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Rhubarb Bars with a shortbread crust and tangy rhubarb custard filling are a fun, easy spring dessert. Browse all the best rhubarb recipes!
Finally, the brown-grayness of winter is giving way to a brilliant spring, and I have been enjoying every second of it. The fresh produce stands in the county are opening and selling beautiful produce.
Asparagus and rhubarb are some of my favorites. And spring is the only time you can find rhubarb unless you freeze some for next year, which I will show you how to do.
How To Freeze Rhubarb
My mom always froze rhubarb, and it was handy to have on hand to make these bars or a pie in the winter.
All you need to do is wash the rhubarb, dice it up, and freeze it 4 cups per bag. Easy Peasy. 4 cups is a perfect portion to thaw out and make these bars or a pie.
Rhubarb Bars
These rhubarb bars feature all the goodness of spring. The recipe’s simplicity allows the rhubarb to shine in all its tangy glory.
The crust is a simple shortbread made from a crumb mixture of flour, sugar, and butter.
The buttery sweetness of the crust perfectly complements the zing of the rhubarb. With less than an hour from start to finish, what excuse do you have for not making them?
Rhubarb Custard Bars
Many of you have made the recipe with success. Below are several tips to help those who have run into problems. Let me know in the comments if you have questions.
I’ve gotten comments on a white crust forming on top of the bars, and I believe this is from beating the egg mixture too long.
Also, several people have commented that they would like it if the bars weren’t quite so sweet. This is a personal preference; feel free to cut the sugar to one cup if you prefer a more tart rhubarb dessert.
Another issue is people not baking them long enough. Continue to bake them until they are no longer jiggly, even if that is longer than the time stated in the recipe. The temperature of your starting ingredients can vary from cook to cook, not to mention variations in oven temp accuracy.
Be sure to cool the bars completely before cutting them, preferably in the fridge.
Rhubarb Bars Recipe
To make rhubarb bars, you will need the following:
For the crust
- all-purpose flour
- butter
- powdered sugar
For the filling
- eggs
- sugar
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- rhubarb
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and powdered sugar. Using a pastry blender cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pat the crumbs into a well greased 9 x 13 in baking pan. Bake the crust at for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
- While the crust is in the oven, mix together eggs, sugar, flour, and salt. Gently stir in the diced rhubarb. Pour the rhubarb mixture over the hot crust.
- Return bars to the hot oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325° F and bake for 30-35 min or until the filling is set and no longer jiggly.
- Cool for 30 mins on the counter. Refrigerate and chill completely before cutting into bars.
Best Rhubarb Recipes
Fresh rhubarb and sweet strawberries topped with a crunchy oatmeal crumble make a Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp that no one will forget. Bakery style streusel-topped Rhubarb Muffins are tender, studded with tangy rhubarb bits, and topped with a crunchy brown sugar streusel.
Check out a few more of our favorite rhubarb desserts: Old Fashioned Rhubarb Pie, Rhubarb Coffee Cake, Rhubarb Crunch, and Rhubarb Sauce with Strawberry Jello.
Rhubarb Bars
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cold butter cubed
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
For the filling
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups white sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 cups rhubarb, diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and powdered sugar. Using a pastry blender cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pat the crumbs into a well greased 9 x 13 in baking pan. Bake the crust at for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
- While the crust is in the oven, mix together eggs, sugar, flour, and salt. Gently stir in the diced rhubarb. Pour the rhubarb mixture over the hot crust.
- Return bars to the hot oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325° F and bake for 30-35 min or until the filling is set and no longer jiggly.
- Cool for 30 mins on the counter. Refrigerate and chill completely before cutting into bars.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{recipe originally published May 2014 – recipe notes and photos updated 5/23/23}
I really like them but definitely do not put the 2 cups of sugar in the sauce. I’m going to see what 1.5 or even 1 tastes like. They were way too sweet.
I’m glad you like the bars, Heather. They should adjust fine with less sugar.
I made these and substituted I cup strawberries and one pint blueberries with 2 c rhubarb. Also added 1/2tsp nutmeg and I tsp cinnamon. Also added crushed pecans to crust. Omg. This is my go to from now on. Served w whipped cream.
That sounds delicious, Jane. I’m glad you were able to find a way to make the recipe work for you. I hope you continue to enjoy the rhubarb bars, and happy baking!
This dessert, using rhubarb from my backyard, “sold” very well at the event I brought it to. More people like rhubarb than I thought, which was gratifying. I followed all the tips on cooling etc, and backed off on the sugar a bit. It was a hit, and I liked it too. 🙂
Rhubarb is a surprisingly popular ingredient in the spring, Barb! A lot of my biggest recipes right now are rhubarb-based. I’m glad you loved the rhubarb bars. Happy baking!
Made these last night for my husbands coffee group and they loved them!!!
I’m so glad the rhubarb bars were a hit with everyone, Janice! Happy baking.
Delicious! cooked a little longer than recipe called for.
I’m glad you loved the rhubarb bars, Karen!
Have you frozen these bars?
I haven’t tried that, Maureen. I’m guessing that the custard-like filling won’t work well for freezing. It’s worth a try with one serving though. If you do try it, let me know how it works for you!
EXCELLENT I baked these for my client who is on a low carb/low sodium diet. I only substituted the sugar and powdered sugar. I read all the comments and modified accordingly. Turned out excellent! 10 carbs and 37 sodium.
If you want my exact recipe modifications let me know. I cut the sweetener by close to half, reduced the salt, cut the rhubarb to 3c and added 1c of thawed and drained strawberries, added cinnamon, vanilla, and 1tbsp tapioca because the comments repeatedly said the bars were runny.
I’m so glad you were able to adapt the recipe to suit your client’s needs, Heidi. Adding strawberries sounds delicious. Happy baking!
I missed the part where you turn the oven down to 325 and ended up baking for 30 min at 350. It looks ok though. Haven’t tried it yet.
I hope you love the rhubarb bars, Marlene.
Reading the recipe, step one doesn’t mention adding the butter. I’m hoping I’m correct by assuming that is an essential part of that step.
This evening I’m going to get some more rhubarb from my neighbor and try out this recipe.
Hi, Thalia! In the first step of the recipe card, it’ll say to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. I hope you love the rhubarb bars!
Perfection. So much easier than a pie and I love the crust. Thank you!
You are welcome, Susan. I’m so glad you’ve been loving the rhubarb bars; the crust is my favorite part, too. Happy baking!