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Strawberry Rhubarb Bars Recipe

Published: June 28, 2018 | Last updated: July 4, 2018 11 Comments

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These Strawberry Rhubarb Bars are sturdy yet delicate. With soft cake-like layer at the bottom and a light oats crisp on the top. Sweet and sour. Summery and bright. Perfect dessert to celebrate summer and Canada Day!

Photo of a tray filled with Strawberry Rhubarb Bars

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Rhubarb. Rhubarb. The word tags at my memories and pulls at some long-forgetten strings in the corner of my mind.

Rhubarb. Barb. It sounds crisp and biting. Like a barb wire posed to knick your skin. Sour. Ready to bite the delicate tongue.

Rhubarb. Rhubarb. Green and pinkish stalks. So long and elegant with their beautiful crinkly leaves. They remind me of thin ballerina dancers in pink leotards and tutus.

Rhubarb. Something nostalgic. Sour stems dipped in white sugar grains.

Funny enough, there are no real memories. I have never tried rhubarb in my childhood. I have never had it in my adolescence. Or maybe I did, yet I don’t remember.

Close up photo of cut up rhubarb

Strawberry and Rhubarb. Rhubarb and Strawberry. Such a classic combination that is so new to me and so delicious!

I got introduced to a combination of Strawberries and Rhubarb just over 10 years ago. It was a pie, of course.

I fell in love with the tang and bite of rhubarb in combination with the sweetness of the strawberries.

Last weekend my father-in-law brought me some rhubarb stalks from his garden, so I knew I had to improvise and make something delicious and sweet and pink and beautiful.

These Strawberry Rhubarb Bars are a combination of a few recipes. I used the dough from a recipe from my upcoming cookbook, The Ultimate One-Pan Oven Cookbook, that is coming out on August 28, so PRE-ORDER now.

Top down view of a closeup of the Strawberry Rhubarb Bars in the tray before cut into bars

I added a delicious filling of sun-kissed strawberries and tart rhubarb from an old pie recipe that I used to make. And I topped it all with a light oats crisp for a nice crunch.

The combination of the three layers is fantastic. The bottom portion of the Strawberry Rhubarb Bars is a mix between a cookie and a cake. The fruit filling is almost like a custard. And the crisp provides a beautiful contrast to the pink centre.

These Strawberry Rhubarb Bars are sturdy yet delicate. Soft and crisp. Sweet and sour. Summery and bright. Perfect dessert to celebrate summer!

Closeup photo of a fork with a piece of Strawberry Rhubarb Bar and a bar behind it

Is the Strawberry Rhubarb Dessert a cake?

The bottom layer for the bars (I’m going to keep calling them bars) is almost like a cake. It’s not as sturdy as a cookie layer which is the most traditional for bars desserts.

But since this Strawberry Rhubarb Dessert is actually cut into squares, I decided to go ahead and call it Bars. However, it’s almost a mix between a cake and cookie bars.

Top down view of a tray of Strawberry Rhubarb Bars and another bar next to it

Why use ricotta for the base layer of the Strawberry Rhubarb Bars?

Ricotta is what actually makes the dough for this Strawberry Rhubarb Dessert more like a cake and less like a cookie layer. Ricotta adds that extra fluffiness that you’d expect in a cake.

Using ricotta in the dough means that it’s a tiny bit healthier than using all butter in the pastry. If you want to make it into a Russian-style dessert, then use Farmers Cheese instead of Ricotta.

I use farmers cheese for the dough in my Apple Meringue Tart and it’s delicious!

TIP: If you’d like to make the dough a bit more healthy, increase the amount of Ricotta and reduce the amount of butter by the same amount. Half butter and half ricotta would work fine.

process shot: Cut up rhubarb on a cutting board with a few stalks still whole and a bowl of cutup strawberries in the background

Do you need to use sugar and flour in the filling for this Strawberry Rhubarb Dessert?

Flour in the strawberry and rhubarb filling makes it almost like a custard. The juices from the fruit with the flour create a very creamy filling. Technically, you could omit the flour but the filling won’t be as smooth and luscious.

I am all for reducing the sugar wherever possible but you do need it here. Rhubarb is notoriously sour and it needs an extra sweetener to make it palatable. If you prefer desserts that are more tart, you could reduce the amount of sugar in the fruit mixture.

process shot: Top down view of two bowls. One bowl contains the crisp topping that goes on the Strawberry Rhubarb Bars and the other bowl contains the strawberry rhubarb filling

How to make Strawberry Rhubarb Bars

The recipe for these Strawberry Rhubarb Bars is much more involved than my usual one-bowl desserts. However, it is still quite easy and it does not take longer than some of my other sweets.

