This Rhubarb Crisp with Oatmeal Topping is the perfect springtime dessert! Tart, sweet, light, and crunchy. Serve it with vanilla bean ice cream and you won’t be sorry!
This rhubarb crisp recipe is so good it converted a non-rhubarb lover (hi, hello, me!) into an effusive fan with just one spoonful! Wonderful tangy and sweet taste aside, this crisp comes together in just a few minutes and is ready to be devoured in under an hour!
Ingredients for Rhubarb Crisp with Oatmeal Topping:
- Rhubarb, leaves and ends trimmed and cut into ½ inch pieces (grab it from your mother-in-law’s yard like I did)
- Sugar, granulated and brown
- Flour, to thicken and bind
- Old Fashioned Oats, for crunch
- Quick Cook Oats, also for crunch and stability
- Butter, because duh
- Vanilla, you can make your own, y’know?
- Salt, to provide balance
- Cinnamon, to provide a little sumthin-sumthin
Old Fashioned Oats vs Quick Cook Oats
This Rhubarb Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal Topping calls for both old fashioned and quick cooking oats. This is for two reasons: 1) I had both on hand so why not and 2) old fashioned oats provide that quintessential look and feel to a crisp. They’re sturdier and don’t absorb as much moisture as quick cooking oats, providing a necessary textural contrast to this crisp.
How to make Rhubarb Crisp with Oatmeal Topping
- Combine the fresh rhubarb with some sugar, a bit of flour, a pinch of salt and a splash of vanilla. Do this all in the baking dish. No sense in making more dishes!
- Whisk together the dry ingredients for the crumb topping and then mix in melted butter. The mixture will be crumbly. It’ll become crispy.
- Combine forces by placing the topping over the filling and baking until golden brown.
- Serve with vanilla bean ice cream for a real dang treat.
Why is my Rhubarb Crisp runny?
Many a time have I made a crisp that turned out to be anything but…well, crisp! The antidote to a runny crisp? Flour! A simple dusting of flour among the sugar and fresh rhubarb is all you need to keep the crisp crispy.
Tips for Storing Rhubarb Crisp:
- Wrap it up. Moisture is the enemy of crisps! I’d suggest foil, but plastic wrap could work too, although it can produce condensation if your rhubarb crisp isn't 100% room temp.
- Play it cool. Throw ‘er in the fridge after it’s wrapped. Fridges aren’t known for being full of moisture (usually) and this will help the crisp keep. If you’re really wondering – rhubarb crisp can be frozen after it’s baked. Once again, wrap tightly – first in plastic wrap and then in foil. When reheating, remove the plastic wrap and place in a 350 degree oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
- No shame in a reheat game. I love to pop my crisp back in the oven for 5 minutes to rewarm it and crisp it back up before serving. Of course, a microwave will work too if you’re generally impatient like me, but you will lose some of the crunch of your crisp.
- Sharing isn’t always caring. If you really want your Rhubarb Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal Topping to be at its crispiest might I suggest individual servings? Simply divide the filling among ramekins or mini cocottes and follow suit with the topping. Adjust the bake time to be about 15 – 20 minutes and enjoy. All by yourself!
While crisp recipes are best served the day they're made, if there are leftovers I won't complain!
Rhubarb Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal Topping
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 5 cups chopped rhubarb
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 TBSP flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the oatmeal topping:
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9-inch cast iron skillet (or 9x9 inch square pan) toss the rhubarb with the sugar, 2 TBSP flour, salt, and vanilla extract. Stir well to coat and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 cup flour, both oats, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon until combined. Pour in melted butter and mix well to combine. The topping will be crumbly and slightly wet.
- Sprinkle topping evenly over filling. Bake in preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes, or until oatmeal topping is brown and juices are bubbling.
- Remove and let stand for 5 – 10 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
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