisp and it’s one of our favorite breakfasts!
I forgot to mention that I’ve also ground up raw oatmeal in my food processor to make oat flour and used that in place of the AP flour for a gluten-free version (assuming your oats are gluten-free).
I tried the cinnamon-apple variation. Although I appreciated the ease of preparation, the textures and flavors didn’t do much for me.
I love this concept (pies in bar-form, YAY!) just not a fan of rhubarb… is there an alternative of fruit combo?
Definitely a lot of people are making them with other fruit or berries, I think the trick will be controlling the wetness and size — keep whatever else you use diced small so it can bake through in the allotted time.
Thanks for this recipe! I made this today and it came out great. Served it as a dessert, with ice cream of course. It held up well pre-made, refrigerated, and then baked a few hours later. I swapped in 1 cup blueberries for the rhubarb because the grocery store didn’t have the latter, and it was still a hit. Can’t wait to try it with other seasonal fruits.
I’ve made crisps and muffins and many of your recipes (especially using rhubarb, I love it!!) and I just made this (I did use raspberries instead of strawberries) and my fruit didn’t bake down :( no bubbling happening, baked about 45 min, and still whole pieces of fruit (looking like they’re getting dry) Andy idea of why this happened? I’m sure it will stay taste amazing!
This happened to me too… no bubbling. How did yours taste?
Made this last nite, added in an extra 1/2 cup of rhubarb and used blueberries. I browned the butter as well but my crisp didn’t come together enough, probably needed a bit more butter. Will definitely try this again and see how it goes.
I’ve made this twice as written and it’s fabulous. When I make this in the future I will definitely double it because they disappear too quickly. Also a great recipe for my 3 year old to help with.
These were DELICIOUS!
I doubled the recipe, but I still used an 8×8 pan. They were really hefty and maybe not as crispy as how the recipe intended… but they were still sooo yummy. I ran out of brown sugar so I subbed for turbinado sugar and that worked just fine.
I made these twice in 2 days with fresh rhubarb from my CSA. These are outstanding! We served warm and a la mode but they’re also good straight from the fridge.
Did you use all rhubarb? I don’t have any strawberries but do have plenty of rhubarb from the farmers market. Wondering if it can fly solo… thanks!!
I just made a gluten free adaptation of these today. We do not have any strawberries available yet in Michigan, so I used gluten free flour in place of the flour, ghee for the butter, and 2c rhubarb (two very large stalks). I decided I needed to increase sweetness a little, and that I didn’t need the extra acidity from the lemon, both on account of the tartness the extra rhubarb would bring. So, I used 3/4c brown sugar in the base, and a tablespoon and a half on the rhubarb itself. I also used coconut water instead of lemon. They came out beautifully – I might even cut the sugar a little on the next round. A huge thanks to smitten kitchen for this updated recipe. My daughter who is off of gluten, egg and milk solids *loved* them.
I made a double batch and they were not at all crisp. I used a light colored 9×12 pan. Baked them for 40 min., (mine oven temp is right on), refrigerated, but they were soggy. Hmmm? Should I use a darker pan?
Help, your recipe update mentioned baking soda – but there’s no baking soda listed in the recipe… is this supposed to be in the recipe?
Baking soda is intentionally omitted in the update
I just made this for the first time, and not only did it turn out perfect, I think it might be my favourite thing I’ve ever made with rhubarb. And I LOVE rhubarb. Very simple and quick to make – love the crunchy cookie bottom and how the rhubarb retains it’s tartness. Too many things made with fruit are overpowered by too much sugar, and you lose the fruit flavours. The balance in this is perfection!
Great recipe. I made it vegan (use coconut oil in place of butter as Deb suggests), gluten free (Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 flour in place of wheat flour) and used coconut sugar in place of other sugars. I also used an extra cup of fruit in a double recipe. Amazing!
So delicious Deb, thank you! Made these today, and they do crisp up nicely in the fridge (and the bars are quite satisfying to nibble on when cold). My only regret is not doubling the recipe ;P
Would these freeze well?
Absolutely.