Fruit filling and the crisp are prepared while the cake layer is baking, so there’s no extra prep time involved.

The bottom layer is very simple. You can use a spatula to mix it or a hand mixer, which I prefer.

Cream together the butter, ricotta, sugar, and an egg. Add the flour and it’s done.

Process shot: Bowl with the ingredients for the Strawberry Rhubarb Bars bottom layer: sugar, ricotta, egg, butterProcess shot: Bowl with the mixture of the creamed butter and flour

Spread the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and pre-bake.

Process shot: Top down view of a parchment lined sheet pan with dough being spread into it and a bowl with the rest of the dough next to the sheet pan

While the cake is pre-baking, cut up the rhubarb and the strawberries.

Mix in the flour and sugar and set aside.

Process shot: top down view of a bowl with cut up strawberries, rhubarb, flour, and sugar to make the filling for the Strawberry Rhubarb BarsProcess shot: Photo of the strawberries and rhubarb mixed in with the flour and sugar

TIP: To make the crisp, feel free to use the same bowl that you used for the dough, so that there’s less cleanup.

Mix together the oats, flour, a bit extra sugar, and cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse sand or small gravel. You could use a pastry knife, but the amount of the crisp is so small that I usually use just a fork.

Process shot: a bowl with the ingredients for the topping for the Strawberry Rhubarb Bars: oats, butter, flour, sugar

Once the dough got pre-baked a bit, add the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling, top it with the crisp and bake until all golden and bubbly. You will know that the Strawberry Rhubarb Bars are done as the smell will be intoxicatingly delicious!

Process shot: fruit filling is piled up high on the prebaked dough for the Strawberry Rhubarb Bars

How to store Strawberry Rhubarb Bars

The bars are better after they cooled and settled for a few hours. Right after baking, the bottom part is a bit too cookie-like for my taste. Few hours later, it mellows down and becomes wonderfully fluffy and soft.

The bars can be stored in a loosely covered container for two days on the counter. Or in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge but storing them in the fridge will mean that the topping will not be as crisp.

Top down view of a tray with Strawberry Rhubarb Bars

Want more Strawberry Recipes? Try these:

  • Strawberry Cookies
  • Strawberry Chia Jam made in Instant Pot
  • Easy 3-ingredient Cake Roll with Strawberry Jam
  • Strawberry Muffins
  • Strawberry Meringue Cake
Photo of a tray filled with Strawberry Rhubarb Bars
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5 from 11 votes

Strawberry Rhubarb Bars

These Strawberry Rhubarb Bars are sturdy yet delicate. With soft cake-like layer at the bottom and a light oats crisp on the top. Sweet and sour. Summery and bright. Perfect dessert to celebrate summer | imagelicious.com
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword dessert, fruit, strawberry
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes minutes
Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Servings 16 servings
Calories 222kcal
Author Julia

Ingredients

For the dough layer

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
  • 1/4 cup ricotta
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cup flour (see note)
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt

For the Strawberry Rhubarb filling layer

  • 1 pound strawberries
  • 1/3 pound rhubarb
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar

For the crisp topping layer

  • 1/3 cup quick cooking oats or rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cold butter
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400F.
  • Line a 9x13 inch sheet pan (quarter sheet pan) with parchment paper.

Make the dough layer

  • In a large bowl, combine the room temperature butter, ricotta, egg, sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix well together until smooth and creamy. Use a spatula or a mixer.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix in until all the flour is well incorporated. I find it's easier to do that using a spatula at this point but feel free to use a mixer if you'd like.
  • Using your hands or a spoon, spread the dough onto the prepared sheet pan. Making sure that it's spread evenly and covers the whole sheet pan.
  • Bake for 20 minutes.

Make the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling layer

  • Cut the strawberries into 1/4 inch (1 cm) pieces. No need to be really precise.
  • Cut the rhubarb into 1/4 inch (1 cm) pieces.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the cutup strawberries, rhubarb, flour, and sugar. Mix well until the flour and sugar cover the fruit.

Make the crisp topping layer

  • In a separate bowl, combine all the ingredients for the crisp topping layer.
  • Using a patry knife or a fork, mix in the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles very coarse sand or fine gravel.

Assemble the Strawberry Rhubarb Bars

  • After the bottom layer for the bars has been baked for 20 minutes, take the sheet pan out of the oven. 
  • Spread the Strawberry Rhubarb filling all over the dough.
  • Sprinkle the crisp topping over the fruit filling as evenly as possible.
  • Return back to the oven for another 35 minutes.
  • Once baked, cool and cut into 16 bars.

Notes

Flour... Flour... I know that all the calculators (including the one in this recipe plugin) say that 1.5 cups of flour weigh about 180g but my flour always weighs more, almost twice as much.
 
