Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars (Printable Version)

Bright strawberry-rhubarb filling in a buttery oat crumble, baked until golden and cooled before slicing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crumble base & topping

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
05 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Strawberry rhubarb filling

08 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
09 - 2 cups fresh rhubarb, diced
10 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
11 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
12 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
13 - 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-2 inch overhang on two sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, rolled oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon until evenly distributed.
03 - Pour the melted butter over the dry mixture and stir with a spatula until a cohesive, crumbly dough forms; the texture should hold together when pressed.
04 - Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture evenly and firmly into the prepared pan to form the base.
05 - In a separate bowl, toss strawberries and rhubarb with 2/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and lemon juice until the fruit is evenly coated and the cornstarch is fully incorporated.
06 - Spread the fruit mixture in an even layer over the pressed base, then sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly on top, distributing larger clumps for texture.
07 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting out using the parchment overhang and cutting into 12 bars.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It’s the kind of dessert that looks impressively homemade but secretly comes together with just a bowl and a spoon.
  • Layering bright strawberries with punchy rhubarb and buttery oats means every bite feels like spring, no matter the weather outside.
02 -
  • I once tried slicing too soon, and half my batch crumbled into delicious chaos—patience is everything for clean bars.
  • Swapping in frozen fruit without thawing can make the bars soggy, so always stick with fresh or blot frozen fruit very well.
03 -
  • Taste your rhubarb before using—very sour batches may need an extra sprinkle of sugar in the filling.
  • Don’t skimp on the crumble topping; uneven clumps make for gorgeous texture and bakery-worthy looks.
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