Tangy, sweet, sour, and juicy, these luscious rhubarb desserts showcase the best qualities of the spring vegetable.
Yes, although it’s treated as a member of the fruit family, rhubarb is actually a vegetable. Mind. Blown.
Classification aside, rhubarb is simply delicious, adding tart notes to decadent desserts and puddings.
From the classic pie to the amusingly-named rhubarb dump, there’s a whole range of ravishing treats on this list of 30 recipes.
If you’re craving it, you can make it. These foolproof recipes cover cakes, crumbles, cheesecake, panna cotta, and even brownies.
Grab your rhubarb, it’s time to turn this versatile vegetable into some tasty treats!
1. Rhubarb Pie
Homemade rhubarb pie is a classic for a reason.
This recipe doesn’t mess with perfection, sticking to the irresistible formula of a buttery shortcrust, gooey rhubarb filling, and crumb topping.
It’s rhubarb pie like your grandmother used to make!
2. Rhubarb Crumble Bars
These crumble bars deliver all the goodness of rhubarb pie, in cute squares.
They’re great if, like me, you can’t be trusted around an entire pie.
Each individual bar features tangy rhubarb compote sandwiched between a buttery pastry base and a crumb topping.
They’re ideal for parties or potlucks. Or you could make them over the weekend and enjoy them as a quick grab-and-go breakfast during the week.
3. Rhubarb Coffee Cake
Spoiler alert – coffee cake doesn’t actually contain any coffee. It simply refers to cake that’s best enjoyed as a snack with a mug of coffee.
But don’t wait for coffee time to make this beautifully moist rhubarb cake.
With soft chunks of rhubarb and a brown sugar crumb, it’s sweet and satisfying any time.
Ready in under an hour, make this one for breakfast, brunch, before dinner, after dinner, as a midnight snack. Just eat it!
4. Rhubarb Crisp
Rhubarb crisp is like rhubarb pie but without the pastry crust, so it’s much less work.
Easy, simple, but very filling, it’s made with a crispy, oaty topping over a gooey rhubarb compote.
Baked until golden brown and bubbly, this is a saucy dessert that hits all the right notes.
5. Rhubarb Ice Cream
You won’t need any fancy kitchen equipment for this easy no-churn ice-cream.
With only six ingredients, it’s so simple and delicious, you’ll make this all summer long.
So how do you make rhubarb ice-cream without an ice-cream maker?
You’ll beat whipped cream into condensed milk, swirl in stewed rhubarb, and freeze. It’s seriously that easy.
6. Strawberry Rhubarb Tarts
Rhubarb is naturally tart, so it needs a little bit of extra sweetness to take the edge off.
In this scrumptious recipe, that sweetness comes from fresh, juicy strawberries.
It’s a tempting team-up. These tiny tarts are adorably delicious, made with buttery shortcrust pastry and a bright, fruity filling.
7. Rhubarb Dump Cake
Dump cake is the dessert MVP for lazy cooks.
As the name suggests, it’s a dump-everything-into-a-dish-and-bake kind of cake.
In this case, you’ll dump five ingredients into your cake. So if you have rhubarb, cake mix, sugar, water, and butter, you can have cake!
And don’t let the simplicity fool you. This might be easy, but it’s also a tasty treat that holds its own at parties and foodie gatherings.
8. Rhubarb Muffins
With tart chunks of rhubarb, these moist muffins are beautifully sweet and tangy.
The fruit is baked into an airy crumb and topped with a cinnamon-spiced crumble.
These muffins go well with coffee, lazy mornings, rainy afternoons, and cravings for baked goods.
9. Rhubarb Scones
These ‘naughty’ scones are the best kind of naughty. Super moist, they’re made with cream rather than milk (hence the name).
The sour-sweet taste of juicy rhubarb saves these scones from being too rich, providing balance to the extreme creaminess.
Not naughty enough? Serve these scones with a generous dollop of strawberry jam and top with clotted cream.
10. Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake
Shortcakes are some of the oldest desserts on record, with their first mention appearing in a 1588 English cookbook.
This amazing version is a fitting tribute to those culinary pioneers.
It features both strawberries and rhubarb, stewed to gooey perfection, and piled on top of soft biscuits.
This is a great make-ahead dessert. Simply bake the biscuits and freeze until needed. You can also fix the filling the day before and chill.
To assemble just warm the biscuits in the oven, spoon on the fruit, and top with whipped cream.
11. Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake
You hate putting the oven on in summer, but you really want cheesecake. What’s a foodie to do?!
Make these single-serving, no-bake cheesecakes!
These are the perfect little bites to feed your cheesecake craving.
Made with sour cream, cream cheese, and a fruit puree, they’ll come together quickly and can be chilled until needed.
12. Chocolate Rhubarb Brownies
Chocolate and rhubarb aren’t usually paired together, but this recipe shows just how delicious this creative combo can be.
Tangy rhubarb cuts the intense sweetness of these dark chocolate brownies.
They’re moist, fudgy, and studded with chocolate chips and walnuts.
Make these for the brownie fans in your life, but remember to keep a few for yourself!
13. Skillet Rhubarb Cobbler
This is a rustic-style skillet cake, flavored with large chunks of rhubarb, vanilla, and brown sugar.
Serve this one warm from the oven, with lots of vanilla ice-cream or whipped cream.
14. Lemon Rhubarb Cookies
You may be hesitant to try lemon and rhubarb together, but these cookies show that the two tart ingredients can beautifully complement each other.
Soft and buttery, these cookies would make a good gift. If you can bear to give them away. Although, that might be a struggle once you take a bite.
Squishy, buttery, and subtly sweet, I am keeping them all for myself, and I’m not sorry.
15. Strawberry Rhubarb Bundt Cake
I love a good bundt cake. Elegant and airy, they’re an impressive dessert that’s ideal for parties or special occasions.
This bundt cake doesn’t just look gorgeous, with its swirled top and glints of bright red rhubarb, it also tastes incredible.
A rhubarb and strawberry compote is swirled through a vanilla cake batter and the results are magical.
Moist, airy, and flavorful, it’s a scrumptious summer snack.
16. Rhubarb Crunch
This traditional recipe for old-fashioned rhubarb crumble reminds me of the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
There’s nothing to fix with this classic dessert. It’s a drool-worthy blend of juicy rhubarb filling covered with a brown sugar, oatmeal topping.
Soft and gooey, but also crispy and crunchy, it delivers on both taste and texture.
I love this pudding right after Sunday lunch, but it’s a must any time you’re craving fruity comfort food.
17. Lemon Rhubarb Bars
Delightfully tart, these zesty bars are a great way to use up any leftover rhubarb.
The buttery crust is baked until solid. Then it’s cooled and slathered with a lemony rhubarb batter before returning the bars to the oven to firm up.
The hardest part of this easy recipe is waiting for the bars to cool before digging in.
18. Rhubarb Galette
Galettes are a flat, round, free-form type of tart with a thin pastry base. They originated from France (also known as the home of delicious desserts).
They may look fancy, but this hassle-free recipe shows just how easy it is to get a galette on the table.
The prep takes just 10 minutes. Just fill your pie crust with a spiced rhubarb blend and bake.
19. Rhubarb Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is my go-to winter dessert. Thick, filling, sweet, and comforting, it’s a cozy casserole that warms the belly and soul.
It’s also a great way to use up stale bread. Cut into chunks, mix with a custard-like sauce, and stir in sliced rhubarb.
Then, you’ll just bake until bubbly and serve with either ice-cream or custard. You really can’t go wrong with this irresistible pudding.
20. Rhubarb Greek Yogurt Popsicles
Something magical happens when you blend rhubarb jam with Greek yogurt and freeze it.
It turns into a refreshing treat that’s both delicious and healthy. Magic!
These amazing popsicles are perfect for hot summer days when the kids are begging for something icy and sweet.
