My gingery rhubarb crisp is an experience ~ the glorious color, the aroma, and that famously unique flavor…how could a few stalks of rhubarb bake up into a spring dessert this epically delicious? Read on!
Rhubarb crisp with ginger is nothing short of spectacular
These humble celery-like stalks have a cult following, and for good reason. There is nothing like the flavor and color, the rhubarb lovers await the short season with an almost religious fervor, and I’m right there with them.
a rhubarb newbie?
So you spotted rhubarb at your supermarket and you grabbed a few stalks, but now you have no idea what to do with them. No worries, I’ve got your back. Rhubarb is easy to work with, and the flavor is unequalled. Sort of like a tart raspberry, but completely unique.
You’ll find rhubarb in the produce aisle when in season; the stalks can range from pale green to bright red, and look a little like celery. All colors will be delicious, but the red stalks are especially gorgeous when baked.
Just rinse the stems, trim the ends, and slice them up. You’re ready to roll!
what you’ll need for the best rhubarb crisp:
fresh rhubarb ~ enough to make 4 cups, thinly sliced. For this recipe you can use frozen chopped rhubarb as well, don’t thaw, just use from frozen.
ginger ~ this gives a wonderful understated zing to the filling (use fresh, not dried.) If you don’t like ginger, leave it out and sub in vanilla or almond extract.
sugar ~ you’ll need some sugar to offset the tart rhubarb. Or use the alternative sweetener of your choice.
cornstarch ~ a little bit of thickening is nice but not essential. If you don’t mind a juicy crisp, you can leave it out.
flour ~ for the topping. Use almond meal or oat flour for gluten free, or check out my gluten free rhubarb crisp recipe
butter ~ makes it crisp!
chef’s tips for making rhubarb crumbles and crisps
- whether you’re making a single crisp or smaller individual sizes, be sure to mound your fruit into your containers. The same goes for the topping. Fruit shrinks dramatically as it cooks so you want to start off with lots.
- don’t over sweeten your fruit, especially if you plan to serve it with ice cream. The contrast of sweet and tart is key. If your fruit is very sweet you might add a little lemon juice to balance it.
- Make your crumble topping ahead so you can assemble a crisp in minutes. Freeze it in zip lock storage bags so you always have it on hand. If you freeze your fruit as well, you’ll have everything ready to go at a moment’s notice.
if you love it, grow it!
Rhubarb thrives in zones 6 or below so consider planting it in your backyard, it’s pretty much maintenance free and comes back every spring. It’s thought to have originated in Alaska ~ so if you live in a cooler clime, you’re in luck. Rhubarb season is ramping up here in Wisconsin and I’m ready!
Plant rhubarb in early spring or fall, and give them lots of room to spread. They like sun and well drained soil. Do the job well and you’ll be enjoying a yearly rhubarb crop for decades to come! Read more about planting backyard rhubarb in the Farmer’s Almanac.
freeze rhubarb for later
- If you’re lucky enough to have an excess of rhubarb, freeze it for use later, you’ll be so glad you did.
- Make sure it’s clean and dry.
- Slice it into 1/2 inch slices.
- Arrange in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until the rhubarb is solid, about an hour.
- Transfer the rhubarb to heavy duty zip lock freezer bags.
- The rhubarb will keep frozen for up to a year.
- When you want to make another crisp, just measure and use your rhubarb straight from the freezer.
feed your rhubarb fever
- Norwegian Rhubarb Cake
- Rhubarb Shortbread Crumble Tart
- Rhubarb Curd
- Rhubarb Jelly
- Rhubarb Ice Cream
- Rhubarb Scones
- Easy Rhubarb Breakfast Cake
Rhubarb Crisp with Ginger
Ingredients
- 4 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
- 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger (alternatively use a teaspoon of good vanilla extract, or the seeds of a vanilla bean.)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
topping
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (you could also use brown sugar)
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Toss the rhubarb with the sugar, ginger, and cornstarch.
- Divide it evenly between four individual baking cups.
- Put the crumble ingredients in the same bowl and mix with your fingertips until it has a coarse crumbly consistency.
- Sprinkle the topping over the rhubarb. Set the cups on a baking tray (to catch any drips) and bake for about 25-30 minutes ~ if everything's bubbling and just starting to turn golden on top, you're good to go.
- Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Can this be made with frozen rhubarb?
Yes absolutely, just use it right from frozen, assuming your frozen rhubarb has already been chopped.
Hello Sue,
Not only are your recipes delicious, I love the way you write and set up your recipes is exceptional, and makes for a better baking experience.
Thank you Helga 🙂
I love the taste of ginger, so I always add some chopped up preserved ginger to rhubarb or apple crisps.
Oooh, I’ll have to try it with apple, thanks!
about how much rhubarb by weight do I need to make 4 cups? I love making individual desserts and am excited to try this. What other fruits could I use when rhubarb is out of season?
Hey Staci, there’s a toggle at the bottom of the recipe that will switch back and forth between US and metric measurements. It calculates 4 cups chopped rhubarb to be 488 grams
Hi Sue, this rhubarb dessert looks so delicious and super quick and easy. Like the addition of ginger. We have a rhubarb patch on our farm that’s been there well over 100 years and is still going strong! It is always a sure sign of spring when rhubarb makes it’s way to the kitchen. Love that you are always using “vintage” ingredients on your blog. Keep them coming and thank you!
Wow, I’m in awe of your rhubarb patch, that’s amazing. Feel free to send me your favorite rhubarb recipes Lola, so I can share them here!