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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 made a half-recipe using a 9″ pan, baked for the full 35 minutes, and they turned out perfect.
Exceptional recipe with clear directions and a terrific end result. Delicious. Thank you.
I’m thrilled you like the bars!
Very good! I used 3T flour instead of 1/2 c.
I’m so glad you like them!
I am getting ready to make this. Can I use cooking oil spray (Pam) thoroughly in the pan? Thanks!
I typically just use butter, but a cooking spray will likely work fine.
I’ve made this recipe twice- both times the filling did not set- the first time- I didn’t realize it until they were out of the oven and cooled. Shocked when I went to cut them. The second time I kept cooking/baking waiting for the filling to set- it just never did. I finally gave up and did what i did the first time- I divided it up and put it in pie plate and microwaved it till the middle was cooked. It tasted really good- that’s why I made the recipe a second time trying to be more cognizant in checking before removing from oven. A friend asked me for the recipe (after the first batch and cooked in micro)- I gave it to her- asked her how it came out and she said it was a mess and threw the whole thing out…..
That’s just beyond weird, Deborah. Twice for you and once for a friend? And you’re following the recipe exactly? The filling didn’t set as the bars cooled? Are you substituting an ingredient by chance? The filling is quite straightforward as a recipe, so I’m not sure what might be going wrong.
Made these last night, wanted to try something different with rhubarb. These are pretty but these flavours don’t work, the shortbread base is bland and doesn’t do anything to enhance the rhubarb flavour. While I followed the direction and the adjustments, they didn’t wiggle at all when they came out of the oven, the bars end up being runny after leaving them in the fridge all night. They are way too sweet even after cutting the sugar in half. I think it’s the powdered sugar in the shortbread that makes it too sweet. Glad I tried it but won’t be a keeper rhubarb recipe
Thanks for the feedback, Lisa. Obviously, we like them as written, but they can certainly be made to be less sweet. A traditional shortbread crust should do that nicely!
These are my favorite rhubarb recipe! Highly recommend! I have made them several times and they are always a hit!
I’m so happy to hear that you love the bars, Jen!
I have lots of rhubarb from my garden and wanted to try something new. This recipe was the hit of the potluck, everyone asked to take it home with them, unfortunately for my husband not one piece left. I added 1/2 tsp salt to the base as I use unsalted butter, I added 1 tsp vanilla to the custard, definitely line your pan with parchment paper to make it easier to lift out of the pan.
YAY! I’m so glad the bars were a hit, Michele.
Great recipe, easy to make. I made them with 1/2 sugar, 1/2 Splenda, and they were very good. Since I make my own vanilla, I did add a tsp of my vanilla. I baked them 35 min and they came out great! Great way to use up some of my overabundance of rhubarb!
I’m so glad you like the recipe, Jackie!
These were very similar to a recipe from a friend long ago, these were spot on except I added 15 minutes of baking time, but that being said, I used FROZEN rhubarb which I thawed and squeezed before adding. They did a little “weeping”, but nothing that affected their deliciousness. Thanks for reminding me of a favorite recipe — these are delicious. Also, less sugar — you have to know your rhubarb sweetness to determine that.
I’m glad you enjoy the bars as well and love that you have a history with the recipe too!
I use my Cuisinart food processor to cut in the butter for the crust. So much quicker!! I also beat my eggs in it and pulse in the rest of the ingredients, minus the rhubarb. Stir that in, and Wala..One dish prep!! Very good!
I’m glad the bars are a win!