Rhubarb Crisp with No Other Fruit

This Easy Rhubarb Crisp recipe is made with no other fruit and topped with an oatmeal topping. Baked to perfection, this is one of my favorite rhubarb recipes! It's perfect with ice cream on top.

It's not too sweet yet hits the spot on a warm evening when you want something crunchy and a little fruity with some vanilla bean ice cream.

Easy Homemade Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb is too often combined with other fruit like strawberries, and I think it's a shame. There is a time and a place for that, but it isn't a must. This rhubarb crisp with no other fruit really highlights the unique qualities in rhubarb without hiding it with other flavors. It's sweet with just a bit of tang that makes it a perfect dessert. The richness from the butter and pecans go along great with the tart fruit. There are no dry parts to this crisp either because you melt the butter and stir it right in. That's my little secret for the perfect crisp.

I think some people are weirded out by rhubarb, but I'm here to tell you that it is awesome! Mine just popped out of the ground and has about 6 inches worth of curly leaves coming out of the ground. Crisp is always my first choice when it comes to rhubarb desserts. It's simple to make and people are always really surprised at just how delicious it is once they try it, rhubarb lover or not!

What is Rhubarb?

It's tart, like a tart cherry (which is so good in baking) but it cooks down a lot. It's one of my favorite easy go-to perennials on our farm, and I look forward to it every spring. And fun fact, it's super high in vitamin C. We like to eat it raw like celery with a bit of salt on it when we aren't turning it into our favorite rhubarb desserts.

Is Rhubarb Poisonous?

Fun fact... rhubarb leaves are poisonous. While it would take ingesting roughly 10 pounds of leaves to kill an average-size adult, small amounts will make you sick. Be sure to keep livestock and chickens out of your rhubarb patch, too -- it's not good for them either. Have no fear; the stalks are just fine.

Recipe Ingredients:

Rhubarb crisp is so simple. For the fruit part, you'll need:

Chopped rhubarb: Of course, this is the star of the show! You can use any type you have available to you.

Sugar: Sugars sweetens the tart fruit.

Cornstarch: This will thicken the fruit mixture so it's more gooey than runny, in the most delicious way!

And for the topping, you'll need:

Brown sugar: Brown sugar allows the crisp to almost caramelize and get really pretty and golden.

White sugar: White sugar adds another element of sweet.

Flour: Flour holds everything together and thickens the topping like a crunchy crust.

Oats: The oats will add a nice textured element.

Pecans: Pecans are optional, or you can use another favorite nut like walnuts.

Vanilla: Vanilla brings a soothing warmth to the sweet and tart flavors.

Melted butter: Melted butter acts as the liquid that turns the crust into a batter that crisps up nicely as it bakes.

How to Make Rhubarb Crisp:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 8x8-inch baking dish or 4-6 individual ramekins with cooking spray.
2. Combine chopped rhubarb, sugar, and cornstarch, and stir to combine.
3. Combine the sugars, flour, oats, and pecans in another bowl; stir with fork to combine.
4. Add vanilla and melted butter; stir until no dry powder is left.
5. Place rhubarb mixture in your baking dish. Place the crisp topping on top of the rhubarb in the dish.
6. Cook for 18 to 24 minutes.
7. Let the crisp cool for 5 minutes before serving hot.

Tips for the Best Rhubarb Crisp:

• Melt the butter: My trick to making the best crisp on the block is to melt the butter and then stir it into the oat mixture. This means that you'll never have any dry pockets of oats and flour and it bakes up extra crispy.
• Use any kind of rhubarb: Rhubarb comes in lots of varieties. You'll generally see red rhubarb, but it also comes in green. All of them taste pretty similar, so just use what you can find.
• Search for rhubarb in spring: New to the rhubarb scene? Look for it at the farmers marker in mid to late spring. It's normally one of the first bits of produce you'll find.
• Bake in individual ramekins or an 8x8 baking dish: I love serving rhubarb crisp in individual ramekins with a scoop of ice cream on top, but you can also make this recipe in an 8x8 baking dish. Do what you have! Individual is just fun, though, right?
• Leave out pecans or sub another nut: Not a fan of pecans? Leave them out or sub another nut. I think they are SO good in this crisp.

Serving Suggestions:

This is a delicious dessert on its own, or to take it up a notch, pair with fresh whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream!

How to Store a Crisp:

Rhubarb crisp is best served the day it's made. If you want to store any leftovers, let it cool completely, cover tightly with an airtight lid or plastic wrap, and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes.

 

 

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Here are a few other summer dessert recipes you might enjoy:

• Sour Cherry Crumble
• Grandma's Raspberry Cobbler
• Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars
• Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade
• Homemade Chocolate Cream Pie