This homemade Rhubarb crumble is the perfect old-fashioned dessert. It's easy, comforting, and quick to make. A buttery oat topping is piled over a skillet of soft, juicy fruit and baked until bubbling and jammy. It's perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
If you're looking for more easy crumble recipes (sometimes called fruit crisp), you'll definitely want to try my strawberry rhubarb crumble, pear crumble, this ultimate fruit crumble, or this raspberry peach fruit crumble. And this oat crumble topping is the absolutely best one you'll find!
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⭐️ Why this recipe works
- Versatile fruit use: Incorporates a mix of fresh and frozen fruits, including strawberries and a forest fruit mix, enhancing the rhubarb's tartness with a sweet and complex berry flavour.
- Flavorful additions: Fresh ginger and orange zest add a refreshing zing that elevates the crumble beyond traditional recipes.
- Texture perfection: Old-fashioned rolled oats and a specific blend of sugars create a crumble topping that's crunchy on the outside while retaining a tender bite.
- Easy preparation: Simple steps with common kitchen tools, no fancy equipment needed, ensuring anyone can make this delicious dessert.
🧾 Ingredients overview
- Rhubarb: Adds tartness and a tender texture.
- Fresh strawberries: Introduce a sweet, juicy element.
- Frozen fruit: Offers convenience and a burst of berry flavours.
- Fresh ginger: Brings a spicy, warm note.
- Orange: Adds brightness with its zest and juice.
- Plain flour: Thickens the fruit mixture, ensuring it's not too runny.
- Caster sugar: Sweetens the fruit mixture perfectly.
- For the crumble topping: A combination of flour, butter, oats, and sugar creates a crunchy, sweet layer that contrasts beautifully with the soft fruit below.
For precise measurements and additional ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
👩🏻🍳 Here's how to make it
Rhubarb crumble recipe step by step
- Prepare the rhubarb: Start by cleaning the rhubarb stalks. Trim off the tops and tails, then slice into 1-inch pieces. This size ensures the rhubarb maintains its shape during baking without becoming overly soft. In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb with caster (granulated) sugar and flour to coat evenly.
- Mix the other fruits: In another bowl, combine the remaining fruit with freshly grated ginger, plus the juice and zest of one orange. Mix thoroughly to ensure all pieces are well coated. Allow this fruit mixture to sit and macerate, which helps to draw out the flavours, while you prepare the crumble topping.
- Make the crumble topping: Place all the crumble ingredients in a food processor. Pulse briefly until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, achieving that perfect crumbly texture. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the food processor bowl, ensuring all the flour is fully incorporated into the mix.
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to preheat at the temperature specified in your recipe (assuming 160ºC fan or 180ºC conventional). During this time, you can assemble the crumble.
- Assemble and bake: Transfer the macerated fruit mixture into an oven-safe dish or cast-iron skillet, creating an even layer. Gently spoon the crumble topping over the fruit, covering it completely. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the topping turns golden and the edges of the fruit mixture bubble with juice. The bubbling indicates the fruit is tender, and the crumble is cooked through.
📖 Variations
- Fruit variations: Swap orange for lemon or mix up the berries for different seasonal flavors.
- Dietary adjustments: Use gluten-free flour and vegan butter for alternative dietary needs.
- Flavour twists: Experiment with adding nutmeg or cinnamon to the crumble mix for a warmer spice profile.
🍯 Storing and reheating leftovers
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze baked crumble for up to 3 months. Do not freeze unbaked crumble. If you prefer to prepare your crumble in advance, freezing the unbaked crumble topping separately from the fruit base is a good option. You can then assemble and bake straight from frozen, adjusting the baking time as necessary.
- Reheat: Warm in the oven at 160ºC (320ºF) until heated through. Microwaving can make the topping soggy.
💡 Chef's Guide: Expert Tips
Drawing on a decade of experience in Michelin-starred kitchens and Cordon Bleu training, I have compiled my top tips for recipe success.
