Whether you adore rhubarb desserts or usually enjoy it with strawberries, you must try this spiced rhubarb crisp!
Sweet and tart, bursting with warm flavors like ginger, cloves, and cinnamon, and finished with a crunchy oatmeal-pecan topping. It’s also easy—if your butter is soft, you can have this dessert ready by the time the oven heats up.
Hello!
I look forward to rhubarb season every spring. I buy plenty, bake with it often—sometimes combined with strawberries and sometimes on its own—and freeze the rest so I can enjoy fresh-tasting rhubarb year-round. Local farms are a great source when rhubarb is in season, and picking good stalks makes a difference in flavor and texture.
What makes this recipe special?
- Pure rhubarb flavor: The filling uses only rhubarb, so the tart, fresh flavor shines through.
- Warm spices: Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice add depth and complexity.
- Pecans for crunch: Chopped pecans in the crumble give texture and a nutty contrast.
- Simple prep: A few straightforward steps and common pantry ingredients make this an easy dessert to assemble.
What you need
- Rhubarb: Choose firm stalks, preferably with some pink coloring.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar balances rhubarb’s tartness.
- Spices: Use warm spices—cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and a touch of cloves.
- Crumble topping: A mix of oats, flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, butter, and a pinch of salt.
How it comes together
Make the topping by combining oats, flour, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and softened butter until no dry flour remains. Toss the rhubarb with granulated sugar, spices, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Spread the rhubarb in a baking dish, scatter the crumble on top, and bake until the topping is golden and the filling bubbles.
1. Make the crumble
For this recipe, I use equal amounts of flour, oats, brown sugar, and pecans—about 1/2 cup of each—along with 4 tablespoons of soft unsalted butter, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Combine with your fingers until the mixture holds together, then chill briefly if you like.
2. Prepare the spiced rhubarb
Slice the rhubarb into roughly 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 pounds or 6 cups). Combine the rhubarb with 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 2–3 dashes of ground cloves, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Toss until evenly coated and pour into your baking dish.
3. Bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the crumble evenly over the rhubarb and bake for 50–60 minutes, until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling. Allow to cool briefly before serving—this crisp is excellent warm or at room temperature. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is highly recommended.
Make-ahead tips
- Chop rhubarb up to a few days ahead and store in the fridge, or freeze for longer storage (thaw completely before using).
- Prep the filling and topping separately and refrigerate for up to one day; assemble and bake when ready.
- Bake the crisp a day ahead, then rewarm at 350°F for 10–15 minutes to refresh the topping before serving.
Freezing and prepping rhubarb
Rhubarb freezes well. Slice into 1/2-inch pieces and store sealed in the freezer for up to three months. There’s no need to peel rhubarb—the skin softens during cooking and adds color and flavor.
More crisp ideas
- Apple Cranberry Crisp with Oatmeal Topping
- Blueberry Peach Crisp
- Pear Ginger Crumble (gluten-free option for the topping)
If you make this Spiced Rhubarb Crisp, I’d love to hear how it turned out—leave a comment and rating if you try it. Happy baking!
– Happy Baking, Annemarie
Spiced Rhubarb Crisp with Oatmeal Pecan Crumble
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, soft
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Spiced Rhubarb
- 2 lbs rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 6 cups)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 2–3 dashes ground cloves
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Get set up
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Use an 8×10 oval gratin dish or a 9×9 square baking dish.
Mix the crumble topping
- Add all topping ingredients to a bowl and mix with your fingers until there are no dry bits. Set aside.
Mix the spiced rhubarb
- Combine rhubarb with sugar, spices, vanilla, and salt until evenly coated.
Make the crisp
- Spread the rhubarb in the baking dish and scatter the topping evenly over it.
- Bake 50–60 minutes, until topping is golden and filling bubbles.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Butter: Use soft butter for easy mixing. Cut into small pieces to soften quickly.
- Rhubarb: Frozen rhubarb works; thaw completely before using.
- Gluten-free option: If you need a gluten-free topping, use a tested gluten-free crumble recipe rather than just swapping the flour in this topping.