So good! I love a good fruit crisp, but find that they usually sog up if not eaten within a day or two. These bars satisfy my craving for a fruit crisp, while also holding up well in the fridge for a few days or of course in the freezer. I’ve made these bars three times now. I tend to use 3-4 cups of fruit and haphazardly measure heaped portions of oats and flour, as this allows for extra topping. Highly recommend!
Strawberry and rhubarb is such a class combo. I think this would be great as a snack in a kids lunch
Could you sub the brown sugar in the crust with Golden Syrup (the British product) so that these would have a more British flapjack flavor? If so how would you sub it?
Made these today as written. Very nice.
It looks like you could make this with other toppings – liked cooked apples, sugar, cinnamon (like an apple crisp!)
I made these this morning and have managed to eat 1/3 of the pan before they were fully cooled so not super crisp … at with a fork. I wasn’t concerned about the crisp factor or being able to pick them up … liked the ingredient list and knew if all else failed I could pour some milk over and call it strawberry rhubarb oatmeal. I think fruit recipes are difficult because the variation in ripeness and sugar content can vary widely. At any rate, happy with this recipe, especially the “one bowl/pan” part!!
Made this with a few changes – I used whole wheat pastry flour (added one of the extra tbsp.), all rhubarb because I have to use it up, and added one tsbp. sugar to the fruit. I baked 35 minutes, which was probably 5 minutes too long, but they are definitely crispy, cookie-like, and delicious! Next time (because there will be a next time), I will do a bit of OJ (instead of lemon juice) and the tiniest pinch of ginger and cardamon in the filling like my fave rhubarb pie. A decent snack for me and the toddler.
I doubled the recipe in a 9″x13″ pan, and they came out great! I swapped about half the flour for whole wheat and accidentally used salted Tillamook butter instead of unsalted. I was worried when I just tasted the base that it would be too salty, but once the fruit topping was on and baked, it tasted great. The bars held together really well!
We tried these, but wasn’t entirely thrilled. Not sure what/if was wrong, but they never came close to being anything I’d describe as crisp. I was suspicious about the refrigerator adding any crispness, but did it. They also did not hold together well – was more a plate and fork item.
Only deviation from recipe was using only rhubarb (because I like rhubarb and strawberries weren’t in yet.
Hope for better luck with the Rhubarb Snacking Cake.
can one substitute a non-gluten flour? which would you suggest?
Yes, many comments above from people who have made these gluten-free successfully. (Do a word search for “gluten” to find them all.) Here are a few:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/05/strawberry-rhubarb-crisp-bars/#comment-801267
https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/05/strawberry-rhubarb-crisp-bars/#comment-801304
https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/05/strawberry-rhubarb-crisp-bars/#comment-801356
https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/05/strawberry-rhubarb-crisp-bars/#comment-801369
Hi, do they freeze well?
Thank you!
Yes, these freeze well.
Made these yesterday with rhubarb straight from the farm and so-so strawberries from the supermarket (they’re not yet in season here). Rested in the refrigerator overnight and they are perfect – just sweet enough for me and not to sweet for my husband. I’ll be making them again, trying different fruit combos. I used parchment paper, which made the mixing a bit tricky, but it let me lift the whole thing out of the baking pan at once.
I accidentally dumped one cup of seven grain cereal mix into the pan instead of oats. It turned out fine! The perils of shopping from the bulk bins and baking while sleep deprived…
It should be noted in this recipe that if you make it, it will barely be enough to share because they are SO GOOD. I made a double batch and put half in the freezer and the next day already had to take some out because what I had allotted to share ended up in my belly.
They are divine. I added some softened rhubarb that I had leftover from making a rhubarb simple syrup, doubled the recipe, and pretty much tripled the crumble/crust (because who doesn’t want more crumble goodness?!!?)
I am addicted to these bars, and love rhubarb! I have made them 3 times this week! I find the rhubard is tart enough not to use the lemon juice, and used turbinado sugar(which is in my sugar bowl, out of laziness) instead of white sugar to sprinkle. I love that they are less sweet, but that crust totally adds something special. My excuse? Rhubarb season is short.
Tried this again, but more successful this time (full disclosure, the “kitchen staff” made the first batch). Will not let him operate unsupervised in the future.
