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Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb dessert classic crisp with tender rhubarb in sweet syrup and a thick golden oat-and-brown-sugar crust. Bake until the topping is browned and bubbling, then cool briefly for a spoon-ready fruit crisp.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For filling
  • 5 cup fresh rhubarb
  • 1.25 cup sugar
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 orange zest
For topping
  • 1.5 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 0.75 cup butter cold and cubed
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and fill the baking dish
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish so the rhubarb releases cleanly after baking.
  2. Combine fresh rhubarb, sugar, all-purpose flour, and orange zest, then spread the mixture evenly in the prepared dish.
Make the oat crumb topping
  1. Mix old-fashioned oats, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined.
  2. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with visible oat-and-butter clumps.
  3. Spread the topping evenly over the rhubarb mixture in a single layer.
Bake and cool
  1. Bake at 375°F for 40-45 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
  2. Cool for 15 minutes before serving so the syrup thickens slightly and sets for scooping.
  3. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired for a classic, contrasting cool topping.

Notes

Pro tip: for the best fruit texture, keep butter cold when making the topping so it bakes into a sturdy, crunchy crisp. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes to re-crisp. Freezing is not recommended because the rhubarb softens on thawing. Dietary swap: use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in both filling and topping for a gluten-free fruit crisp.