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
Sarah says
For frozen rubarb, do you thaw it first or use it frozen. If frozen do you need to adjust cook time?
Tara Noland says
Not I bake rhubarb frozen in all my recipes, may take a bit longer of a bake though. You may have to cover the edges with foil to get the center to bake if needed.
Nora Croft says
I love this recipe and have been making it for the last couple years and it’s a hit every time. I have even made with frozen rhubarb and it turns out great too!!
Tara Noland says
So glad you enjoy it, thanks for telling us.
Beth says
Flavor is nice, however it doesn’t hold together. The custard didn’t form and I baked it an extra 5 minutes. It was best on the edges. The middle I used over ice cream because it was too soupy to eat as a bar.
Tara Noland says
You can always put foil at the edges and let the middle bake longer. Sometimes it depends how juicy the rhubarb is.
Donna says
I added some cinnamon to my rhubarb mixture
Linda says
Family loved. Some even loved after they said they did not like rhubarb.
Tara Noland says
So awesome to hear, thanks for sharing!!
Ann says
What a wonderful recipe! We loved it. Will definitely make it again.
Tara Noland says
So glad you loved it, it is very popular.
Joy says
I swapped gooseberries for the rhubarb. Yummy!
Tara Noland says
That is a great idea!!
Trisha says
Can I substitute frozen strawberries? Would I need to thaw and drain them?
Tara Noland says
I use frozen fruit straight away with no thawing.
Teresa says
Can you use frozen rhubarb with this recipe
Tara Noland says
Yes, I have used both!
Diane Bellingham says
These Rhubarb Squares are amazing. Definitely a lovely all year round recipe !
Tara Noland says
So glad you enjoyed them, we love them!!
H NELSON says
Do you think this would work with frozen strawberries?
Tara Noland says
I have not tried it but I bet it would work!
Melissa says
I followed the recipe to a T and it looks nothing like your picture. Haven’t tried it yet though. Kind of bummed out because your picture sold me and I’m all about presentation. Oh well. Excited to take a bite.
Tara Noland says
I am not sure what yours looks like? I hope they tasted great though.
Julie says
Love this recipe – think I could substitute it with plums since they are in season now?
Tara Noland says
I haven’t done it but I would give it a try!
barbara gutowski says
I made these last week. I am getting ready to make my second batch! These were absolutely delicious! Even my “rhubarb skeptical” friend thought they were delicious. I did add just a splash of vanilla to the recipe. Either way, they are amazing. And a rather easy recipe to follow. The crust was absolutely yummy! This is definitely my new favorite rhubarb recipe !
Tara Noland says
Awesome, so happy to hear this. Enjoy!!
Ann says
I made the Rhubarb Dream Bars. Followed the recipe exactly. They did not turn out. The outside edge was baked, but the centre wouldn’t firm up. When they cooled, the liquid ran out all around the edges.
I have never had an issue with my oven so I know it wasn’t that…things I have baked since were fine.
Tara Noland says
I guess you needed to leave them in longer so the middle baked. You can always cover the edge with foil. Sorry this happened to you.
Joan says
Do you have to put the crust ingredients in a food processor. I usually use a pastry blender.
Tara Noland says
You can absolutely do it by hand with a pastry blender.
Julie Acker says
What item in this recipe has 4 grams of trans fat??
Tara Noland says
Butter has trans fat but it could be the way they calculated it.
Roslyn says
Look delicious, can you use frozen rhubarb.
Tara Noland says
Yes you can, the bake time will be longer.
Jean says
these are so good.
Tara Noland says
Thanks, so glad you like them!
Lauren V says
I have made these twice. The first time with rhubarb and doubled the recipe for a party I was attending. The crust was very sticky which I attributed to the butter being too soft. The crust puffed up in the oven and when I added the filling it just sunk into the middle of the 9×13 pan and didn’t want to spread out very well. After 40 minutes it was overcooked on the edges and under cooked in the middle. I was only able to get pieces from the edges with very little fruit. I tried a second time, making it as written but used peaches instead of rhubarb. The butter was not overly soft, the dough had a better feel. It baked up what seemed to be nicely, however when I added the filling the same thing happened. The dough had puffed up and the filling sunk into the middle and wasn’t easily spread around the dough. The crust over cooked and the middle was very soft. This seems at first glance to be a simple recipe, it’s adaptable to other fruits and tasty. However after 2 attempts I likely won’t make this again.
Tara Noland says
I think doubling the recipe hasn’t worked well for you. In the future you can always put foil around the edges to get the center of a dish to cook.