Some hints to perhaps include in recipe. I made sure to use “old fashioned” oats.
I used mixing bowl. I was apprehensive about getting a consistent mixture in a baking pan, and no big deal for an extra bowl to wash.
Pressed the crust down hard with bottom of metal measuring cup.
Used all rhubarb (haven’t gone berry picking yet, and I like rhubarb). Cut into a finer dice than what appears in photo. Again, mixed the fruit layer in the same bowl I had used for crust.
My baking pan was slightly larger than 8 x 8, so made up some extra crumble topping.
I was doing this around 5 am., so not thinking all that clearly. After it was in the oven, I couldn’t remember if I added sugar to the fruit. I sprinkled the sugar on while it was half way through baking, figuring that with all rhubarb, wouldn’t be too sweet. Had to bake longer than recipe for the sugar to melt in, and it was fine, and perhaps even crunchier.
I made these last night with just rhubarb and they are delicious! My kids love them and we’re grateful that they’re eating a fruit they often are skeptical of! Thanks so much! Yum!
I can’t find rhubarb in my area. What can I substitute for rhubarb?
You can use any other fruit — easier if it’s one you can dice, maybe a stone fruit?
I made a double batch, using only strawberries. Delicious!
These are delicious with any combination of fruit. And refrigerate as Deb instructs. I eat mine for breakfast with a scoop of non fat Greek yogurt. I sub Einkorn flour and add chopped walnuts to add more crunch. I make these regularly. Peach /blueberry, mixed berry both good options.
I’ve made these a few times now and have tweaked it to my liking. First, I like a thicker crust so I scale the crumble mixture to 125%. I always have to use the additional amount of flour or else it’s too wet. I also par-bake the bottom crust for 10 minutes before topping it. These changes allow for a firm, crispy, substantial crust. I use coconut oil because of a dairy allergy. And finally, I use 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of cardamom for some extra oomph.
Just made these. I did not add the extra 2 tblsp of flour but will next time since, while delicious, they were not crisp. Keeping them in the frig didn’t help. They do hold their shape when cut but are crumbly and must be eaten with a fork. Might try the trick someone else mentioned of baking off the bottom crust for a few minutes before topping, much as you would with lemon bars. That said, they are very tasty!
This is one of the best things that I’ve made from smitten kitchen. The fruit mixture may look dry after baking, but this is key for the whole thing holding together. My bottom crust was crisp and beautiful. I love a recipe that does not involve my dirtying multiple bowls. My only recommendation is that you double this recipe for a 9 by 13 pan, otherwise you will be very sad when it is all gobbled up at one go by ravenous little people.
Deb…love your posts, your cookbooks and your whims! And honestly, how can anyone be disappointed in anything strawberry rhubarb that can double as breakfast and a treat….don’t worry if it didn’t turn out like your photos…life is an adventure…keep making our little corners of the world more delicious and whimsical!
Wow, this is delish! What a perfect rhubarb dessert. And I can see using blueberries when rhubarb is out of season. I love the one pan and the fact that I generally have most ingredients on hand all the time. It’s a great solution to weeknight dessert that feels very special. And it keeps well for second day. I reheated in the oven and it was fine. Topped it with vanilla ice cream and mmmmmmmm!
I just made a version of rhubarb crumble yesterday and about fell over from the amount of sugar in it.
Tasty – sure – I mean rhubarb, butter, sugar? what’s not to love?
But I can’t wait to try this one (and feel slightly better about it)
Aloha from Honolulu! Made this tonight with frozen Hayden mango (2c) and it was so easy and so delicious. Because of the texture and sweetness of the mango and based on other comments, I didn’t use the cornstarch, white sugar, or lemon. We’ll hopefully have lots more mangos this summer and so plan to freeze some so we can make this again and again. Mahalo, Smitten Kitchen!
I made the recipe, doubled, 11 x 13 pan, but didn’t use the extra flour (it seemed dry enough in pan) and have problems with crispness, holding together, even in fridge. Tasty, but not sure I’ll bother trying again – if I do, will use the extra flour and see I that solves the issue. My oats were pretty big flakes, so that might have contributed to the problem.
