These Strawberry Rhubarb bars are irresistibly good! They have a buttery base and a gooey strawberry rhubarb filling. The crust and crumble are made from the same mixture, and the sweet strawberry rhubarb filling gets layered in between.
These bars are perfectly to make during rhubarb season. They're quick to make and even quicker to disappear off your plate!
The crust and crumble comes together with only 3 ingredients. The strawberry and rhubarb compliment each other perfectly as well. The sweetness from the strawberries and the butteriness from the crust is next level delicious.
Ingredients Notes
Here are the ingredients you need for these bars! For a full recipe card with detailed measurements and step by step, continue scrolling.
- Butter: I used unsalted butter, this will be softened.
- Flour: Make sure to use all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder: Make sure it's not expired.
- Cornstarch: This helps thicken the filling.
- Strawberry Jello: This is placed in the rhubarb filling. It helps add some flavour but also thicken up the filling. If you don't have jello, add cornstarch instead.
- Rhubarb: I used pink rhubarb for that pop of colour in the tart. Regardless of the colour, it will still have the same flavour. Rhubarb that is older in the season may be tougher and more stringy, so you can peel it if you want to.
- White sugar: This is optional, only if you want a bit more sweetness! I find that the strawberries sweeten the bars enough so I didn't use any.
Step by step instructions
Here is how to make and bake these easy strawberry rhubarb bars. You will need a 9×9 baking pan lined with parchment paper, 3 mixing bowls, and a spatula.
Step 1 – Prep. Grease the pan. For easy removal of the bars, place parchment paper on the bottom and 2 sides of the pan. Gently grease the other two sides and then set aside.
Step 2 - Make the crumb. In a large bowl, add softened butter, flour, and baking powder. Mix together using a fork or your hands, until big and small crumbs form (see photo below for reference). Set aside about 1/4 of the crumb for the topping.
Step 3 - Bake the base. Transfer the remaining crumb into the bottom of the pan and press it down and up the sides firmly. Bake for 15 minutes.
Step 4 - Make the strawberry rhubarb filling. Chop the strawberries into small pieces and the rhubarb into about 1-2 cm pieces. Add cornstarch and strawberry jello. Mix together.
Step 5 - Assemble. Once the base has been baked, remove from the oven and sprinkle the strawberry rhubarb filling evenly on top, leaving about a 1 cm border around. Then sprinkle the remaining crumb over top evenly.
Step 6 - Bake. Place the bars back into the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes. Mine took 42 minutes exactly. The bars are ready when the top is a light brown.
Step 7 - Cool. Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing. If you slice them warm, they will fall apart. You can serve them warm with a scoop of ice cream if you want, but it may get messy (in the best way though). You can speed this up by placing it in the refrigerator. Once cooled, slice and enjoy!
These strawberry rhubarb bars are best served day of or next day. Place them in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Expert Baking Tips
Here are a few expert baking tips from my kitchen to yours
- Use a gram scale. It is the most accurate way of measuring your ingredients in the kitchen. This is one of my favourites.
- Press the base down firmly: This is important!
- Allow it to cool: These bars are very soft. If you want them to slice properly, you have to wait. If you want to eat them warm, they will be a bit messy but so delicious nonetheless!
- Make a slight border along the edge. This will prevent the filling from leaking underneath! Also leave about a 1 cm border all around when spreading the rhubarb filling.
PS : If you enjoyed this recipe, please make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW down below! I'd love to stay connected on Instagram @taffeybakery! To get more recipes follow me on TikTok @taffeybakery!
Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Bars
Ingredients
For the crust and crumble
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup white sugar* optional
For the filling
- 2 cups fresh rhubarb chopped
- 2 cups fresh strawberries chopped
- 2 tbsp white sugar**
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp strawberry jello*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/176℃. For easy removal of the bars, place parchment paper on the bottom and 2 sides of the pan. Gently grease the other two sides and then set aside.
- In a large bowl, add softened butter, flour, baking powder, and sugar (optional). Mix together using a fork or your hands, until big and small crumbs form. Set aside about 1/4 of the crumb in the refrigerator for the sprinkle.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup unsalted butter, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 cup white sugar*
- Transfer the remaining crumb into the bottom of the pan and press it down and up the sides firmly. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Chop the strawberries into small pieces and the rhubarb into about 1-2 cm pieces. Add cornstarch, strawberry jello, and white sugar. Mix together.2 cups fresh rhubarb, 2 cups fresh strawberries, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp strawberry jello*, 2 tbsp white sugar**
- Once the base has been baked, remove from the oven and sprinkle the strawberry rhubarb filling evenly on top, leaving about a 1 cm border around. Then sprinkle the remaining crumb over top evenly.
- Place the bars back into the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes. Mine took 42 minutes exactly. The bars are ready when the top is a light brown.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing. You can serve them warm with a scoop of ice cream if you want, but it may get messy (in the best way though). You can speed the cooling process by placing it in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
- These strawberry rhubarb bars are best served day of or next day. Place them in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Comments