Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars are made with a buttery almond crust and crumble topping. Filled with fresh rhubarb and strawberries, this easy dessert bars recipe is the perfect fruity and sweet treat for spring.
Rhubarb + Strawberries = Spring! Spring Rhubarb stirs up memories of my grandma’s strawberry rhubarb pie and her strawberry rhubarb jam (best!) on her homemade rolls. How I miss that wonderful lady. This strawberry and rhubarb bars recipe is inspired by her, and I’m sure you’ll love it as much as our family does!
Why I Love this Recipe
- Top reason – These tangy and sweet fruit bars with an almond crumble topping are buttery and delicious!
- Much easier to make than a strawberry rhubarb crumble pie. Don’t get me wrong, I love a classic pie – like my Cranberry Peach Pie… But these bars are an easy baking recipe that’s practically effortless and foolproof.
- The tart strawberry and rhubarb filling goes so well with a buttery almond crust. Every bite has just the right balance of textures and flavors you love in a crumbly dessert bar.
- Memories! There’s nothing better than snacking on freshly made bars or enjoying hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Ingredients
For the Almond Crust and Crumble Topping
- Granulated sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Almond flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Butter
- Egg
For the Rhubarb Strawberry Filling
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Orange juice
- Orange
- Almond extract
- Strawberries
- Rhubarb*
To Make the Icing
- Powdered sugar
- Almond extract
- Heavy cream
*Note: Rhubarb can be hard to find. If you’re lucky, you have a large rhubarb bush tucked away in your yard. If not, start snooping around your neighbor’s yard. Maybe they have enough to share. If not, look for a farmers market or start bugging your local grocery store produce department.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars
First, Make the Almond Crumble Topping
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or spray a 13×9 inch pan and set aside or line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl whisk the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or a food processor fitted with a metal blade, blend or pulse in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the beaten egg and mix until the dough starts to hold together but is still crumbly.
- Firmly press 2/3 of the crumble mixture into the prepared pan. Set aside. If you want a thicker crust, press 3/4 of the crumble into the pan. Reserve the remaining crumble to the top layer.
Next, Make the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling
- Cut rhubarb and strawberries into small pieces (approx. 1/2-inch). In a large mixing bowl whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the orange juice, zest, almond extract, and prepared fruit. Toss to combine.
- Pour the fruit over the crust and spread evenly.
Add Almond Crumble Topping and Bake
- Crumble the remaining topping over the fruit. If you want larger crumble pieces press the dough with your hands to form larger clumps.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the fruit begins to bubble through the crumble topping and the topping is beginning to brown. Cool completely.
Finish the Bars with a Drizzle of Icing
Once the bars have completely cooled then whisk together the icing ingredients then drizzle over the top of the bars.
Let the glaze harden over a bit then cut these delicious suckers into large squares…if you’re counting calories, cut them into small squares. 😉
Recipe Variations
- You can use chopped frozen fruit if fresh rhubarb and strawberries aren’t available. Do not thaw before macerating in sugar.
- To make this a gluten-free rhubarb bars recipe, replace the all-purpose flour with almond flour.
- Nut allergies? No problem. Just omit the almond flour and use 3 cups of all-purpose flour. Omit the almond extract and use vanilla.
- In the case that rhubarb isn’t available, use all strawberries or use a blend of fresh berries.
- Feel free leave off the drizzle less for a slightly less sweet treat without as much sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
The combination of sweet strawberries with tart but mild rhubarb is a classic! And for good reason: When baked together, the two fruits create a delicious balance of sweetness with a pleasant tangy flavor.
Keep the bars in a container with a lid, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
They can be frozen. HOWEVER, fruit bars have a tendency to soften if frozen or refrigerated. I think they are best the day they are baked.
You May Also Love
- Coconut Chocolate Peanut Butter Nut Bars
- Old Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler
- Peach Almond Tart
- Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Curd
- Southern Peach Cobbler
- Cherry Apricot Slab Pie
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars are made with a buttery almond crust and crumble topping. Filled with fresh rhubarb and strawberries, this easy dessert bars recipe is the perfect fruity and sweet treat for spring.
Ingredients
Crust and Crumble
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter cold cut into cubes
- 1 egg large, lightly beaten
Strawberry Rhubarb Layer
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- zest from 1 orange
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 cups rhubarb cut into small pieces approx 1/2-inch
- 2 cups strawberries cut into small pieces approx 1/2-inch
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2-4 tablespoon Cream more or less for desired consistency
Instructions
Crust and Crumble
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F if using a glass pan, or 375°F for a metal pan. Lightly grease or spray a 13×9 inch pan and set aside.
-
In a medium bowl whisk the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or a food processor fitted with a metal blade, blend or pulse in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the beaten egg and mix until the dough starts to hold together but is still crumbly. Firmly press 2/3 of the crumble mixture into the prepared pan. Set aside.
Fruit Layer
-
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the orange juice, zest, almond extract, rhubarb and strawberries and toss to combine. Pour the fruit over the crust and spread evenly. Crumble the remaining topping over the fruit. If you want larger crumble pieces press the dough with your hands to form larger clumps.
-
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the fruit begins to bubble through the crumble topping and the topping is beginning to brown. Cool completely. Whisk together the icing ingredients then drizzle over the top of the bars.
Recipe Notes
- You can use chopped frozen fruit if fresh rhubarb and strawberries aren’t available. Do not thaw before macerating in sugar.
- If you are gluten-free, replace the all-purpose flour with almond flour.
- Nut allergies? No problem. Just omit the almond flour and use 3 cups of all-purpose flour. Omit the almond extract and use vanilla.
- In the case, rhubarb isn’t available, use all strawberries or use a blend of fresh berries.
-
Feel free leave off the drizzle less for a slightly less sweet treat without as much sugar.
- Keep the bars in a container with a lid, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Bars can be frozen. HOWEVER, they have a tendency to soften if frozen or refrigerated. I think they are best the day they are baked.
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