These easy strawberry rhubarb crumble bars are made with sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb, a quick oat crumbly topping, and then optionally drizzled with icing. Soft, tender, and full of flavor!
Why this recipe works
Strawberry rhubarb crumble bars are basically rhubarb crumble, but with a thicker consistency allowing you to cut and serve in individual portions that hold their shape. We love making these crumble bars if we plan on taking them to a potluck or get together in place of a full crumble- which we normally reach for when we have guests over.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
TOPPING – The topping is made from quick oats mixed with flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and unsalted butter. If you plan on using salted butter in this recipe instead of unsalted, omit the salt called for in the ingredients list for the crumble topping. Optionally drizzle with homemade icing made from powdered sugar and milk.
FILLING – Fresh strawberries and rhubarb are paired with lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch for the filling. The acidity from the lemon juice helps crumble bars stand independently when sliced and also cuts back on the sweetness, giving it a nice balanced taste!
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Combine all topping ingredients, except the butter, in a large bowl and mix together. Add the butter and work until all is crumbly and somewhat wet looking. We don’t want any dry spots in the mix.
EXPERT TIP: You can use a pastry cutter or two butter knives, scissor style, to mix the crumble. I find it easiest to just use my fingers to combine the topping ingredients.
- Take 2/3 of the bowl contents (approximately 3 scant cups) and press into a parchment-lined 8×8 baking dish. Pat it down firmly with the palm of your hand or the back of a measuring cup.
- Toss prepared strawberries and rhubarb in a large bowl with lemon juice. Sprinkle sugar and cornstarch over the fruit, tossing to coat completely. Spoon fruit mixture over the crust.
- Top with remaining 1/3 of crumb topping (approximately 1 cup) and bake for 35-45 minutes. The filling should be bubbling, and the topping should be set.
- Cool on a wire rack. Remove from baking dish using the parchment paper and slice into squares or rectangles to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
You can make these bars 1 day ahead of time, but we wouldn’t suggest any further ahead as the crumble topping may get too soft after that. You can always make your crumble topping a few days in advance and keep it in the refrigerator or freezer.
You can store your crumble bars in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, though the longer they sit the softer the crumble may get. You can also keep these at room temperature for a few hours and they will be just fine!
Although we recommend fresh fruit for these crumble bars, you can use frozen strawberries and frozen rhubarb if that’s what you have on hand. Let them thaw to room temperature and pat dry with a paper towel before using.
Serving Suggestions
As with this prize winning rhubarb crumble, you can serve these bars fresh from the oven with a scoop of ice cream if that’s your fancy, just know they won’t be very thick if you don’t allow them to cool beforehand. Otherwise, let the bars cool completely, slice, and serve in individual portions. These bars are easily transportable, making them awesome for taking along to backyard barbecues, potlucks, or get-togethers!
Strawberry rhubarb crumble bars are a great way to use up all those strawberries from your latest strawberry picking adventure and the fresh rhubarb from the garden! There’s nothing like a freshly picked seasonal recipe, though these bars can certainly be made year-round if you have rhubarb tucked away in the freezer.
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Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
Crumble Topping
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup quick oats
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, at room temperature
Filling
- 16 oz strawberries hulled and diced
- 2 cups rhubarb sliced into 1/4-1/2 inch thickness
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
Optional Icing Drizzle
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tsp milk
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- You can store your crumble bars in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, though the longer they sit the softer the crumble may get. You can also keep these at room temperature for a few hours and they will be just fine!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
For The Topping
- Combine all topping ingredients, except the butter, in a large bowl and mix together. Add the butter and work until all is crumbly and somewhat wet looking. We don’t want any dry spots in the mix. EXPERT TIP: You can use a pastry cutter or two butter knives, scissor style, to mix the crumble. I find it easiest to just use my fingers to combine the ingredients.
- Take 2/3 of the bowl contents (approximately 3 scant cups) and press into a parchment-lined 8×8 baking dish. Pat it down firmly with the palm of your hand or the back of a measuring cup.
For The Filling
- Toss prepared strawberries and rhubarb in a large bowl with lemon juice. Sprinkle sugar and cornstarch over the fruit, tossing to coat completely. Spoon fruit mixture over the crust.
- Top with remaining 1/3 of crumb topping (approximately 1 cup) and bake for 35-45 minutes. The filling should be bubbling, and the topping should be set.
- Cool on a wire rack. Remove from baking dish using the parchment paper and slice into squares or rectangles to serve.
Optional Glaze
- Mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon of milk. Add another teaspoon of milk if needed to reach drizzling consistency. Drizzle over the top of crumble bars before serving.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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Tracey says
Good flavor, but this recipe does not work as written. I made it following the written directions. The bottom crust, and fruit alone, was to the top of an 8×8 pan. I used 3 scant cups in the bottom, but still had 2 1/2 cups of topping….not 1 cup as indicated. 40 minutes had the topping brown, but not bubbling, and all of the rhubarb was not cooked sufficiently. I need to put it back in the oven some more I think.
My mother did the same recipe, but opted to use a 9×9 pan. She reported that it still took 50 minutes in her oven to reach the bubbly stage. If I had a 9×9 pan, I would definitely go that way too.
Carol says
Can you use frozen strawberries?
Amanda Formaro says
We have not tested this recipe with frozen strawberries. If we were to use them, we would thaw them first on paper towels as frozen berries can retain a lot of liquid.
LeeAnn says
What temperature should I bake this at? I just got everything mixed up and ready to go in the oven but there’s no temp!
Amanda Formaro says
My sincerest apologies LeeAnn! I have fixed the recipe card, the temperature should be 350 F.