Rhubarb Crisp

By Mark Bittman

Updated March 21, 2017

  • Craig Lee for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
5(6,065)
Comments
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When you think of rhubarb you probably think of strawberry-rhubarb pie, a quintessential spring dessert, especially if it’s made by someone who makes good pies. I usually manage around one pie crust annually, so I need alternatives. Thus, when the spring’s first rhubarb shows up, I adjust the execution and produce a crisp. If rhubarb is young and fresh, you can trim it in seconds. If it has fibrous outer strings, peel them off as you would those of celery. Toss the rhubarb with orange or lemon juice and zest, and only a little sugar. (You can also substitute strawberries for some of the rhubarb if you want the classic combination.) Blend the ingredients for the crisp topping in a food processor, crumble the topping over the rhubarb mixture, and bake — it is nearly effortless and as good or better than a pie.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

  • 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing pan

  • 2 ½ to 3 pounds rhubarb, trimmed, tough strings removed, and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces (about 5 to 6 cups)

  • ¼ cup white sugar

  • 1 tablespoon orange or lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest

  • ¾ cup brown sugar

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour

  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste

  • Pinch salt

  • ½ cup rolled oats

  • ½ cup pecans

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)

37 grams carbs; 23 milligrams cholesterol; 276 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 14 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 30 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein; 22 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking or gratin dish with a little butter. Toss rhubarb with white sugar, orange or lemon juice and zest, and spread in baking dish.

  2. Step 2

    Put the 6 tablespoons butter in a food processor along with brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt, and pulse for about 20 or 30 seconds, until it looks like small peas and just begins to clump together. Add oats and pecans and pulse just a few times to combine.

  3. Step 3

    Crumble the topping over rhubarb and bake until golden and beginning to brown, 45 to 50 minutes.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
6,065 user ratings
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Comments

Marilyn Kruse

I'm an old Iowa farm girl (rhubarb desserts are classics there) and have been eating/cooking with rhubarb for years. This is basically a good recipe, certainly easier than making a pie crust. Suggestions: 1. Double the white sugar. It is too tart. 2. Double the cinnamon, and add a little nutmeg. 3. Melt the butter so you don't have to mess around with a food processor. 4. Dut the baking time by about 8 to 10 minutes. 5. And yes, serve with vanilla ice cream.

Mary Sojourner

Thank you for honoring rhubarb on its own merits. Rhubarb is not helped by strawberry - it is a tedious combination.

John Golden

If you use melted butter instead of cutting it in to flour mixture, it's incredibly crisp/crunchy

Lynn Young

I’m a Minnesota girl and rhubarb lover. THIS recipe is fabulous. I’m gonna put a pitch in for using the food processor. Makes it zippy and comes together “in a jiff!” The pecans add tasty, crunchy depth. A keeper!!

Valerie

melt the butter make sure dough clumps in processor, or do by hand reduce to 1/2 brown sugar double the cinnamon and add some ginger don't use the zest 1.75 lb of rhubarb, no need to destring sprinkle the rhubarb with cornstarch or flour 6c of 1.5" diced fresh-picked medium thickness rhubarb weighs ~20oz (not 2.5-3lbs as per recipe) and fills an 8x8" square baking dish to 3/4 level allowing room for topping and yields a cooked crisp <2" thick. A 9x9 dish holds 8c or ~26oz, a 10x10 holds 10c.

David M

Just harvested my rhubarb, used the crumble recipe from Melissa Clark since I don't have a food processor, and pumped it up with the seeds of 6 cardamom pods. Fabulous.

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