You’ll need a popsicle mold and sticks, but if you don’t have either don’t worry.
Just freeze your rhubarb and yogurt in an ice-cube tray then pop them into a dish and enjoy with a spoon.
21. Pistachio Rhubarb Trifle
This decadent trifle has a little bit of everything – sponge, syrup, custard, and fruit.
It’s an enticing explosion of tastes and textures that’ll wow guests and family members alike.
The base layer is made from rich, creamy custard. It’s then layered with vanilla and almond cake, more custard, and a tangy rhubarb puree.
Top with sherry syrup, lashings of whipped cream, and a sprinkling of crunchy pistachio nuts. This super sundae is heaven in a bowl.
22. Rhubarb Pudding Cake
Stewed rhubarb, bubbling up through a soft cake layer and caramelized sugar topping.
Are you drooling yet? Because I am!
Live your dessert dreams with this easy recipe for a quick and convenient rhubarb cake.
Not only is it foolproof, this recipe is also incredibly versatile.
Feel free to play around by adding your favorite fruits. Berries, apples, plums, or peaches would all work well here.
There’s just one non-negotiable. Serve it with ice cream. I can’t recommend that strongly enough.
23. Norwegian Rhubarb Pudding
Bored with the usual rhubarb desserts? Try this bright and tangy European pudding for a different take on your treats.
Rhubarb is stewed until beautifully soft and tender, then topped with heavy cream and sugar.
This silky smoothie is best enjoyed chilled, straight from the fridge into your mouth.
24. Rhubarb Dutch Baby
Also known as a German pancake, Dutch baby cakes are large, thick pancakes traditionally cooked in a skillet.
This recipe combines the moist cakey crumb with chunks of roasted rhubarb. Roasting the rhubarb beforehand is nothing short of culinary genius.
That brief time in the oven deepens its tangy flavor, so you’ll get a good hit of rhubarb goodness amid the cake.
25. Rhubarb Fool
You’d be a fool not to try this dreamy dessert (sorry, couldn’t help myself).
A classic British teatime treat, fruit fools are so simple to make but full of creamy goodness.
This version swirls rhubarb compote together with whipped cream and sugar. It’s light, airy, and velvety smooth.
26. Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade
This refreshing drink is the ultimate thirst-quencher on sun-drenched afternoons.
Made from freshly squeezed lemons, juicy strawberries and a homemade rhubarb simple syrup, it’s full of bright flavor.
You can make this as-is for the kids in the house or add a splash of alcohol for adults.
A dash of vodka transforms this tangy juice into a sweet summer cocktail.
27. Rhubarb Grunt
Ok, so it’s not the most appetizing name, but this grunt is perfect for sweet-toothed rhubarb fans.
Gooey rhubarb filling is topped with a cake-like crumb layer and baked until beautifully browned.
If you want to make your guests grunt (in a good way!), make this simple yet satisfying dessert.
28. Rhubarb Banana Muffins
These moist rhubarb banana muffins are ideal for breakfast, or any time of the day, for that matter.
They’re also really easy. Simply stir together a simple batter and then pile in the fruit.
The added moisture from the bananas and rhubarb chunks gives these treats a gorgeously soft crumb.
It’s like eating air if air were fruity, sweet, tangy, and insanely delicious.
29. Rhubarb Rolls
Sweet meets savory in this unusual recipe for pillowy dessert rolls.
Soft yeasty bread is wrapped around a tart rhubarb filling and baked.
They’re then left to cool before being topped with a lusciously pink rhubarb glaze.
These sticky buns taste as good as they look. That’s saying something because they’re pastel pink and appetizingly adorable.
30. Rhubarb Panna Cotta
Rich, silky, and creamy, panna cotta is an elegant dessert that wows at parties and dinners.
Give your next party pudding a tart twist with this amazing recipe.
The slightly sour rhubarb compote works perfectly atop a vanilla cream base.
Finish it off with a sprig of mint and prepare to amaze your guests.