This Apple Rhubarb Crisp is my favorite easy dessert recipe. It's packed with sweet apples and tart rhubarb, topped with a crunchy oat and cinnamon streusel and always gets raves reviews!
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Is it Apple Rhubarb Crisp or Apple Rhubarb crumble? Whatever you want you want to call it, it is delicious!
Traditionally a crisp has oats and a crumble doesn't but many people use the terms interchangeably. This recipe is a traditional crisp, topped with an oat cinnamon streusel, but I won't get mad if you call it a crumble.
After all, apples and rhubarb are always a good idea, especially when they are baked into this delicious dessert. Sweet apples are the perfect balance with a tart rhubarb making this easy ,make-ahead dessert a winner.
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Why this recipe works
- You can use fresh or frozen rhubarb so it's easy to make year round.
- Swap out the regular flour and use gluten-free flour and oats for a GF dessert that everyone will love.
- Fruit crisps are great to serve to a group, simple make it ahead of time and reheat well before serving.
- Serve with or without ice cream. We love to add cinnamon or salted caramel ice cream.
Ingredients
The ingredient list is short and sweet using pantry staple ingredients.
Instructions
This easy crisp recipe comes together in a few simple steps!
- Add the melted butter, sugar, spices, oats and flour to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
2. Place chopped rhubarb, apples, corn starch and sugar in a large bowl and toss to combine.
3. Add fruit mixture to baking dish and top with oat and flour mixture. Bake until streusel is brown and fruit is bubbling.
Boom. Done. Desserts don't get much easier than this.
Serve it warm or room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
FAQ
Use your favorite apple but make sure it is a firm apple that will hold its shape after baking and not turn mushy. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and McIntosh are some of our favorites.
Fresh is always easy to get when it's in season but this recipe can be made with frozen rhubarb, too. Frozen rhubarb will have a lot more water, so be sure to defrost it and drain off the extra liquid before tossing it with the sugar and cornstarch. If there is excess liquid, you can add additional corn starch.
Crisps and crumbles are easy to make gluten-free! Just be sure to use gluten-free oats and flour in the streusel mixture.
Expert Tips for making Apple Rhubarb Crisp
- Adjust the sugar according to your apples and your preferences. If you want it more tart, add a little less sugar. If you prefer sweeter desserts, add an additional ¼ cup sugar.
- If you use frozen rhubarb, make sure you thaw it first and drain off the extra liquid otherwise your crisp filling may be runny.
- Like a lot of streusel topping? Double the topping recipe for an extra thick layer.
- If you are serving the crisp directly from the oven, let it sit for 15-20 minutes before serving to let the juices thicken.
- Don't have any rhubarb on hand? You can easily make this recipe with all apples and it will be just as delicious!
More Dessert Recipes
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Recipe
Apple Rhubarb Crisp
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 4 cups sliced fresh rhubarb
- 2 cups apples (peeled and cut into chunks)
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup butter (melted)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine sugar and corn starch in a large bowl. Add rhubarb and apples and gently toss to coat. Spoon into a greased 8-inch square baking dish.½ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons corn starch, 4 cups sliced fresh rhubarb, 2 cups apples
- In a small bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over rhubarb mixture. Bake for 50 minutes or until bubbly and fruit is tender.1 cup old-fashioned oats, ½ cup packed brown sugar, ½ cup butter, ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use your favorite apple for this recipe. Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples are always a solid choice.
- Use gluten-free oats and flour to make this crisp GF.
- Baking time can vary based on the temperature in your oven. Bake until the top is a brown as you want it and the fruit is tender.
- Adjust the granulated sugar according to your apples and your preferences. If you want it more on the tart side, add a little less sugar. If you prefer sweeter desserts, add an additional ¼ cup sugar.
- If you use frozen rhubarb, make sure you thaw it first and drain off the extra liquid so your crisp isn't runny.
- Like a lot of streusel topping? Double the topping recipe for an extra thick layer.
- If you are serving the crisp directly from the oven, let it sit for 15-20 minutes before serving to let the juices thicken.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Barb says
This is really good. I made it with my frozen rhubarb that I did NOT defrost. I added an extra 1 TB of cornstarch to the apple & rhubarb mix, and sprinkled it with a tablespoon of lemon juice. The result was delicious and perfect. Only a spoonful of the crisp made it to the next day. I am adding it to my Thanksgiving table.
Chipper says
I had some apples that needed to be used and happened to still have some rhubarb in the garden, and voila! Super easy, quick and absolutely delish dessert! Thank you!