These were amazing. I cooked the crust for 10 min (at 350; I used a glass pan), added everything, then cooked for ~40 min. Bottom is crispy and brown, even with the topping still a bit warm. Big hit around here. Now to find more rhubarb…
This year has been my first year of cooking/baking with rhubarb and after having baked my first rhubarb and strawberry pie, I’ve been on the hunt for follow-up recipes to try out. These bars are divine and were a breeze to make! Based on previous comments, I baked the crust to give it a sturdier base, which worked out perfectly as I may have upped the amount of rhubarb and strawberries because I just couldn’t resist having a jammier center. I also let them macerate in a separate bowl before topping it on the crust. I definitely plan on making the rhubarb and strawberry combination again (tempted to double the recipe…) but it seems like it would be easily adaptable with whatever fruits that are in season. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
This recipe is my new favorite rhubarb recipe! I made it gluten free by using oat flour instead of white flour, and I increased fruit to 2 cups rhubarb and 2 cups strawberries, same amount of sugar, and 2 T ground tapioca instead of cornstarch. Next time I will use less sugar in the crust–maybe just 1/4 or 1/3 cup instead of 1/2 cup. My goal is gluten-free and as close to sugar free as possible–but that might not be your thing in which case the original recipe is perfect! So easy and delicious!!
It helps me make a choice to try a recipe if I know the nutritional content.
I hope you might include this information in the future.
Any idea how long they will keep in fridge …I want to make ahead for BBQ.
I made these 3 weeks ago after finding rhubarb in the grocery store, which is, unfortunately, not so common in southern California. :(
They were amazing!
I did use less than the suggested sugar, but that’s the only change, because I’ve never liked the icky, sweet, strawberry-rhubarb combo.
My son (who hates fruit) even loved them!
I’m making them again this morning.
Can’t Wait!
Well these are a big hit with my long distance rhubarb deprived family. I made them for a cousin reunion at my home in 2015 as I have man eating rhubarb that I have to harvest 3-4 times a year. So…I have to make and fly them with me all over America. They can survive a 2 hour plane ride out of fridge but any ideas on longer? Freeze first? Make when I get there is not an option. tried it.
First week of rhubarb season, made this straightaway! In previous years I used the prescribed oldfashioned oats but thanks to corona related hoarding, I haven’t been able to find old fashioned oats in weeks. Substituted with quick cooking oats and they turned out GREAT.
Delicious. Used fresh rhubarb and strawberries. Other commenters were right…you should double recipe. Also agree, just to save a smidge more than 1/2 cup for the topping…. i think 3/4 cup!
Quick suggestion…Mix the lemon juice, cornstarch, and sugar together in a bowl and then mix it with the fruit. Much easier.
Yes!
These are SO good. 10/10.
Would this work with just rhubarb? I got oodles in my CSA box and am trying to avoid one-ingredient shopping. Would you increase the sugar at all?
Yes and you can increase the sugar a tiny bit.
I made these today to use up some frozen strawberries. Offered some to my 4yo…
“The Smitten Kitchen lady says they’re good with yogurt on them. Would you like yours with yogurt, or plain?”
4yo: “I want mine with yogurt, I want to see if the Smitten Kitchen lady is right. Her recipes are always tasty!”
Verdict after trying them: “Mommy, she was right, they are good with yogurt!”
Walked by the green grocer and it was empty? What to do – run in grab some fresh rhubarb and strawberries and make the quarantined family some crisps. DE-licious. Made the larger version and it wasn’t quite hard “crisp” but wow, these are simply delcious. Deb you are such a life saver during this crazy time. Thank you!
Made these for the first time today! I adore rhubarb but today was the first time I’ve been able to find it in a grocery store here in the Netherlands (as a Mainer living abroad, I truly miss my Hannafords grocery store produce section, Albert Heijn just doesn’t cut it). Anyways they are delicious! I might add a touch more sugar in the future, as they are quite tart, but my strawberries might not have been the ripest. Definitely a good quarantine-mood-booster!
