This recipe for Rhubarb Bars will get that last bag of rhubarb right out of the freezer. Pair it with another pantry staple, oatmeal and you’ve got cookies you make just about anytime.
But don’t stop at plain rhubarb bars! Got strawberries? Try my Strawberry Rhubarb Bars! I also have a recipe for Blueberry Bars that we love too. And don’t forget you can make any of them with frozen fruit.
Want to know more about freezing and saving your rhubarb, read this post How to Freeze Rhubarb and other Rhubarb Secrets! When I’m looking to fill my freezer for the winter I always turn to my rhubarb patch!
Using up what I have on hand is important to our financial goals (cash out of pocket life!) and this week I seem to have a lot of rhubarb I quick froze last fall still hanging around.
Rhubarb Bars
This is what you make when you open the freezer and a bag of frozen rhubarb falls out on your toe. And when that 10-pound box of oatmeal you bought at Costco seems more like 50 pounds. And when you have hungry kids at home these amazing bars will fill them up!
We love a good rhubarb crisp, Rhubarb Dream Bars and this fabulous Strawberry Rhubarb Pie but sometimes you just want cookies! So I turn to an old favorite recipe, reminiscent of bars our local coffee shop sells for 3 bucks a pop. They use raspberries or raspberry jam but I have rhubarb so Rhubarb Bars it is.
Cookies for Lunches
If you plan to send them with kids in lunch boxes they seem to hold up better if they’re cut bigger than what I have pictured, about double that size and they travel better. I don’t know, maybe your kids don’t swing their lunch boxes all the way around their head while belting out a Norse battle cry??
Try Rhubarb Curd
My NEW favorite rhubarb recipe is this beautiful Rhubarb Curd. It’s JUST rhubarb, sugar, eggs, butter, and a little cornstarch but it tastes like so much more.
A few notes on these bars:
• if you’ve got frozen rhubarb more than likely you won’t need the 1/4 cup of water it won’t hurt either way, so use it if you feel like you’re rhubarb is dry
• don’t cover for storage these unless you want them to revert to a mushy mess
•remember to cut bigger for easier packing in lunches!
Rhubarb Oatmeal Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups oatmeal quick cook or regular
- 1 1/3 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- pinch salt
- 1 cup butter
Rhubarb Filling
- 4 cups rhubarb chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 Cup sugar more or less depends on your taste
- 4 TBSP Flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚Make the Crust/Topping:
- mix the dry ingredients together
- cut the butter in chunks and drop it in the dry mix, cut in with a pastry blender or two knives, or use your hands mix it in
- keep mixing until it looks like coarse crumbs
- save off 1 cup of crumbs
- press the rest in the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish, set aside
- put the rhubarb, water (if using) and sugar in a sauce pan
- bring it to a boil over medium high heat, it will get very juicy as it cooks
- once it comes to a boil reduce the heat to keep it from scorching, just keep it bubbling lightly until the rhubarb is just starting to get soft
- remove 2/3 cup of the juice and whisk in the flour into it
- add it back in the pan and stir until thickened, cook and stir for 1-2 minutes and remove from the heat (you just made rhubarb gravy!)
- spread the rhubarb over the base layer in the 9X13 sprinkle with reserved crumbs
- bake for 30-35 minutes until top is lightly brown and the rhubarb is bubbly
- let it cool before you cut it for best results
Nutrition
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What temperature do you bake these at?
350! Must have been taken out in the recipe conversion : ) Good catch!
I’m a BIG FAN of rhubarb! These bars look terrific! Pinning to my rhubarb board to try for sure.
A rhubarb board is #lifegoals
I love rhubard so much! These would be fantastic! And maybe I’ll add some strawberries. Fabulous recipe! P~
I love rhubarb! I thought these bars were delicious, next time I would cut back on the sugar, as they were too sweet for us.
Yes I always feel like there’s a fine line between just right and too sweet. But it’s also so personal too. Glad you enjoyed them.
I used my coworkers as a test for this recipe. They it. What little was left went to family and they agreed. This is a keeper. Thanks for sharing.
Oh Patty! I am so happy they liked my Rhubarb bars!
Can these bars be frozen
I have never frozen them–I don’t see why you couldn’t though? They might get soft though.
Maybe try one, see how it does.
I’ve made these, frozen them and wrapped them in baking paper to eat on a bike ride. They’re great for 2-3 hours, and a little soft after 4 hours in a handlebar bag. They’re almost perfect for /30 minute snacks at ~30 grams carbohydrate/serve.
Why couldn’t you use canned rhubarb if fresh isn’t available.
I’ve never seen canned rhubarb. Do you mean jam? I think you could try subbing that in. Let me know what happens!
I don’t see butter listed in the recipe but it is in the instructions?
OMGOSH good catch, I just switched recipe cards for this and it ate some of the ingredients. I’ve
added it back to the card but just so you know it was one cup of butter. Thanks so much for letting me know
about the mistake on these rhubarb bars!
I prefer large flake oats over the quick oats. Could you sub in this recipe?
Absolutely!
There is just two of us. What would we do to make 8″ x 8″ pan (glass)? They look good!
Could you use almond or coconut flour instead of white flour?
I have not tried that with this recipe. You can do some experimentation and find out though!
We have a lot of food allergies, and I used an all purpose gluten free flour and it works beautifully. I have made it both ways and we couldn’t tell the difference!
How much flour do you add into the rhubarb when it’s cooking?
The 4 TBSP listed down below the rhubarb.
If using frozen rhubarb, should it be thawed first or left frozen? Would I reduce the water for cooking?
I leave it frozen and reduce the water to just a splash!
Trying these today for the first time! In the oven, should it be on the center rack? Mine didn’t brown on the top and the rhubarb didn’t bubble although the bottom is nicely browned! Wondering if I should have moved it closer to the heat source? (My taste test fresh out of the oven was great! )
I do generally bake them on the middle rack.
This is one of our very favorite recipes! It’s always delicious and a huge hit with others.