The Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars Recipe offers a delightful balance of sweet strawberries and tangy rhubarb baked into a buttery, crumbly bar, perfect for any occasion from a casual picnic to a special dessert. This recipe is useful because it captures the essence of classic fruit crumble in an easy-to-manage bar format, making it incredibly portable and satisfying.
Key Ingredients for Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars
- For the Crumble Topping and Base:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned, not instant)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- For the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled and quartered (if using frozen, no need to thaw)
- 2 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (if using frozen, no need to thaw)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (adjust to your sweetness preference)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars
Embark on a culinary adventure that’s remarkably simple yet yields incredibly delicious and satisfying results. These bars are a symphony of textures and flavors, featuring a tender, buttery crumble that encases a luscious, sweet-tart strawberry rhubarb filling. They’re a perfect treat that takes approximately 20 minutes of preparation and 35-40 minutes of baking, offering minimal fuss for maximum enjoyment.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out later. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
- Make the Crumble Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, granulated sugar, packed light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt.
- Cut in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a food processor, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. This is crucial for achieving a tender and crumbly texture.
- Form the Base: Reserve approximately 1 ½ cups of the crumble mixture for the topping. Press the remaining crumble mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the base of the bars.
- Prepare the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling: In a medium bowl, gently toss the chopped strawberries and rhubarb with the granulated sugar, cornstarch, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Ensure all the fruit and rhubarb pieces are lightly coated.
- Assemble the Bars: Spread the strawberry rhubarb filling evenly over the pressed crumble base in the baking pan.
- Add the Crumble Topping: Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the fruit filling.
- Bake the Bars: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly and slightly thickened.
- Cool Completely: Remove the pan from the oven and let the bars cool completely on a wire rack. This is a vital step for them to set properly and be easily cut. Attempting to cut them while warm will result in a messy, deconstructed crumble.
- Cut and Serve: Once completely cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire slab out of the pan. Place it on a cutting board and cut into desired bar shapes.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars
You will absolutely adore these Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars for their perfect balance of textures and flavors. The star of the show is the delightful contrast between the sweet, juicy strawberries and the slightly tart, vibrant rhubarb, nestled beneath a wonderfully buttery, crisp oat crumble topping. This homemade version is a fantastic cost-saver compared to bakery treats, offering a gourmet dessert experience that’s surprisingly affordable to whip up in your own kitchen.
Beyond the incredible taste and value, the delightful crunch of the crumble and the burst of fruity goodness in every bite make these bars utterly irresistible, reminiscent of your favorite fruit pie but in a more convenient, portable format. Drizzled with a touch of whipped cream or served alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream, they transform into an indulgent delight. Don’t wait – bake a batch of these vibrant, delicious bars today and experience a true taste of homemade happiness!
Storing and Reheating Tips
These delicious Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars can be stored and enjoyed for several days.
- Refrigeration: Once completely cooled, store the cut or uncut bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. They will remain fresh and enjoyable.
- Freezing: For longer storage, wrap the cooled bars tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, or place them in a freezer-safe airtight container. They can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
- Reheating: If you prefer your bars warm, you can reheat individual bars gently in a toaster oven or microwave for about 10-15 seconds. Be careful not to overheat, as the filling can become too molten. For a slightly crisper topping, a brief stint in a low oven (around 300°F/150°C) for a few minutes works wonders. If reheating from frozen, allow them to thaw slightly at room temperature before gently warming.
Final Thoughts
The Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars Recipe is a truly delightful and rewarding bake, perfectly capturing the classic flavors of fruit crumble in an easy-to-eat bar form. We encourage you to try this recipe at home; you’ll find it’s a wonderfully simple way to create a delicious treat that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out later. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, granulated sugar, packed light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned, not instant), 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a food processor, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. This is crucial for achieving a tender and crumbly texture.1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- Reserve approximately 1 ½ cups of the crumble mixture for the topping. Press the remaining crumble mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the base of the bars.
- In a medium bowl, gently toss the chopped strawberries and rhubarb with the granulated sugar, cornstarch, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Ensure all the fruit and rhubarb pieces are lightly coated.2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled and quartered, 2 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Spread the strawberry rhubarb filling evenly over the pressed crumble base in the baking pan.
- Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the fruit filling.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly and slightly thickened.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the bars cool completely on a wire rack. This is a vital step for them to set properly and be easily cut. Attempting to cut them while warm will result in a messy, deconstructed crumble.
- Once completely cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire slab out of the pan. Place it on a cutting board and cut into desired bar shapes.