No offense, but is there any easy way to get your recipes so I can forward to a friend/family member? Maybe I am missing something, but I don’t want to download some random website . I don’t always like to copy and past the recipe and directions to send to a friend. Any advice? Thanks
Yes — very easily. Below each recipe, in the DO MORE: menu, there’s an envelope icon. Press it and a box pops up “Send this to a friend.” Add their email address and you’re set!
I made these with 2 cups of frozen cranberries that had been hiding in the back of the freezer since Thanksgiving. I didn’t feel like figuring out what to do with the other 2 Tbsp of butter from my stick, so I just increased the other crumble ingredients proportionately and then split the mixture evenly after combining – half for the base, half on top. We are fans of extra crumble top so it worked out perfectly!
I know it’s a funny question, but can I make these without rhubarb? Maybe add some blueberries instead? We don’t have rhubarb handy and it’s hard to make a trip for that during a pandemic lol. Thank you!
Most any fruit will work.
Sounds wonderful!
These turned out delicious with nice crispy base. Thank you for the recipe! Made some changes for a dairy-free, gluten-free family member. In case it helps others: Used coconut oil, cut amount to ~5/6 of total since it’s all fat and butter has some water in it. Replaced flour with 1/2 gluten free flour blend (a typical starchy/rice one) and 1/2 almond four. Used cranberries instead of rhubarb/strawberries with double the granulated sugar and no cornstarch or lemon. Can’t wait to make with rhubarb!
I doubled the recipe for a 9×13 pan. Couldn’t get it mixed well using a parchment sling. The butter seeped under the paper. I dumped it into a bowl and mixed it up. I also pre-mixd the lemon juice, cornstarch and sugar and then tossed it with the strawberries and rhubarb. I’d do the same again. I don’t mind washing bowls.
I made this without the cornstarch and with only 1/4 Tsp of sugar sprinkled on top of the fruit instead of the 1 Tablespoon. Tasted perfectly balanced, with the sweet coming from the base/crumble and the fruit really shining. Also held together well. We love this recipe and will make it again and again!
Made this 4 days ago. FANTASTIC. I used a 9×13 baking dish, 3 cups rhubarb, 1 cup of frozen mixed berries, and scaled other ingredients up proportionally. I baked for 45 minutes and was very skeptical about the bottom forming up, but after chilling in fridge, bottom was nice and crisp day 1 and 2. Day 3 and 4, more soggy but still delicious and holding together fine. Like many have said, a single portion will not be enough. Phenomenal.
Mine turned out crumbly. What do you think I did wrong? Too much butter or not enough in my flour/oat mixture? I ended up using all of the oat mix for the bottom layer. Was that too much?
The crumbs were crumbly or the final bars?
Just made these yesterday- perfect! Thanks for the amazing recipe Deb.
I did decide that mixing in the pan that i lined with parchment was going to be a hassle, i ended up using a bowl (plenty of time to wash dishes in quarantine) for the base and did the same for the fruit mixture, tossing with the lemon juice sugar and cornstarch/sugar mix. I also opted to use the entire amount of crumble for the base and used the remaining 2 tbsp of butter to make a bit of extra oatmeal topping. Stored in fridge, cut and back into fridge they went, but I suspect they won’t last long.
Delicious and so very easy! I do not bake often but I stumbled across this recipe when searching for rhubarb shrubs and I could not resist the thought of rhubarb, strawberries, oats and butter. I’m glad I steered off course from my original plan.
My rhubarb crisp never got to the “bubbling” stage, so I cooked it for 50 minutes hoping it would bubble, gave up and finally took it out of the oven, at which point the bottom was overly browned and stuck to the parchment paper. The few pieces I was able to separate from parchment paper were quite delicious, but overall this recipe did not live up to my expectations unfortunately. I wonder if the fruit mixture needed more lemon juice and/or granulated sugar to properly bubble?
I made this as directed, but used frozen blueberries & peaches as the fruit and it’s AMAZING. So far we’ve had it two weeks in a row. I love how the bottom crisps up when you chill them in the fridge.
LOVE these! I love that the cleanup is almost nothing and the taste is everything. Just perfect as written. Thanks for another great recipe!
