Rhubarb Dream Bars are the perfect use for your backyard rhubarb or if you can get some from a neighbor or your local farmers’ market. The bars are sweet/tart and easy to make. A real rhubarb lover’s dream!
I planted even more rhubarb to make more desserts and recipes like Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Pudding Cake, Rhubarb Meringue, Blueberry Rhubarb Jam, Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, No-Churn Rhubarb Ice Cream Recipe, and Rhubarb Strawberry Cobbler, to name a few.
These Rhubarb Dream Bars are easy to make and a great way to use up all that wonderful rhubarb you have growing in your garden! You can freeze rhubarb, too, so that you can use it at a later date.
Recipe Ingredients
Crust
- All-purpose flour – Just regular flour; I have not tried to make these gluten-free.
- Sugar – Regular granulated sugar works well here.
- Butter – This needs to be at room temperature. I like to use salted butter for the crust.
Filling
- Large eggs – This is the size I always have on hand.
- Sugar – I use white sugar and prefer it over brown sugar for this recipe.
- All-purpose flour – This works as a thickener for the filling.
- Salt – It brings out the rhubarb flavor.
- Rhubarb – I have used both fresh and frozen rhubarb for this recipe.
How To Make Rhubarb Bars
Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom of an 8×8″ pan with parchment, bringing it up the sides so that it will be easy to remove the squares after. Whirl the crust ingredients in a food processor and then press into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 min.; the crust will still remain very pale in color.
While the crust is baking, mix together eggs, sugar, flour, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk well. Stir in rhubarb. Pour onto the hot crust and continue to bake for 40-45min.
Let the bars cool and remove with the parchment paper. Cut into squares. You can dust them with a little powdered sugar if you like before serving.
Variations
You can try making these dream bars with other fruits, too. Try any of the following:
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Pineapple
- Cherry
- Plus, you can add in ingredients like coconut and nuts too.
These dessert bars are super easy to make and bursting with the taste of fresh rhubarb. Plus, they are pretty in pink for a summer treat!!
They are a tried and tested recipe here on Noshing With The Nolands and one of our most popular recipes now.
Luscious creamy filling with the just-right sweet/tart flavor from the rhubarb. You can use frozen rhubarb for this recipe, too.
They are also very easy to make and something that a lot of people enjoy as they are not a huge dessert and are very portable for a BBQ, picnic, or any gathering.
Recipe Pro Tips!
Expert Tips
Getting a ruby red rhubarb will give you the prettiest result with a bright pink dream bar.
If the middle hasn’t completely baked but the outside is done, then cover the edges with foil and continue to bake.
I have also used frozen rhubarb for this recipe.
Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
These rhubarb dream bars can be stored in an air-tight container and refrigerated, but they are best eaten right away.
I find they get gooey if frozen. So make them as you need them.
DO YOU LOVE RHUBARB AND WANT MORE?
We love rhubarb and want more all the time. That is why we always freeze some for later. Here are some more of our favorite recipes.
Rhubarb Bars Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
Filling
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 cups diced rhubarb
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom of an 8×8" pan with parchment, bringing it up the sides so that it will be easy to remove the squares after. Whirl the crust ingredients in a food processor and then press into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 min.; the crust will still remain very pale in color.
- While crust is baking, mix together eggs, sugar, flour and salt and whisk well about 1 min. but no longer. Stir in rhubarb. Pour onto the hot crust and continue to bake for 40-45min.
- Let the bars cool and remove with the parchment paper. Cut into squares.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Food.com.
Comments & Reviews
Chris says
Have you ever tried making these with almond flour and stevia in place of regular sugar for a low carb version? Just wondering as I think I’ll give it a whirl. Sounds delish and can’t wait to try.
Thanks for sharing!
Tara Noland says
I have not tried that, please come back and tell me how they turned out!!
Erika B says
Nice recipe. I added lemon juice to the top lawyer and lemon zest. I also added vanilla extract
Angela says
I made this last night, I added 1/2 a tsp OK f vanilla extract, and it was so yummy! Tonight I’m trying it without vanilla so I can give the original recipe an honest review.
Experimenting says
Do you think brown sugar sprinkled on top would be good?
Tara Noland says
You could try it, I would decrease the amount of sugar then in the bars.
Peggy says
This is a wonderful twist on the Rhubarb Custard Pie my family has been enjoying since the 1940’s! Basically, the difference is we save the egg whites to make a meringue topping and bake it in a pie crust, homemade, of course! Time saver recipe I know will be perfect with the rhubarb still coming in my garden. Thanks so much for a fresh idea on an old, tried, tested and proven favourite.
