This Strawberry Rhubarb Pie is all the rage with the flavor of fresh sweetened strawberries and rhubarb tucked in a homemade crust and topped with a simple four-ingredient streusel crumb topping. Strawberries and rhubarb are a match made in heaven and one of my family’s favorites. Enjoy it straight up or a la mode!
Unlike most strawberry rhubarb pies, this recipe uses a streusel crumb topping instead of a flaky pastry or lattice top crust. This gives this tasty pie a little more sweetness to balance out the tart rhubarb and a little added texture.
We love fresh fruit desserts like pies, cobblers, crumbles, and crisps. Have you tried any of my other fresh fruit desserts? Cherry Crisp, Blackberry Cobbler, Peach Crisp, and Blueberry Cobbler are just a few of our favorites. Just the thought of them makes my mouth water.
Rhubarb is a stalky plant that grows in cooler climates. The stalks are edible, but the leaves are not. They contain a compound called oxalic acid, which is toxic to humans and animals. Therefore, they should be removed and discarded.
Rhubarb is pretty tart by itself. However, it is delicious, sliced and mixed with other fruit, sweetened, and used in pies, cobblers, crisps, and crumbles. To prep, remove, and discard any leaves, wash and slice like you would celery.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Butter: unsalted. If using salted butter, cut the added salt back to 1/4 teaspoon.
- Salt: see the note on the butter.
- Sugar: I like to use a mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar
- Rhubarb and strawberries: I like to use fresh. If using frozen thaw and drain in a colander.
- Vanilla extract: the pure stuff
- Lemon juice: fresh is best and just a little bit for added flavor
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Start by cutting your chilled butter into small cubes. Then, combine it with the flour and salt using a pastry blender to cut in the butter until crumbly.
Add the chilled water a few tablespoons at a time, mixing with a fork until the dough pulls together. Form it into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and chill for at least 2 hours.
While the pie dough is chilling, make the streusel topping by combining the flour, sugar, and brown sugar. Again, using a pastry blender, cut in the butter. Go ahead and set that aside for a little bit.
Wash and cut your fruit for 30 minutes before removing the pie crust from the refrigerator. Then, mix the fruit, sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and lemon juice in a large bowl.
Now, gently roll the piecrust into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fold the pie crust or roll it around your rolling pin to move it to the pie plate. Gently tuck it into the pie pan, trim the edge about an inch over the side, tuck it in along the edge, and flute it.
Spoon the fruit mixture into the pie crust and sprinkle with the streusel crumb topping. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet in case it bubbles over. Bake in a preheated oven for about 50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Preparation Tips
- You can make the streusel topping up to 5 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Rhubarb is in season, typically from April through June; however, it freezes very well. Some grocery stores sell frozen rhubarb.
- Pro-tip! Letting the pie crust dough chill for a couple of hours is essential. It relaxes the gluten, makes it easier to roll, and limits shrinkage during baking.
- Mix the piecrust up to 3 days in advance, but let it sit out for about 30 minutes before rolling it.
Store and Freeze
Leftovers can be stored well-covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let the pie come to room temperature before serving.
To freeze, first cool completely. Then, wrap in 2 layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Remove the pie from the fridge about 1 hour before serving to bring it to room temperature. Remember to store leftovers covered in the fridge.
More Dessert Recipes
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- ½ cup chilled unsalted butter cut in small cubes
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4-6 tablespoons chilled water
Streusel Crumb Topping
- 1¼ cups flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter cut in cubes
Pie Filling
- 3 cups sliced rhubarb ¼ -½ inch cuts
- 2½ cups chopped strawberries
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- 3 ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine butter, flour, and salt. Using a pastry blender cut in the butter until very crumbly. Add chilled water a few tablespoons at a time, mixing with a fork until the dough pulls together. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, and brown sugar. Cut in butter using a pastry blender until crumbly. Set aside.
- Mix together rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and lemon juice.
- Gently roll the piecrust out to a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fold the pie crust or roll it around your rolling pin to move it to the pie plate. Gently tuck the crust into the pie pan to form the bottom crust, trim the edge about an inch over the side, tuck the excess dough in along the edge, and flute or crimp it.
- Spoon the fruit mixture into the pie crust and sprinkle with the streusel crumb topping. Put on a rimmed baking sheet in case it bubbles over. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling. If needed, cover with a loose piece of aluminum foil to keep from over-browning.
- Cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- The streusel topping can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Rhubarb is in season, typically from April through June; however, it freezes very well. Some grocery stores sell frozen rhubarb.
- Pro-tip! It is important to let the pie crust dough chill for a couple of hours. It relaxes the gluten, makes it easier to roll, and limits shrinkage during baking.
- You can mix the piecrust up to 3 days in advance, but let it sit out for about 30 minutes prior to rolling it.
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Pamela Treumer
Can you use a purchased graham crust?
Beth Pierce
Yes, you can although I have not taste tested it. I would not prebake the crust.