This was absolutely amazing! I used about 80% white whole wheat flour, and decreased the sugar a little since I was planning on serving them for breakfast. I baked it in the evening and refrigerated overnight. The texture in the morning was great—tender fruit and crispy cookie-like bottom. This will be a recipe to return to for sure!
HI,
Are the rolled oats Old Fashioned or regular “quick” oats?
Thanks.
Rolled oats are old fashioned oats :-)
Yum! These are so good, just the perfect amount of sweet. I had a hard time evenly mixing the fruit with the cornstarch, lemon juice, and sugar so I think that next time I’d mix that up in a bowl instead of in the baking dish. Otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing!
Can I use frozen rhubarb and strawberries? Should I thaw first?
I used frozen strawberries and did not thaw them. They worked great!
This recipe is confusing–the flour isn’t listed in the ingredients and the oats aren’t listed in the instructions– assuming oats go in with flour and sugar?
Ok, I’m really not drunk…just not paying attention!! making these now and I know they’ll be great!
These are good, but borderline too sour. It feels like it is in large part dependent on your strawberries. If they are fresh, local and very ripe it will probably be fine. If you have the grocery store ones, I would add a little more sugar to the filling- go to 2 T. That will likely also help for the people who said their filling was a little dry. The sugar will pull the juices out and soften the fruit a bit more. But a nice change from pie, And great for when you only have a little rhubarb left.
These are so good. I love that they can be served either straight out of the fridge, or re-heated + ice cream as an instant strawberry-rhubarb crisp.
This is my new go-to crisp recipe.
My modifications:
– I used LSA instead of flour as I have a bag of LSA I want to use up. The nuttiness was delicious.
– I used just under 1/2 cup of brown sugar and no sugar in the filling – the bars were still sweet enough for me.
– I used almost a full 500 gram bag of frozen strawberries (it’s winter where I am) and they worked great.
– I added some cacao nibs (maybe 2 tsps worth) into the mixture for the top. So tasty and next time I will add a few more.
Sweet Moses, these are delicious! I made them with vegan butter, Einkorn flour, baking powder, and used peaches and Marion berries. They were fantastic. Thank you!!!
Double trouble! I doubled this recipe in a 9×13 pan. The crumble amount was good but the fruit needs to be at least 3-4x the original – tripled or quadrupled with rest of recipe doubled. Also made it with Bobs GF Blue flour. Despite the fruit factor, my family has been eating it by the spoonful straight from pan!
I love almost every Smitten Kitchen recipe I’ve ever tried. This one was the first that maybe fell short. Mixing the dry and wet ingredients right in my 8×8 pan was pretty difficult bc of the parchment paper… (dry ingredients kept wanting to slip between cracks, paper kept moving around, you get the idea). Would have been much easier to just mix in a bowl and pour in. On a similar note – the lemon juice and cornstarch… think it would have been simpler to just mix w/ the fruit before adding instead of trying to drizzle proportionately all over once already in the dish. And finally… the end result was ok, but I’ve had much tastier versions of strawberry/rhubarb yummy. Just my two cents. Will not stop me from trying more of Deb’s awesome creations. : )
Ha! Anna F, I just posted the same comment, basically (about doing things in a different bowl). I wish I had read yours first!
I made this with rhubarb only and well, if you are doing that you need to macerate the rhubarb with sugar and lemon ahead of time like in the rhubarb snacking cake (which btw is amazing),otherwise the result might not be the best. I used only 40g of flour, about 15g of almond flour and substituted the rest with ground oatmeal and it was good, although a bit tart. I might give this a try again if I happen to have strawberries but if I only have rhubarb, then the rhubarb snacking cake recipe will be my first choice.
Made this with 2 peaches and 1 nectarine that I needed to use, delicious! I cut the stone fruit into a medium dice. I had an 11×11 pan so I multiplied the recipe by 1.75, but cut the sugar to about 100 grams and my fruit ended up being about 600 grams total. Would do even slightly less sugar next time with stone fruit. Skipped the lemon, cornstarch, and sugar on the fruit. So delicious for dessert and breakfast!
