Gluten-free rhubarb crisp is the perfect blend of tart and sweet! The rhubarb filling topped with oat crisp makes for an incredible dessert!
The BEST Gluten-free Rhubarb Crisp
When rhubarb's in season, this is the dessert to make! The rhubarb turns soft and jammy in the oven, and topped with that buttery oat crisp topping. It's absolutely magical.
Not to mention, this version is gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan! I used gluten-free all-purpose flour and gluten-free oats in the crisp topping, and cornstarch instead of flour to thicken the rhubarb filling. Vegan butter also made for a great substitute for regular dairy butter in the classic crisp topping, making it nice and crispy complimenting the soft rhubarb.
What is rhubarb crisp?
Rhubarb crisp is a classic American summer dessert! Tart rhubarb is tossed with sugar and a thickener (generally either flour or cornstarch), and covered with a buttery oat crisp topping before baking in the oven. It's the perfect combination of tangy, fruity, sweet, and buttery!
It's also the perfect vessel for some vanilla ice cream!
Where can I find rhubarb?
Rhubarb is in season for only a short amount of time, between May and July. But the good news is that it freezes wonderfully! So if you can find it fresh, buy extra, wash and chop them up, and store it in the freezer for rhubarb cravings that might hit you when they're not in season!
If you can't find fresh rhubarb in the fresh produce aisle, you could check the freezer aisle at the store! I used to buy frozen rhubarb at the store when I lived in Japan. It was almost always the green rhubarb, but it hit the spot!
How to make gluten free rhubarb crisp
After washing the rhubarb, cut off the tops and bottoms off the stalk. Make sure to cut off the leaves because they're poisonous! They have a high concentration of oxalic acid, and they can make you empty out your digestive system from both ends... so please cut off those leaves!
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Add the chopped rhubarb and toss it until they're evenly coated. Add the lemon juice and toss it again. Pour it into a 2 quart baking dish (or an 8x8 inch square pan), place your dish on a baking sheet, and set it aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the gluten free flour, oats, salt, cinnamon, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add the dairy-free butter and use your hands to pinch the butter to incorporate it into the flour mixture until it resembles course crumbs. Evenly sprinkle it over the rhubarb and bake it in a preheated oven for 45 minutes at 375°F/190°C.
Don't forget to let it cool for at least 15 minutes before serving it! Oh, and don't forget the ice cream either. I mean, it's optional, but delicious!
More fruity desserts to try!
- No-bake blueberry cheesecake bites
- Raspberry hazelnut chocolate chip blondies
- Peanut butter banana oat bars
- Blueberry cream cheese doughnuts
- The BEST blueberry muffins
- Vegan banana cupcakes
Rhubarb Crisp (Gluten-free & Dairy-free)
Ingredients
Rhubarb filling
- 6 cups / 650g chopped rhubarb (see notes on how to prepare)
- ¾ cup / 150g granulated sugar
- ¼ cup / 30g cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon / 15g lemon juice
Crisp topping
- ½ cup / 113g dairy-free butter
- ½ cup / 70g gluten-free all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup / 67.5g gluten-free rolled oats
- ¼ cup / 50g granulated sugar
- ¼ cup / 50g brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Put a 2qt baking dish (or an 8x8 inch square pan) on a baking sheet, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Add the chopped rhubarb and toss until evenly coated. Add the lemon juice and toss it again. Pour it into the baking dish and set it aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the gluten free flour, oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the butter and use your hands to pinch the butter and incorporate it into the flour mixture until it resembles course crumbs.
- Evenly sprinkle it over the rhubarb mixture and bake it for 45 minutes. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Debra says
I made this last night. Absolutely delicious! I only had 3 cups of rhubarb, so I added 3 cups of strawberries. The topping is nice and crunchy. Will definitely make this again. Thanks for a great recipe!
Ai says
Thank you so much for making my recipe Debra! So glad you liked it 🙂 Strawberry and rhubarb crisp sounds scrumptious!