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Easy Tangy Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars Recipe with Oat Topping

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These easy tangy strawberry rhubarb crumble bars feature a buttery oat topping and a perfectly balanced sweet and tart fruit filling. Quick to make and crowd-pleasing, they are perfect for gatherings or a comforting dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped into ½-inch pieces (about 240g or 8.5 oz)
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered (about 300g or 10.5 oz)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g or 5.3 oz)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed (225g or 8 oz)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g or 4.4 oz)
  • 1 ½ cups rolled oats (135g or 4.8 oz)
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed (100g or 3.5 oz)
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
  • ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
  2. Prepare the fruit filling: In a medium saucepan, combine chopped rhubarb, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until rhubarb softens but isn’t mushy.
  3. Add strawberries and cook for another 2-3 minutes just to warm through. Remove from heat, stir in cornstarch, and let cool slightly.
  4. Make the crumble base and topping: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
  5. Add cold cubed butter. Using fingers or a pastry cutter, rub butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces.
  6. Assemble the bars: Press about two-thirds of the oat crumble evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing gently but firmly.
  7. Spoon the fruit filling evenly over the crust, spreading gently to avoid mixing layers.
  8. Sprinkle the remaining oat crumble evenly on top.
  9. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and fruit is bubbly around edges. If topping browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil for last 10 minutes.
  10. Remove from oven and cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours to set the filling.
  11. Using parchment overhang, lift bars out of pan and transfer to cutting board. Cut into 12 squares.
  12. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

Pre-cook the rhubarb with sugar and lemon juice to prevent soggy bars and balance tartness. Use cold butter for the crumble topping to achieve a crisp texture. Cool bars completely before slicing to ensure clean cuts. For dairy-free, substitute butter with coconut oil or plant-based butter. Frozen berries can be used if thawed and drained well.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry rhubarb bars, crumble bars, oat topping, easy dessert, tangy fruit bars, summer dessert, quick baking

Find it online: https://eliplate.com/easy-tangy-strawberry-rhubarb-crumble-bars-recipe-with-oat-topping/