Rhubarb oatmeal bars

Sweet, tangy, and slightly spiced rhubarb filling is sandwiched between two layers of a buttery oat crumb mixture for a delicious and seasonal treat!

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I think all my readers know that we are big rhubarb fans in our house. I love how tangy it is and how it provides such a nice contrast in desserts, or even helps make a flavorful sauce or a lemonade. Plus it's one of the first produce items to become available in the spring after our long western New York winters.

Growing up we always had a large rhubarb plant in our garden and it was a regular thing we ate each spring/early summer. It was generally used in strawberry rhubarb pie, but also in other recipes. Pie was always to most popular and frequent way we enjoyed it though. 

Rhubarb works so well in desserts because it's so incredibly tart on its own. Adding sugar makes is much more palatable and delicious.

What I love about oatmeal bars like these are that the crust and the topping are the same recipe. You use part of it to press down into the baking dish to make a crust, then layer the filling, and top it with the crumble. 

These bars contain oats, so that makes them more acceptable to me to have for breakfast or a mid-morning snack with an extra mug of coffee. But they are really great for adding to a brunch like Mother's Day, or making for any time you need a dessert.

I use some vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger in these rhubarb bars. I love the warm flavors with rhubarb. Cardamom is also a very good spice with rhubarb.

These bars are perfect for a party or a potluck as well because they make a nice big pan and travel well. They are sure to be a hit with all the rhubarb fans in your life. 

You can make them extra fancy by serving your bars with either a dollop of whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

As always, when eating rhubarb, you want to be eating the stalks only. Make sure to discard any leaf parts before using for eating.

  Want even more rhubarb recipes? Check out this round-up of 25 Rhubarb Recipes that aren't Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.

 

Yield: 15-20 servings

Rhubarb Oatmeal Bars

ingredients:

for the filling:

• 4 heaped cups chopped rhubarb (about 1/4-1/2" pieces)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup white whole wheat (or all purpose) flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

for the crust:

• 2 cups white whole wheat flour (or all purpose)
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

instructions:

How to cook Rhubarb Oatmeal Bars

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium saucepan, stir together the filling ingredients. Heat over medium heat until it comes to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and the rhubarb begins to soften. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the flour through baking powder. Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Place 1-1/2 cups of the mixture aside. Press the remaining mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish.
4. Evenly spread the rhubarb mixture on top. Then sprinkle the reserved crust mixture on top (I like to squish it together a little to make bigger crumbs).
5. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden and the rhubarb is bubbling. Let cool completely before slicing into bars or squares.

Created using The Recipes Generator

I hope you give these rhubarb oatmeal bars a try this rhubarb season! Let me know in the comments below.

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This post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated in 2024 to improve reader experience.

Check out these other rhubarb recipes:

Chocolate Chip Rhubarb Brownies

Whole Wheat Cardamom Rhubarb Scones

Old-fashioned Magic Rhubarb Pudding Cake

Old-fashioned Rhubarb Crumble

Rhubarb Applesauce (No Sugar Added)