Rhubarb lovers unite! Spring is here in full force, and that means my rhubarb is coming in strong. These Easy Rhubarb Bars are the perfect way to let the tangy flavor shine through in all its glory.
Rhubarb Bars
Are you a rhubarb lover?
I find people fall into two camps: you either love it or you hate it.
Me? I’m a lover and a purist at that, especially when it comes to these amazing rhubarb bars! Don’t get me wrong; I love rhubarb in any form (like these Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins, Rhubarb Apple Crisp or Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce.) But when I can taste the tangy flavor of straight rhubarb – like in these Rhubarb Bars – I’m in heaven.
My family? Not so much. Which, frankly, I don’t really mind. Rhubarb season is short, and since my family isn’t on the rhubarb train, that means I don’t have to share.
The fact that I have a huge crop growing in my backyard is simply icing on the cake. I call it “rhubarb on demand”. It’s also the ONE thing in my yard the bunnies won’t eat. Which is lucky for them, because if they start touching that, let’s just say there will be some changes around here.
What camp do you fall in? I’m always looking for new ways to get my rhubarb fix. Let me know what other goodies I need to add to my recipe collection!
What is Rhubarb?
Rhubarb is definitely one of the best parts of spring, but with every other fruit and vegetable coming into season around the same time, it tends to get pushed to the side like an ugly stepsister, meaning a lot of people don’t even know it exists. If you’re one of those people who have missed out on rhubarb memo, it’s okay because here’s the rundown.
To begin, its a little confusing because its technically a vegetable, but is now pretty much openly identified as a fruit, mostly because of its tendency to be used in desserts in the same fashion you would use a traditional fruit.
Rhubarb has a naturally intense tart flavor. You essentially want to treat it like lemon and avoid eating it plain at all costs. To combat the tart flavor you’ll typically find rhubarb matched with a generous amount of sugar, making the perfect dessert for someone who cringes at the thought of overly sweet treats.
Where Do I Find Rhubarb?
Rhubarb is sold at farmers’ markets and grocery stores by the stalk, (the stalks look a lot like pink celery) in the produce sections. It’s harvested in the spring, with a short season that spans from April to June.
So, if you find some really good stalks, I suggest you grab some extras to freeze and save to bring out during the rhubarb offseason. Rhubarb freezes beautifully but can get a little mushy once thawed. It’s best to freeze the rhubarb in the state you wish to bake with it.
If you were saving some to make more rhubarb desserts, like this one you would cut the stalks into small pieces before placing into an airtight container. You can then add the frozen fruit directly into whatever recipe you are making.
How To Make Rhubarb Bars
I can’t stop dreaming about this rhubarb bar recipe. For those of you who don’t like super sweet desserts, this recipe is for you. I started with a butter-filled shortbread crust and topped it with slightly sweet rhubarb filling that finishes with the perfect pucker.
It’s one of those sweets that will have you coming back to the pan, again and again, saying “just one more bite” because they are just that good! You will love everything about this delicious dessert that’s so easy to make!
To make these easy rhubarb bars, just preheat the oven. Then, in a food processor, pulse the crust ingredients until they are a crumble consistency, press into a 8 x 8 pan, and bake until golden. To make the filling, you’ll need to grab a medium bowl and lightly beat two eggs. Next, add the flour, salt, and sugar and mix well. Gently stir in rhubarb, pour the mixture over the hot crust and bake until the filling is set. Lastly, cool, cut into squares and serve.
Can I Make This Dessert Recipe With Another Fruit?
If you are one of those people who fall into the ” hates rhubarb” category, you can always replace the rhubarb with another fruit of your choice. This crust and filling mixture is a classic favorite, which means it’s incredibly versatile and works with almost anything.
Feel free to choose your favorite fruit, or choose your fruit based on which season we are in, for the freshest flavors possible!
How Long Do Rhubarb Bars Keep?
This is a dessert you will want to keep cool once baked, as rhubarb needs to be refrigerated. To ensure you have the best tasting bars for as long as possible, you will want to store your rhubarb bars in an airtight container. You can also wrap them in plastic wrap or foil, but I tend to favor containers for easy snacking access!
When stored properly, this dessert should last about a week, not that they will ever last that long, at least in my house they never do.
Since, as previously stated, rhubarb doesn’t tend to thaw well, I do not suggest trying to freeze this recipe.
Tips For Making The Best Rhubarb Bars
- Make sure to let the rhubarb bars cool for a while before cutting into them. For a quick sool trying sticking the tray in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. When it comes to bar desserts, you will get the crispest cut if they aren’t still warm.
- Want to amp up the sweetness? Try adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, or even better, strawberry, to get that beloved rhubarb-strawberry combo everyone raves about.
- Be sure to finely shot the rhubarb before adding it to the filling. Larger pieces will be harder to bite into.
You’ll Love Even More of These Fruit Bar Recipes!
Blueberry Crumble Bars – Garnish With Lemon
Blackberry Bliss Bars – Life in the Loft House
Gluten-Free Cherry Almond Cheesecake Bars – Garnish With Lemon
Peaches and Cream Pie Bars – The Recipe Critic
Apple Crisp Bars – Garnish With Lemon
Raspberry Gooey Bars – Chelsea’s Messy Apron
Rhubarb Bars
These Rhubarb bars disappear every time we make them!
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup flour
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1- 4 ounce stick very cold butter, diced
Filling:
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 1/3 cups finely chopped rhubarb
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a food processor, pulse the crust ingredients until they are a crumble consistency. Press into a 8 x 8 pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
To make the filling:
- In a medium bowl, lightly beat two eggs. Add flour, salt, and sugar and mix well. Gently stir in rhubarb. Pour mixture over the hot crust. Bake for another 35-40 minutes or until filling is set.
- Cool, cut into squares and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 302 Total Fat: 12g Saturated Fat: 7g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 4g Cholesterol: 68mg Sodium: 229mg Carbohydrates: 47g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 32g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 4g
