Rhubarb Apple Crisp

Name: Rhubarb Apple Crisp
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 3.5 cups rhubarb (chopped (~450g/1 lb)); 3/4 cup sugar ((see note)); 3 tbsp all purpose flour; 1 medium fuji apple (or similar firm but sweet apple, peeled and chopped); 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp Orange zest; 1 cup flour; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 1/2 cup rolled oats; 1/2 cup butter (melted)

In Recipes by SeanApril 16, 201632 Comments

Rhubarb apple crisp with vanilla ice cream

Rhubarb Apple Crisp

With Orange Zest and Cinnamon

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I love a fancy dessert, full of technique and artistry - but this is not that dessert. This is simplicity. It's also a great example of bright and joyous bounty of spring cooking. The first crisp rhubarb of spring combines with the apples, oranges and oats carried over from winter. It empties out the pantry while embracing the first fruit of the year (yes, yes, rhubarb isn't technically fruit - but eggplant is, so who cares?).

This dessert is perfect for all sorts of reasons. Not a big fan of baking, but you want something sweet? This is ultra-easy and really forgiving. Perhaps you've wanted to try using rhubarb to do something for some time, but you didn't want to get into more complex dishes? The rhubarb itself is wonderful, but in combination with apple and orange zest its part of a sweet fruity trinity. Or maybe you've just got a massive rhubarb patch, and you just can't imagine what you're going to do with it all (again). No matter what the case, this is the dessert for you. This is the dessert equivalent of Monday night cooking; it comes together in a snap and leaves you satisfied. In fact, go ahead and do it on Monday night. We need more dessert on Mondays.

Alright, I've convinced you it's easy. Now here's why you should really make this dish: it's amazing. To be honest, I built this around the fact that I had a little less rhubarb than I thought, but now I wouldn't have it any other way. The sourness of the rhubarb shines against the sweet and familiar apple, and the orange zest adds incredible depth and fragrance without overpowering. Another key to a crisp is, obviously, the crispy upper layer. In my opinion, you want the earthiness of the oats to stand out a little, which is why this crisp calls for much less sugar than some recipes out there. After all, if you're looking to drown rhubarb in sweetness, you might as well not be using it.

Oh, and in case you're wondering (I know I was) this is a crisp because the topping contains oats. Take the oats out and it's a crumble. Replace the topping with biscuit dough and it's a cobbler.

Rhubarb apple crisp with vanilla ice cream in a mason jar

Recipe Notes

This is eeeeeeeasy, so don't stress about it too much. The fruit amounts are ballpark, so don't be afraid to go a little over or under depending on what you have available. You could also experiment with other fruits to compliment the rhubarb - berries would work very well (though you might want omit the orange zest or switch to lemon).

I will say one thing about the sugar - you could really use anything between 3/4 cup and 1 cup depending on the sweetness of the apple, the tartness of the rhubarb, and your own personal tastes. I think that a rhubarb crisp should still have some of the tangy tartness of the rhubarb intact, so I err on the lower end.

You can eat this hot or cold, on its own or with cream, ice cream, whipped cream... you get the picture.

Nutritional information is given for a single serving (1/12th total recipe), and does NOT include ice cream.

Nutrition Facts

Rhubarb Apple Crisp

Amount Per Serving

Calories 202 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 21mg7%

Sodium 5mg0%

Potassium 157mg4%

Carbohydrates 32g11%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 19g21%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 250IU5%

Vitamin C 5mg6%

Calcium 40mg4%

Iron 1.1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Summary

GOOD NEWS:All things being equal, it's a fairly guilt-free dessert. There's a lot of fruit here, which is good. There is still a fair amount of butter and sugar, but it's spread out well and you're not getting too much in a serving. Note that the nutritional info shown does not include ice cream, cream, etc.

BAD NEWS:It's dessert, so don't overdo it. That's about all I'll say.

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4.55 from 11 votes