Tara Noland says
Hi Peggy, I am so glad you like it!! I am going to be picking my rhubarb again soon, can’t wait.
Suzanne says
This looks so good! It is nice to have more things to make rhubarb besides pie! I love how simple this is!
Malene Løvbjerg says
My favorite rhubarb cake!
Purpletwiglet says
If it tastes as good as it looks this simple, easy to make tray bake will be delicious. I doubled the quantities, poured the custard mixture over the part cooked base, then added the rhubarb. So much easier.
Julie S says
Finally got around to making these – yum! I’ll have to try the foil around the edges trick as mine were a little gooey in the middle too. Still delish!
Tara Noland says
Glad you liked them and that is a good trick to do for sure!!
Barb says
I made these with (frozen but) thawed, drained rhubarb, twice, and the middle pieces were gooey, both times, I baked longer than recommended, too, and the edges were getting very brown… BUT, they are delicious and everyone loved them. I took them to a potluck dinner, and had to promise to make them again. (Just didn’t put the middle ones out!) Maybe my eggs are too large or??? Should I increase the flour next time?
Tara Noland says
I have not made them with frozen rhubarb but I would not thaw it and cook it frozen. You could add maybe a bit more flour and also foil the edges so the middle has a longer time to cook.
Karin says
I just made these and they are delicious! We’ve already eaten half! (Barely allowed it to cool!)
I followed your directions exactly except I added one extra cup of rhubarb.
I used a glass baking dish.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe!
Tara Noland says
They are a hit, can’t wait to make them again ourselves!! Thanks for commenting!
GLORIA says
I also added an extra cup of rhubarb based on your suggestion and I didn’t change anything else.. thank you for saying you did that or I wouldn’t have tried it. The rhubarb dream bars are wonderful.
Gloria says
I just picked my rhubarb and have a lot. I want to make a pie, but saw this recipe and read the comments, so I will be baking this tonight. I have two grown men in my house so the 8×8 pan will not do, so if I double the recipe and use a 9×13 pan I’m assuming they will be a little thicker bars? They don’t like rhubarb but I know when they come out of the oven they will eat them and tomorrow morning they will be gone. Made the crust before in a different recipe, loved it, now with rhubarb, oh Lord. Well I better get baking. Thank you, I’m sure I will love this recipe.
Tara Noland says
I hope this turned out for you and was devoured by all!!
Marylou Kormann says
My mom called this Rhubarb Kuchen…love it!
Tara Noland says
Now that is cool!!
Alisha Ahrens says
Do you have to cook it longer for double the recipe? Or is it the same length of time?
Tara Noland says
I would start with the same length of time and then adjust to see when they are lightly browned.
lori nolan says
i made this last night, it is so good, didn’t have alot of rhubarb so i used mixed fruit and it came out great, i made a 9 by 13 pan and my fruit was froze so i just added more flour. came out great.
Tara Noland says
So glad you liked it. I will have to make a larger one too!!
Eileen H Y says
Tara–thank you SO MUCH for this recipe! I just made it this afternoon and my kitchen smelled heavenly! Husband thought the hot-from-the-oven sample was so good that he should put some in a ramekin accompanied by a big blast of whipped cream on it! Twice! I’ll have to make it again just to find out what it is really supposed to look like when cooled! I made it exactly as the recipe stated and it turned out perfectly!!
Tara Noland says
I am so happy you love these. I have to make them again myself. I have a bunch of rhubarb in the freezer, can’t wait!
Electra Thompson says
I have made these a couple of times now and they are so tasty. This time I added blackberries because we have a glut at the moment and they were just as great. Many thanks for sharing the recipe.
Tara Noland says
How divine blackberries would be in these, thanks for sharing!!
Sara says
I just have one more question….salted or unsalted butter?
Tara Noland says
Salted 🙂
Sara says
Can you tell me if you use cold butter or softened to room temp? Also, if I don’t use parchment and use a glass pyrex, should I grease it first? Thank you, I love rhubarb and cannot wait to try this recipe.
Tara Noland says
I use room temperature butter and if you don’t use the parchment then lightly grease so they will come out easily.
Anne Csak says
Took me almost one year to finally try this recipe. My three grandsons seemingly “inhaled” the contents of 9″x13″ pan. Cooking time in my oven was minimum 45 mins. We really like it served with a dollop of Creme Fraiche(?spelling) and was served at our 150 Canada Day celebration BBQ.
Tara Noland says
LOL, Happy Canada Day, so glad you (or they) enjoyed it!!