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If it’s a baked dessert you’re after that’s not too wintry, a traditional Rhubarb Crumble has to be it. Sweet and tart, earthy and juicy, crunchy and buttery, this joyful recipe is so easy to make in 4 steps.
I don’t know why Rhubarb Crumble hasn’t featured on the website sooner – it is a total delight of a dessert, takes just 10 minutes of prep and 30 minutes in the oven.
It can also be made ahead of time (I make mine in the morning so all I have to do is pop it in the oven after dinner), is fine for the freezer (see instructions below for this) and only takes 4 very simple steps (mix the filling ingredients, combine the topping ingredients, pop one over the other, bake.)
We began testing and developing this recipe or Rhubarb Crumble (known as Rhubarb Crisp in the US) late in the year using tinned rhubarb, which is totally fine to use, but we wanted to wait until the UK rhubarb harvesting season was upon us to try it with the fresh vegetable too (yes, rhubarb tastes like a fruit but is actually a vegetable!)
You can use either kind though – tinned or fresh – as both are delicious. I would say fresh has a little more bite, perhaps.
Just like with similar desserts like Apple & Blackberry Crumble, the secret to getting the topping just the right amount of crunch is to make sure it’s not too fine when you rub the ingredients together (see the images for guidance.)
It should be like breadcrumbs but make sure you don’t overdo it. It does need to clump together a little.
If I think I have gone too far with the consistency, I add a TINY bit of water (half a teaspoon at a time) until it clumps a bit. That said, too far the other way and it could become paste-like and not at all crumbly, so the trick is to go carefully!
Why you’ll love this Easy Rhubarb Crumble recipe
⭐️ Comforting seasonal spring dessert
⭐️ So easy to make
⭐️ Perfect for making ahead & freezable
Sarah’s Notes
Spring is peak season for rhubarb from the garden or fields, and I love making this classic British crumble dessert with it, but it also works really well as a jam or even in savoury dishes such as salads or sauces.
While we can certainly eat it all year round thanks to the availability of tinned rhubarb, I love eating it in spring because it’s a reminder that winter is over, and that this hardy vegetable has not only survived the harsh temperatures, it has thrived in it (because it likes cold temperatures, it only grows in certain parts of the US.)
In the UK, we also have Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb, which is grown in heated sheds in darkness and harvested by candlelight between January and March. This delicacy is only grown in the 9-mile-radius ‘Yorkshire Triangle’ and it’s a sweeter, more tender and pinker crop.
You can also use this variety for this recipe if you like.
Fresh vs tinned for this recipe
Both tinned and fresh rhubarb are absolutely delicious and can be used for this recipe, but for me fresh wins out on having the most beautiful cheerful colour and because of its rarity the rest of the year. Texturally it adds a little more bite to the crumble too.
If you’re using rhubarb from a tin, it can often be more cost effective, which is a bonus. Use 3 x 540g tins in the recipe below.
If I use tinned rhubarb, I always make sure to keep the drained syrup for adding into a cocktail or some sparkling water for a delicious drink!
Rhubarb Crisp Ingredients
- Rhubarb – I use fresh but you can use tinned. Drain the syrup first if you do.
- Light brown sugar – To offset the tartness of the rhubarb.
- Plain flour – Also known as all-purpose flour outside the UK.
- Vanilla extract – Make sure you use this and not essence.
- An orange – The juice and zest.
- For the topping – Plain flour, jumbo oats, ground almonds, light brown sugar, ground ginger and salted butter (it needs to be cold out of the fridge, and cubed.)
Extra note – The sweetness of fresh rhubarb varies throughout the growing season so you may like to serve your crumble with a little honey too, in case it isn’t as sweet as you’d like it when cooked through.
How to make Rhubarb Crumble
1. Place the rhubarb in an ovenproof dish with the brown sugar, plain flour and vanilla extract.
2. Add the zest and juice of the orange. Mix everything together, as per the full recipe below.
3. Make the topping by combining all the ingredients together in a bowl and rubbing together with your hands until crumby.
4. Scatter the topping mixture over the rhubarb and bake until the top is golden and crunchy.
Making the crumble
The consistency of the crumble should be like breadcrumbs, but be careful it’s not too fine too! It needs to clump together a little.
If it doesn’t, add a TINY bit of water at a time (half a teaspoon) until it does.
Beware not to overdo it or it will become paste-like and not at all crumbly.
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
In the fridge This is a great dessert for making earlier in the day, freeing up your kitchen and oven space for main course (either bake it and reheat it later, or assemble it and pop into the fridge until you’re ready to bake it and serve straight out of the oven).
Baked leftovers can also be stored in the fridge once cooled, and reheated thoroughly in the microwave on another day.
In the freezer This is great for freezing, so you could even batch cook a couple to save time on another day!
The best method is to assemble in a dish or a foil tray, then wrap it in clingfilm and foil before freezing. Bake it straight from frozen, adding 15-20 minutes to the cook time, or defrost fully in the fridge before baking as per the full recipe.
Recipe TipS
What to serve with Rhubarb Crumble
This dessert goes perfectly with vanilla ice cream, pouring cream (double or single), custard or crème fraîche. Choose your favourite!
Using tinned rhubarb
If you can’t get hold of fresh rhubarb you can use tinned. Use 3 x 540g tins of rhubarb in syrup. Drain the syrup off, then mix with 4 tbsp of brown sugar instead of 6.
Mix with the rest of the filling ingredients and follow the recipe as written below.
MORE SEASONAL DESSERTS…
FAQs
No need to peel it, just make sure you take the leaves off as they’re toxic (definitely do not eat these!), then clean it if it’s come straight from the garden, chop the end stalk off and slice into 5cm pieces.
No, this this will all bake together at once, just fine!
They’re the same crunchy, oaty, buttery topping for a dessert, but in the UK it’s called ‘crumble’ and in the US it’s called ‘crisp’! (Although sometimes in the UK we leave out the oats.)
Sure! You could make a lattice-style pie topping like on my Cherry Pie, or you could simply add a Shortcrust Pastry topping to make a pie version.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Rhubarb Crumble
Ingredients
- 600 g (21 oz) Rhubarb, Chopped into 5cm pieces
- 6 tbsp Light brown soft sugar
- 1 tbsp Plain flour
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 Orange, Juice and zest
For the topping:
- 80 g (2/3 cup) Plain flour
- 80 g (1 cup) Jumbo oats
- 80 g (2/3 cup) Ground almonds
- 60 g (1/3 cup) Light brown soft sugar
- 1 tsp Ground ginger
- 120 g (4 oz) Salted butter, Cubed
Instructions
- Heat the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
- Mix the filling: Place the rhubarb in an ovenproof dish with the brown sugar, plain flour, vanilla extract and zest and juice of the orange. Mix everything together well.
- Rub the topping ingredients: Make the topping by combining all the ingredients together in a bowl and rubbing together with your hands until it is crumbly, with a few bigger clumps.
- Combine and bake: Scatter the topping mixture over the rhubarb and bake for 30 minutes until the top is golden and crunchy.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutritional values are per portion unless otherwise stated.
