Farmhouse Rhubarb Crunch

Are you craving an old-fashioned rhubarb dessert?  This Farmhouse Rhubarb Crunch is a vintage recipe that’s been in our family for generations.

This easy dessert will remind you of days gone by, maybe gathered around a farmhouse table.

Farmhouse Rhubarb Crunch Recipe

Sweet and tangy with a crunch adds a great contrast this Rhubarb Crunch recipe is a handwritten treasure that came from my grandma. 

My husband remembers having a rhubarb patch outside of their farmhouse growing up.  His grandma made pie and other desserts with the homegrown rhubarb.  He had never eaten raw rhubarb, so he took a bite of ours and realized why people dowse it in sugar and bake it before eating.

I found this rhubarb at the grocery store on a top shelf in the produce case.  Rhubarb looks, cuts, and crunches like a reddish stalk of celery.

The crunch adds a nice contrast to a typical sweet dessert like this.  A couple more old-fashioned desserts with a sweet filling that we love are our Raspberry German Crumb Cake Bars and Pecan Suprise Bars.

Tips for Success

• The key to any good recipe is using real butter instead of margarine or oil.  So be sure to use real butter. 
• Butter flavored Crisco or shortening can be used, but we prefer butter.
• Use caution when melting butter not get it so hot it makes a mess all over the microwave.  I have a silicone cover for bowls, I just need to get in the habit of using it!
• I like to use old-fashioned oats, but quick oats will also work well.

How to Make Rhubarb Crunch

1. Mix the crumb topping together.   
2. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan and pour half of the topping in.  Press half of the mixture in an even layer across the pan.
3. Chop up rhubarb and sprinkle over the top.
4. In a saucepan heat water, sugar, and vanilla, but be prepared to stir regularly to prevent the sugar from burning.  It only takes a few minutes for the mixture to become clear and I continue to cook and stir for a few more minutes so that it begins to thicken slightly.
5. Pour the thickened sugar water over the rhubarb.
6. Sprinkle the remaining crumb topping over the beautiful rhubarb dessert.
7. Bake for about 50 minutes at 350°F.

The original recipe says to bake for 50 to 60 minutes.  I always check my food several minutes sooner to make sure it doesn’t burn because I have a convection oven.  This rhubarb crunch looks perfect right at 50 minutes for me.  Of course, baking times can vary quite a bit based on the quantity and temperature of the filling.

More Delicious Vintage Recipes:

Here are a few other old-fashioned recipes from our farm family.  We hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

• Orange Jello Salad
• Pineapple Marshmallow Dessert
• Applesauce Raisin Cookies
• Carrot Bread
• Bran & Raisin Molasses Muffins

Printable Farmhouse Rhubarb Crunch Recipe