Easy Rhubarb Crumb Bars
These Rhubarb Crumb Bars are incredibly easy and delicious! The rhubarb filling gets made within a few minutes over the stove top. Then the 4 ingredient buttery sugar base is also used as the streusel on top. It's decadent and perfect for the season!
Ingredients
For the base/sprinkle
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2/3 cups powdered sugar or white granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups cold butter shredded or cut up*
For the rhubarb filling
- 4 cups rhubarb about 500g, sliced 1/2”
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 5 tbsp water
- 2 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 cold shredded butter, flour, powdered sugar, and baking powder. Mix together to combine using a fork or your hands, until small crumbs form. Set aside 2 cups of the base for the topping.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 2/3 cups powdered sugar, 1 1/4 cups cold butter
- Take the remaining 2 cups of topping and using your hands, press together to form bigger and smaller streusel pieces. This will be used for the sprinkle on top. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
- Transfer the remaining crumb into the bottom of the pan and gently spread around and slightly up the sides. Lightly press it down. The base will form itself as it bakes, so you don't need to press it down to hard (that would cause a cracker-like crisp base). Lightly pressing it down will form a delicious soft and buttery base. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Chop the rhubarb into 1/2" pieces. Set aside 1/2 cup of rhubarb for later. With the remaining rhubarb in the bowl, add white sugar, cornstarch, and strawberry jello. Mix together.4 cups rhubarb, 1/4 cup white sugar, 5 tbsp water, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp strawberry jello*
- Over low-to-medium heat add the water and allow it to heat up for 2-3 minutes. Then add in the rhubarb mixture. Stir constantly for 7-10 minutes until a thick filling has formed. Remove from heat and transfer into a hot-safe container. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of fresh rhubarb that you set aside earlier. Allow to cool as you wait for the base to finish baking.
- Once the base has been baked, remove from the oven and pour the rhubarb filling evenly on top, leaving about a 1 cm border from the edge. Then sprinkle the remaining crumb over top evenly.
- Place the bars back into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. Mine took 32 minutes exactly. The bars are ready when the top is a light brown and the rhubarb jam is not sticky when you lightly touch it with your fingers.
- Allow the rhubarb crumb bars to cool completely before slicing. If you slice them warm, they will fall apart. You can speed this up by placing it in the refrigerator. Once cooled, slice and enjoy!
- These rhubarb crumb bars are best served day of or next day. Place them in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
Strawberry jello: I love the flavour strawberry jello gives in the rhubarb filling, but if you don't have it, substitute it for more cornstarch!
Butter: Shred the butter using the biggest side of your grater, or cut it into small pieces.
Rhubarb: When the filling is made the rhubarb softens and falls apart. Adding fresh rhubarb in after helps add more texture into the filling. You don't have to do this if you don't want to, but I love how the filling turned out doing it this way.