One of my favorite times of year– RHUBARB SEASON– is here, and I’m sharing four of the best rhubarb recipes that use this delicious seasonal wonder!
For 14 years at my former house, I grew rhubarb in the back yard that was transplanted from my mom’s garden. Every spring and early summer, I’d joyfully harvest it to make some of the family recipes handed down to me.
If it had not been the middle of a frozen January when we sold that house and moved, I’d have gone out back and dug up my mom’s rhubarb to bring with me. When spring rolled around and we were in the new place, I mentioned to my dad how sad I was to have left that rhubarb behind.
He got up from the kitchen table, went and got a shovel from the shed, and shuffled across the yard to show me a sad little clump of neglected rhubarb, barely surviving. He said, “This is what’s left of your mom’s rhubarb. It doesn’t get enough sun back here, but you can dig it up and see if you can get it to do better at your house.”
I took it home, and transplanted it in a sunny location. I really didn’t think it would survive, so I added a couple of plants to it that I purchased at a local greenhouse. Happily, over the course of the summer, the rhubarb my dad gave me grew bigger and stronger and filled out! I waited anxiously to see if it would come back this spring, and it did!
Since the rhubarb from my parents’ house is an heirloom plant (probably at least 40 years old!), the stalks are not as large and wide as my new rhubarb, but it makes me happy to have it growing there alongside the newer plants, so that when I harvest and use it, the old family recipes have at least some of my mom’s vintage rhubarb mixed in. ❤️
The Best Rhubarb Recipes
Rhubarb Pie
This rhubarb pie was my dad’s favorite. It’s a simple recipe passed down from my great-grandmother, to my grandmother, to my mom, to me, and also now to my daughter.
My dad didn’t want it “messed up” with strawberries added to it, like many people do with a rhubarb pie. He just wanted this good, old-fashioned version that my mom always made.
After I started growing rhubarb so many years ago, I made this pie for him every single year for either his birthday in late June, or for the July 4th BBQ–and sometimes for both!
This picture is the last pie I ever made for my dad, on his 76th birthday last summer. This is also one of my favorite pictures of the two us.
I have a lot of happy memories with my dad from last summer. He spent a lot of time here at our house over the summer before his health started declining in the fall. He had dinner with us a couple of times a week, we celebrated his birthday, Father’s Day and July 4 here with him. He’d come over to play pool, or just to sit on the deck and watch the horses.
This pie will always remind me of both of my parents.
Dad’s Favorite Rhubarb Pie
Ingredients
- 1 prepared pie crust for a double crust pie use your favorite recipe, or buy one from the store
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 6 tbsp flour
- 2 eggs beaten
- 4 cups rhubarb diced
Instructions
- Sift flour, cinnamon, and sugar together. Mix in beaten eggs. Add rhubarb and mix well.
- Pour filling into pie pan with bottom crust in place. Spread evenly, and top with top crust.
- Cut slits in top crust to vent.
- Bake 1 hour, at 350 degrees, checking often to make sure pie does not over brown. You may need to cover top loosely with foil if top gets too dark before pie is done.
- Tip: I often place a cookie sheet on the rack below my pie, to catch any juice that may drip over the edges as the pie cooks. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, with vanilla ice cream, or just on its own.
Rhubarb Crunch
This is another of my mom’s recipes that I remember enjoying as a child. It’s simple, uses only a few ingredients, and is delicious with a dollop of fresh whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream on top.
Rhubarb Crunch
Ingredients
- 4 cups rhubarb roughly chopped
Mix together until crumbly:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup quick oats
- ⅓ cup butter
Cook the following until thick and clear:
- 1½ cups white sugar
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Press half of the crumb mixture on the bottom of a 9×13 pan. I often use a slightly smaller pan to make the Rhubarb Crunch thicker.
- Add 4 cups (or more) rhubarb to the dish, and then pour cooked liquid mixture over the top of the rhubarb.
- Spread the remainder of the crumb mixture evenly across the top.
- Bake for 45 minutes in a 350° oven.
- Can be served warm, or served at room temp.
- Delicious with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top.
Rhubarb Bread
This quick bread pairs well with a cup of coffee in the morning. The tartness of the rhubarb contrasts well with the sweet, dense bread.
Rhubarb Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups rhubarb roughly chopped (about 12 oz.)
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1¾ cups white sugar
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ cup chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two 8×4-in. loaf pans.
- Toss rhubarb with 2 tablespoons sugar; let stand while preparing batter.
- In a large bowl, beat oil, eggs, vanilla and remaining sugar until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and baking powder; gradually beat into oil mixture (batter will be thick). Stir in rhubarb mixture and, if desired, pecans.
- Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.
Rhubarb Cocktails
Another favorite use for rhubarb around here is to make a rhubarb simple syrup that can be used in cocktails. Our favorites are Rhubarb Martinis and Rhubarb Moscow Mules. They are both very easy to make, and have such a fresh, spring-like flavor because of the rhubarb.
Rhubarb Simple Syrup
Rhubarb simple syrup is so easy to make and is used in both of these recipes. Simply mix together 1 cup white granulated sugar, 1 cup water and 1 to 2 cups roughly chopped rhubarb. Simmer on the stove top until rhubarb breaks down and the mixtures thickens to a syrup-like consistency.
