A crisp of cups rhubarb and two blueberries with sugar, topped with a crumble of flour, oats, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and nuts. Served warm with ice cream.
What is the right ratio of rhubarb to blueberry in a crisp? Four cups of rhubarb to two cups of blueberries, that’s the sweets-pot. The rhubarb is tart enough to stand up to the sweet crumble topping, and the blueberries fill in the gaps with a jammy sweetness that rhubarb alone does not have. One cup of sugar in the fruit, then flour, oats, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon on top.
Baked at 350°F (175°C) for 35-40 minutes. The fruit bubbles at the edges and the topping turns golden and crunchy. Served warm with vanilla ice cream, which is, as the original author (that’s me) says, the only correct topping.
Tips for Making Rhubarb and Blueberry Crisp
Use early-season rhubarb
Younger rhubarb stalks are more tender and less stringy. Older stalks can leave a chalky aftertaste. If the strings bother you, peel them like celery.
Cut into half-inch pieces. Even pieces cook at the same rate. Large chunks stay crunchy while the rest turns to mush.
Make the crumble topping by hand
Flour, oats, brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, and optional chopped nuts. Stir until clumpy.
Drop in rough pieces over the fruit. Do not pack it down. Loose crumble bakes crunchier.
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Rhubarb and Blueberry Crisp
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: Serves 8
Description
A delightful southern classic, this Rhubarb and Blueberry Crisp combines tart rhubarb with sweet blueberries for a perfectly balanced dessert.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, combine rhubarb, blueberries, and granulated sugar. Mix well and spread in a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- In another bowl, mix flour, oats, brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, and nuts (if using) until crumbly.
- Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the fruit.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbly.
- Serve warm, ideally with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
In my opinion, vanilla ice cream is the only topping that is the perfect accompaniment to fruit pies, crisps and cobblers. Feel free to let your creativity run wild on what to top your pie with, but in my dish, vanilla rules.
Notes on Rhubarb: In my experience, rhubarb is best used early in the season. Older stalks can leave a chalky, dry after taste sometimes.
The leaves of the plants are poisonous and are usually removed before taken to the market, but if there are any left on then be sure to removed them.
Older stalks can have the tougher strings down the back of the stalk (like celery) removed for a more tender stalk, but is not necessary.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 100
- Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 3
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen rhubarb?
Yes. Do not thaw. Add an extra tablespoon of sugar to compensate for the slightly blander flavour. Baking time may increase by five minutes.
Are the nuts necessary?
No. Half a cup of chopped nuts adds crunch but the oat topping is crunchy on its own. Walnuts or pecans are the best choices if you include them.
Can I make this ahead?
Assemble the fruit in the dish and the topping separately. Refrigerate both. Top and bake when ready. The crisp is best within a few hours of baking.
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