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The old fashioned Rhubarb Pie is tangy-sweet with a classic custard-style base, it’s based on a recipe passed down from my great-grandma.
I get asked a lot from you all where or how I get the recipes that I post. A chunk of the recipes on my site I develop on my own from scratch after doing some research (Like classic monkey bread or biscoff cheesecake bars).
Other times, I just start adding things to a bowl and the result is delicious (Hello, Monster Cookie Bars, which are one of my family’s favorites).
Rhubarb Custard Pie
However, a good many of my recipes are adaptations of family recipes that have been made for years, or even decades. This recipe for old-fashioned Rhubarb Custard Pie was my great grandma’s.
Sometimes, I put a spin on old recipes or alter them to work better, but the recipe below basically straight from my grandma’s.
Old Fashioned Rhubarb Pie
Most of her recipes have bare bone instructions because the assumption was everyone knew what to with the ingredients.
Sometimes it takes me some trial and error to figure out the process for the recipe, so hopefully, I’ve included enough detail for you below 🙂
I was discussing this recipe on the phone with my mom the other day and she mentioned that my dad never complained about her not cooking like his mom.
Instead he kept telling her she needed to get his Grandma’s recipes. So it’s a lot of her recipes that have been passed down.
My mom glued all her favorite recipe cards and cuttings onto pages and put them in a three ring binder.
When I got married, one of my sisters copied all the pages of the cookbook for me and made my own binder by putting the sheets into plastic protector pages.
I love having all the family recipes in one place and I have been adding myself to it. It’s a great idea if someone is getting married in your family.
Rhubarb Pie Recipe
Anyway, this old fashioned rhubarb pie is as classic as you’ll get. Just rhubarb and a simple custard filling baked in a pie shell.
If you’re comfortable baking pies, it’s about as easy as you can get and if you’re new to baking pies, it’s a great easy one to start with.
If you love rhubarb as much as we do, check out the rhubarb streusel muffins, strawberry rhubarb cobbler, rhubarb oatmeal bars, and strawberry rhubarb crisp.
These rhubarb bars and rhubarb coffee cakes recipes are older, but just as good too!
Old Fashioned Rhubarb Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9 inch pie crust, unbaked
- 5 cups diced rhubarb cut 1/4 inch thick
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar (you can adjusted it up or down 1/4 cup to your preferred sweetness)
- 2 eggs cold
- 5/8 cup cold whole milk or 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix the rhubarb and sugar together. Spread in the pie crust and set aside.
- Whisk together the eggs, cold milk, flour and salt. Pour over the rhubarb. Bake at 375 F for 50-55 minutes or until filling is set.
- Cool completely before slicing. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 5/23/18 – recipe notes and photos updated 5/18/21}
Craving pie, but rhubarb isn’t your favorite? Check out a few more great springtime pie ideas:
Sweet Cherry Crumb Pie from Baker by Nature
Fresh Strawberry Pie by Together as a Family
Blueberry Crumble Pie by Saving Room for Dessert
I bake 2-3 of these pies every spring from my mother-in-law’s recipe. I only use 4 cups of rhubarb, half n half instead of milk, dot the top with butter and sprinkle nutmeg on top.
That sounds deliciously rich, Raejean.
5/8 cup cold whole milk ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
WHAT IS THIS???? MILK IS USED IN ONE PLACE IN THIS RECIPE, WHY IS IT SPLIT UP LIKE THIS???
That does sound a bit confusing, I will clarify it on the post as well. The recipe calls for 5/8 cup but no one has that size measuring cup so it is actually 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons which equals 5/8 cup. I hope that helps.
This is the recipe that my mother-in-law gave me 50 years ago except she also added 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/4 tsp cinnamon!! It is delicious ?!! Have a few family members who love it also! Now just to get my rhubarb to grow, I actually made 2 of them today!
Cindy – I love the nostalgia and tradition that surround rhubarb. Thank you for sharing your version.
Please help! My pie turned out super runny. I followed the directions to a tee with the exception I used heavy cream instead of milk. What am I doing wrong?
The pie tasted delicious, and it looked PERFECT when I pulled it out of the oven but when I cut into it, it was very soupy.
It sounds like it wasn’t quite cooked through, Jill. Was it cool when you sliced it?
Great recipe Mary. My mother, Mary, made our family lots of rhubarb pies, sauces, and muffins each year our patch of rhubarb yielded the tangy tasting stalks. Thank you for sharing your receipes!! May God bless your kindness and love for your fellow citizens!! Have a great day of love and blessings from our God!! Gordon W. Subject, Houston, Texas 05/31/2021
Rhubarb season is the best, isn’t it?
***** This recipe was very easy to prepare and you could taste the rhubarb when served. This will be my favorite to prepare and give away. Thank you for sharing it.
Diane
I’m so glad you like the pie, Diane!
what pie pan should I be using? tradition 9inch or more of deep dish?
My new go to recipe for this pie!!! The recipe I have been looking for forever!!! Remind me of my grandmas! It is so goo and easy to make. I also added 2 teaspoons of vanilla and lightly sprinkled the top with cinnamon. Delicious!!!
This is the best rhubarb recipe I have found. 1 cup of sugar is more than enough.
I make rhubarb pie often. 1.1/2 or less sugar,, depending on the season. 1/2 cup flour .. 3 eggs..I use Pyrex 9 inch plates. Fill the crust with chopped rhubarb. Mix sugar , flour and eggs together. Pour over top of rhubarb in the crust. Perfect every time. Bake at 400 for first 15 minutes.. turn oven to 350degrees for 45 more minutes or till you see pie start to bubble . Enjoy!!!
This was my great grandmas recipe, no custard. Thank you!
I’m glad you like it, Mabel!