I made this and loved it. So much so that I was disappointed when I couldn’t find it the next time I wanted to make it so I made another recipe and it was OK. But then I re-found this recipe and saw that some changes have been made and so I’m making it the way it’s been advertised now. I substitute orange instead of lemon I feel it goes great with strawberries and rhubarb I also add a little bit of cinnamon to the topping and crust. I feel it’s important for us to build each other up and add our own experiences and hopefully expertise in cooking that’s what the fun is all about. So thank you for a wonderful recipe and I hope everybody enjoys it whichever way they make it.
I couldn’t find rhubarb, so I made this with ~2/3 (fresh) strawberries and ~1/3 (frozen) blueberries. It worked well! But I have to express my annoyance that this is a “one bowl” (well, one-pan) recipe. I used parchment in the pan, and mixing the base/crumble with the parchment there was ridiculous – I quickly gave up on that and moved it to a bowl.
Then, sprinkling corn starch over the strawberries… well I found that just impossible to do.. More than half of it clumped on the part of the base that didn’t have strawberries on it (I cut them pretty small but they didn’t cover the base at all), and how does one “sprinkle” corn starch anyway? To even attempt the same thing with lemon juice seemed silly, so at this point I carefully got all the strawberries (and the cornstarch that had landed on them, miraculously) off the base and into a bowl and mixed it with the lemon juice. That was so much easier!
So if I make this again (and search for this comment), I’ll do the base in a bowl, then mix the fruit with the cornstarch, sugar, and lemon juice in the same bowl. Will be so much easier, and may even cook up better! And I’ll use rhubarb next time.
Thanks, Deb, for another keeper (even though I plan to modify it). :)
I noticed that coconut oil is suggested as a vegan substitute… could I use vegan butter instead?
Yes, absolutely.
These bars are among the reasons to be excited for berry season. The BEST! Always a crowd favourite.
These look absolutely wonderful! With a freezer full of rhubarb, I am wondering if I can use frozen instead of fresh. Would it make things too soggy? Thanks so much!
Can you swap the rhubarb for something else?
Perfect Timing! I had rhubarb purchased enthusiastcally without knowing what I would use it for, and strawberries past their prime and all the other ingredients. Just took this out of the oven and couldn’t resist taste testing before popping it in the fridge. It is soo good!! Perfect combo of sweet and tart and so cheerful looking. It is making me look forward to Monday morning with fresh brewed coffee…yes from a Moka!. Next time I will make a double batch.
I started excited to not use any dishes then realized I may as well use a bowl 🤷🏼 still super easy and less fussy for my brain not liking steps (I can see accidentally dumping too much cornstarch or leaving out the sugar or…) or trying not send crumble flying when I mix in pan. Anyhow, easy and delicious! Thanks!
This recipe didn’t come together quite right for me. The flavors were great, but (1) the bottom didn’t combine well. I blame mixing it in the pan (with parchment getting in the way). Some butter pooled below the parchment and in the corners, and the bottom was dry elsewhere even though I did try my best to combine it. The center of the bottom was soggy in the middle, and crispy on the outside. Should it have baked longer at a lower temp? (2) It could use more fruit on top. The fruit barely covered the top, and didn’t get juicy or bubbly (even though I was working with super-juicy, farm-picked strawberries!). More fruit might have solved that.
Take-home: Tasted great, texture and proportions a little off as written.
I don’t see the 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda in the revised recipe does that go in with the oats, flour and brown sugar?
Thx!
Baking soda is meant to be left out in the updated version
Against my better judgement, I followed the rec that if served in pan, no need to grease and BOY was that a mistake! GREASE your pans people!!! (I even see some folks saying it stuck to their parchment and that should be greased as well) I used Italian plums and a sprinkle of cinnamon, and omgz, so good, what little of it I managed to chisel out of the pan!
Very nice yummy cake recipe
Good morning. I’m now confused on what the structure of these are suppose to be. Was reading thinking they’d be crunchy and crispy, then I get the end where you describe a redo of the recipe. So now I have have no idea how they’re suppose to be. Thanks for the help and good food.