Cool, then let it run through a fine mesh strainer to separate the pulp from the syrup. I like to keep the syrup in a mason jar in the fridge for up to a month. You can discard the pulp, but I save it to spread on toast, or to top oatmeal or yogurt! Rhubarb has such a short season, it’s like GOLD around here! No way I’d be throwing it out. I savor it as long as I can.
Rhubarb Moscow Mules
Ingredients
For the rhubarb simple syrup:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1-2 cups rhubarb roughly chopped
For the mule:
- 3 oz vodka
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz rhubarb simple syrup
- 1 cup non-alcoholic ginger beer you can use diet ginger beer to save some calories if you like
- ice
- lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
For the rhubarb syrup:
- In a saucepan combine chopped rhubarb, sugar and water, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 7-10 minutes until rhubarb is very tender and falling apart. Cool.
- Put the rhubarb syrup though a fine sieve and store in a clean mason jar in a refrigerator for up to a month.
For the mule:
- In a cocktail shaker combine vodka, rhubarb syrup and lime juice with ice cubes, shake.
- Pour into two copper mugs filled with ice and top with ginger beer. Serve with lime wedges.
Rhubarb Martinis
Ingredients
For the rhubarb syrup:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1-2 cups rhubarb roughly chopped
For the martinis:
- 3 oz vodka
- 2 oz rhubarb simple syrup
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
Instructions
To make the rhubarb syrup:
- In a saucepan combine chopped rhubarb, sugar and water, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 7-10 minutes until rhubarb is very tender and falling apart. Cool.
- Put the rhubarb syrup though a fine sieve and store in a clean, mason jar in a refrigerator for up to a month.
To make the martinis:
- Put all the ingredients together into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
- Pour the Rhubarb Martini through a cocktail strainer into the glasses. Always taste before pouring and add more syrup if too sour or more lime juice if too sweet.
If you try some of these rhubarb recipes, please drop me a message and let me know how you like them. Several of them are near and dear to my heart. 💜
Happy Rhubarb Season!
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Resources:
Commerical Weight Bronze Loaf Pan 9 x 5.3 x 2.5 Inches
I have these heavy-duty loaf pans and love them. They bake up so evenly and wash easily.
Watkins All Natural Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla
This is the baking vanilla I use exclusively. It adds such an authentic vanilla taste to your desserts, and the flavor doesn’t bake away.
Moscow Mule Copper Mugs – Set of 2-100% HANDCRAFTED Pure Solid Copper Mugs – 16 oz
If you’re going to make Moscow Mules, you need copper mugs to serve them in, right? I mean, it’s just not the same without them!
Porcelain Pie Pan, 9 Inches with Ruffled Edge, White
I always use a deep dish pan for my pies. Who wants a skinny little slice of pie? 😳
Pie Crust Adjustable Silicone Edge Guard Cover For Baking Fit 8 Inch to 11.4 Inch Diameter 2 Pieces
I used to use foil to cover the edges of the crust on my pies, to prevent over-browning. But then I tried these, and they are SO much easier to use! Plus, they are cheap! Well-worth it.
Pie Server Stainless Steel, Set of 2
Libbey Cobalt Blue Z Shaped Stem Martini Glasses with Colored Accent – 9 oz. Set of 4
Martinis are better in fun cocktail glasses. These are very similar to the ones we have.
Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale
I often use a scale to weigh my rhubarb rather than try to measure it in cups. This is the one I have. If I know I need 12 oz, I can take this scale right to the garden with me, and know exactly how much rhubarb to pick.
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Can you believe I’ve never tried Rhubarb pie?!? I might just have to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Oh Trisha, it’s time! 😁 I hope you will try and let me know if you love it as much as we do!
Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. We appreciate your shares. They have been Tweeted Pinned. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn
I LOVE rhubarb, my neighbour used to pass some over the fence whenever she saw me in the garden, bless her! Sadly we moved so her rhubarb goes to someone else now 🙁 !!
Oh, what a sweet neighbor. You may need to plant some of your own now. 🙂
Love your recipes
Thank you so much! 💜
So great to have such good memories about your dad and foods he loved. My dad was a great cook so I have many good memories about his associated with foods I make and love. I used to grow rhubarb in a large container. It lasted for about 10 years including going through an aggressive root division and repotting in a larger container about five years ago. I mulched it every winter with newspaper and cardboard, but two winters ago it didn’t come back up. After digging it out of the pot I found lots of grubs in the roots. I haven’t tried growing it since. – Margy
Definitely pinning! I love everything rhubarb though it’s hard to get good rhubarb where I live. I really need to try to grow some.
Your sweet rhubarb story made me cry! I just love that you got to save the last of your mom’s rhubarb and got to make that one last rhubarb pie for your dad. I agree with him, I don’t want any strawberries messing up my rhubarb pie! #ToGrandmasHouseWeGo
I love all things rhubarb! Thanks for sharing all of these recipes – I’m excited to make some of them.
What great recipes and ideas. I also love rhubarb… I just need to get my patch started at my new home. I used to have access to my grandmother’s patch, but, alas, it was destroyed when the new owners took possession of their homestead. I can’t wait to find some rhubarb and try some of your recipes. Thank you!
Hubby loves rhubarb pie, all these look good! Thanks so much for linking up with me at my #UnlimitedMonthlyLinkParty 12, open May 1 to 26. All party entries shared if social media buttons installed.