I always scoop the flour right out of container with a measuring cup and lightly tap it on the side to get rid off the top overflow. 
 
If you use flour by weight, make sure to see the photos for the texture that you need to expect for the dough. You might need to use more flour if only weight measurements are used.

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 290IU | Vitamin C: 17.4mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1.1mg
Tried this recipe?Leave me a comment with a star rating!
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Nutrition Facts
Strawberry Rhubarb Bars
Amount Per Serving
Calories 222 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 34mg11%
Sodium 28mg1%
Potassium 119mg3%
Carbohydrates 33g11%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 18g20%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 290IU6%
Vitamin C 17.4mg21%
Calcium 35mg4%
Iron 1.1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Filed Under: Canada Day, Dessert, Fruit, Recipe, Summer Tagged With: bars, rhubarb, strawberry

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Comments

  1. Lisa says

    July 6, 2018 at 9:26 am

    5 stars
    My first taste of rhubarb was also in a pie — and I’ve been smitten ever since. Unfortunately the season is short — and in South Florida, where I’m from, it’s even shorter. In fact, I never even saw fresh rhubarb in our markets this season. Doh! I’m pinning this though — because these bars will happen next spring!

    Reply
  2. Amanda says

    July 5, 2018 at 7:11 am

    5 stars
    I love a good fruit crumble bar! What an interesting addition with the ricotta in the base for a more cake-like texture. I’ll have to try that! Bars like these are always so great for summer parties, when you need a dessert that’s easy to serve and portable. Such a great way to serve that classic strawberry-rhubarb combo!

    Reply
  3. Sarah says

    July 2, 2018 at 11:54 am

    5 stars
    I think rhubarb is one of the pretties veggies out there! (I do love hot pink though, so maybe I’m partial.) I didn’t grow up eating it either, but my husband did, and now I’m obsessed. These bars look delicious- I should make a batch! I love the pink!! 😀

    Reply
  4. Dana says

    July 2, 2018 at 10:12 am

    5 stars
    I need these in my life! Crumbles are basically my favorite type of dessert, and I don’t get to eat hem nearly enough. I love how easy these are and the fact that I basically get the essence of a deliciously messy crumble in a neat and clean bar. I’m going to give these a shot! (And likely eat the entire tray by myself).

    Reply
  5. Jennifer Bigler says

    July 1, 2018 at 6:09 pm

    5 stars
    Ricotta is a great idea. I love strawberry and rhubarb together. These bars looks so fun and tasty, I know my entire family will love them. They are perfect for 4th of July too. Thank you for this recipe.

    Reply
  6. Amanda says

    July 1, 2018 at 5:18 pm

    5 stars
    I love the sound of these bars… the ricotta is an inspired twist and I am just imagining how amazing it would taste here in these bars. Rhubarb is one of my favorites and I have a rhubarb plant I’ve kept for years so I know what I’m making soon!

    Reply
  7. Tina says

    July 1, 2018 at 10:40 am

    5 stars
    Strawberry rhubarb is a classic. I love the idea of making these into bars. They look so pretty with that bright red next to the crumbly top. So smart to use ricotta in the dough, I have never seen that before. Definitely saving this, our rhubarb bolted quickly this year, maybe I can find some in the grocery store. Thanks for sharing this!

    Reply
  8. Stefani says

    June 30, 2018 at 11:14 am

    5 stars
    I love the use of ricotta in these bars! Plus, I’ve never had strawberry rhubarb in anything other than a pie. This sounds wonderful!

    Reply
  9. Sara jones says

    June 30, 2018 at 8:16 am

    5 stars
    This bars looks so yummy and delicious.I was searching for one hour how i make easy and quick recipe with strawberry like this for our dessert tonight, boys are coming over for football match. I think their gonna love it.Thanks for the lovely recipe.

    Reply
  10. Kathy McDaniel says

    June 29, 2018 at 12:09 am

    5 stars
    These bars look amazing! I love the idea of adding ricotta to the base dough – why didn’t I think of that? I bet it makes for a wonderful, rich cake like base. Sounds so delicious and perfect. Definitely need to try this recipe soon.

    Reply
  11. Gloria says

    June 28, 2018 at 3:49 pm

    5 stars
    Yes the classic Strawberry Rhubarb combination never goes out of style. I used to pick rhubarb in my baba’s garden and eat it RAW dipped in sugar. When I think about it my mouth puckers and my face tightens up LOL!! This does look like the perfect dessert for CANADA DAY!! Stay cool….it is going to be a scorcher!!

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Julia and I love cooking simple, easy, and healthy meals. My favourite meal of the day is breakfast so you'll see many pancakes. Cooking and baking shouldn't be complicated, let me show you how.

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