Have you ever made something like this with the leftover fruit mush from the strawberry-rhubarb syrup? I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t work.
Made a double batch with extra rhubarb- until the bottom was full in my 8×8 pan. I went with the pre- 2014 adjusted formula and used a bit less flour and added back the baking soda because I wanted them less crispy. I put the rest in metal muffin tins I’d greased liberally- but that did NOT work well. (whoopsies! they stuck badly, but were delish nonetheless) We just ended up chipping them out into a tupperware and eating scoops. I shoulda known better but, eh, worth trying!
I also did the same with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free baking mix and added dried strawberries between the rhubarb and the bottom crust. It turned out much crispier- cookie like- than the original flour one, but i covered tightly and it softened up over night.
I’ve made these many times over the years and am always happily surprised how easy they come together. Plus, they’re “healthy” – ish. I’ll take it as a win. Thanks as always Deb for yet another great recipe.
I’ve been making this recipe for years. It’s a favorite with my family and I always double it. Thank you! My favorite way to make it is to swap frozen raspberries for strawberries – I like the zing of raspberries with rhubarb.
Super yummy, but the pan definitely needs to be greased.
This is my favorite crumble recipe of all time! My brother isn’t a dessert person and even he will go out of his way to ask me to make it for him. We double the recipe, use two bowls (one for fruit mix, one for crumble mix), and maybe most in the most *extra* move, brown the butter! It is absolute perfection!!
In your comments you say there is now 1/8 heaping baking soda & an additional 1/4 cup flour if needed. But that’s not what the recipe below states ??? Can you clarify please.
Also can I use frozen strawberries
PS live all your recipes 😊
Made these yesterday, dirtied 2 bowls because trying to mix in a parchment lined pan seemed like a hassle as did the mixing of fruit with sugar, butter and cornstarch. Easy recipe and will make again but will up the amount of fruit and may add a little spice (cinnamon ?) to the crisp.
I’ve made this recipe many times over the years and it’s a favorite. I really like using only rhubarb (no strawberries – double the rhubarb) in the recipe but I’ve also made it with rhubarb and blueberries or rhubarb and blackberries. Every kind of berry seems to work. It’s so delicious and perfect to share at a picnic, bbq or on a beach trip.
I just made these today for a Mother’s Day brunch, and they were very well received. Good thing I have enough fruit to try it again soon.
Could I use frozen strawberries? I see questions about using frozen rhubarb but not strawberries.
Sure, but I’d chop them so they sink less.
This comes out brilliantly every time, and I always double it. It’s just the right mix of tart and sweet. I use fresh rhubarb from my garden and last year’s strawberries (thawed thoroughly before baking) because our strawberry season doesn’t start late June, well into the rhubarb season here in the North East Kingdom.
Do you think this would work if I used strawberry rhubarb sauce that I made? Minimal sugar and some lemon. Would I just add the cornstarch bit?
I’m trying to imagine it baked again, and I cannot, but theoretically, it could work!
Very tasty! I doubled the recipe and made it in a 9 x 13. They were still a little on the thin side so I might make it in a 7 x 10 next time. Also, I really wish I’d used parchment paper. They were a bit of a mess coming out of the pan. I’d also use a little more fruit. Maybe another 1/2 cup of each of strawberry and rhubarb.
I really appreciate the tips on making them vegan and gluten-free!
These were ok — something I’d serve as a breakfast item more than a dessert. They aren’t super sweet and I feel the ratio of fruit to crumble is off (I even added a bit more fruit than called for and it still felt like something was missing.) It is incredibly easy to put together though since almost everything is done in the baking pan.
These are an absolute favorite. Two lessons I’ve learned. 1) Dirty an extra bowl and make the crumble/crust in that. Spray the pan with non-stick spray and then press in the crust. It makes it a zillion times easier to remove the bars from the pan. 2) Cut them when they are warm. Once they are chilled and crispy, they are much harder to cut.
I’ve made these a ton with a variety of fruits and love them! Wondering if you have any thoughts on scaling up to a rimmed half-sheet pan? Was thinking I could triple ingredients and it might work??
My kitchen is smelling amazing at this moment, THANKS AGAIN Deb!