- Rhubarb ripeness: Choosing ripe but firm rhubarb will ensure the best texture and flavour in your crumble.
- Crumble topping: For an extra crunch, sprinkle a handful of chopped nuts into the topping mixture.
- Old-fashioned oats: Opt for old-fashioned oats over quick-cooking for the crumble. They offer a better texture, staying chewy and structured, which complements the soft fruit filling perfectly.
- Serving: To enhance the flavors, let the crumble sit for a few minutes after baking before serving.
- Sugar adjustment: The sweetness of your fruits can vary. Taste your fruit mixture before baking and adjust the sugar accordingly. If your fruits are particularly tart, you might want to add a bit more sugar, whereas sweeter fruits might require less.
❓Recipe FAQ's
I absolutely love the oat topping, so I tend to put a lot on top of my crumbles. If you prefer a little less and end up with extra topping, place it in a container or freezer bag and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
* You can use the crumble topping sprinkled over muffins or cake (like this apple crumble cake) before baking too.
You sure can. I find the sweetness of the orange perfectly complements the sour acidity of the rhubarb and the bite of the ginger. But a lemon will also work here. Just taste it after the lemon has been added. It may need another pinch or two of sugar.
Absolutely. Just be very careful when pulsing the crumble ingredients because margarine is much softer than butter and will blend very quickly. Take care to not over blend.
Definitely! Some serving ideas are clotted cream, fresh pouring cream or some custard. All of these go perfectly with crumble. Vanilla ice cream happens to be one of the more popular serving ideas.
You can manually blend the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or your hands until the right texture is achieved.
More comforting crumble recipes to bake this week:
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Homemade Rhubarb and Ginger Crumble
Ingredients
- 450 g (1 lb) rhubarb, chopped
- 100 g (⅔ cup) fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half
- 200 g (¾ cup) frozen fruit *see notes
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
- 1 orange, zest, and juice *see notes
- 30 g (¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 100 g (¾ cup) caster (granulated) sugar
For the crumble topping
- 225 g (1 ¾ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 225 g (1 cup) cold butter, cubed
- 125 g (1 ½ cups) rolled oats- old fashioned *see notes
- 100 g (¾ cups) caster (granulated) sugar
- 100 g (½ cup) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160ºC fan or 180ºC conventional (350ºF)
- Wash and trim the rhubarb into ½ inch pieces and place in a medium bowl. Add frozen fruit to the bowl along with the fresh ginger, orange juice, zest, plain flour, and sugar. Toss everything well.
- Add the fresh strawberries to the bowl and stir well to coat all the fruit in the dry ingredients. Place the fruit in an oven-safe baking dish or a cast-iron skillet.
- To make the crumble topping place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles chunky breadcrumbs. Place the mixture on top of the fruit and bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes until the fruit is soft and bubbling up around the sides of the dish.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before dishing into bowls and topping with scoops of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- For the frozen fruit, I recommend fruits of the forest or summer fruits. But any fruit mix that is red-berry-based would be great. Or you could use frozen strawberries. I just really like the variety of a fruit mix.
- There is no need to thaw the frozen fruit beforehand.
- I’ve used orange here because it goes so well with rhubarb and ginger, but you can also use lemon juice and zest. Either works really well.
- It’s really important to use old-fashioned rolled oats here rather than quick-cooking oats. Old-fashioned oats are whole oats and have a great texture. Quick-cooking oats result in a more powdery crumble topping.
- Make ahead and freeze—Baked crumble freezes really well for up to 3 months and is great in the fridge for 3 days. However, I don’t recommend assembling the crumble and storing it in the fridge before baking. The topping will go quite soggy and not crisp up when it’s baked.
Nutrition
Meet the Chef!
Hi, I'm Debs, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef dedicated to helping you create unforgettable meals on a budget. Discover more about my journey and dive into a world of foolproof recipes designed for those who love to eat well without overspending.
Shawn
This is the best crumble recipe I've ever made! Absolutely loved it. Thank you!
Deborah Rainford
Amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating! 🙂