Once I tried these rich, gooey bars, I just had to have the recipe so I could make them for my family and friends. The shortbreadlike crust and the rhubarb and custard layers inspire people to find rhubarb that they can use to fix a batch for themselves. —Shari Roach, South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
5 cups finely chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb, thawed and drained
TOPPING:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
Directions
In a bowl, combine the flour and sugar; cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, for filling, combine sugar and flour in a bowl. Whisk in cream and eggs. Stir in the rhubarb. Pour over crust. Bake at 350° until custard is set, 40-45 minutes. Cool.
For topping, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth; fold in whipped cream. Spread over top. Cover and chill. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.
Test Kitchen Tips
Heavy whipping cream gives custard fillings a luscious, decadent texture, but half-and-half cream or whole milk can be substituted with nice results.
This is a potluck hero: It makes a mountain of bars. If you're cooking for a smaller crew, however, just halve the recipe and use a 9- or 8-inch square baking dish.
If you prefer your bars on the tart side, bump up the rhubarb to 6 or 6-1/2 cups or reduce the sugar in the filling to 1-1/2 cups.
Go full garden party for your friends and family by adding the seeds of one vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon rosewater to the filling. Both flavors pair beautifully with rhubarb and take these already fab bars to another level.
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Average Rating:
Vsa
Mar 23, 2021
Nice one
cyndi9781x
Mar 13, 2021
These are so good. I've been making it for 15 years ever since I found it. My family loves them. When rhubarb season is here. They are made. If I get really busy, I use canned cream cheese frosting.
dilligaf4402
Sep 19, 2020
I love these bars, sometimes I add 1 cup of either raspberries or strawberries to the rhubarb to change things up. They are delicious either way.
Rochelle
Aug 25, 2020
Tracy you can also use the following measure: one cup of diced raw rhubarb equals 0.27 lb. of raw diced rhubarb.
teresaskate
Aug 25, 2020
Tracy, 1 cup of liquid is usually 8 ounces or 230 ml, where as 1 cup of white granulated sugar weighs 7 ounces. Here is a conversion chart that you might find helpful. This recipe is yummy, but I would increase the rhubarb in the filling, and decrease the whipping cream in the topping, it was over baring.
Tracy
Aug 7, 2020
Can anyone please tell me the weight of a “cup” as we don’t use this measure in England.
Denise
Jul 5, 2020
Theses were fabulous. I picked my rhubarb in the morning. I made the 1/2 recipe more tart version and they were liked by all. I agree that people who think they don’t like rhubarb would love these. So different!!
Dale
Jul 1, 2020
Can these rhubarb bars be frozen after baking?
Bev
Jun 29, 2020
Very tasty, I usually don’t like rhubarb.
Lisa
Jun 6, 2020
SO GOOD! The shortbread crust is a little labor intensive, but worth making! My new favotie rhubard recipe!!
Reviews
Nice one
These are so good. I've been making it for 15 years ever since I found it. My family loves them. When rhubarb season is here. They are made. If I get really busy, I use canned cream cheese frosting.
I love these bars, sometimes I add 1 cup of either raspberries or strawberries to the rhubarb to change things up. They are delicious either way.
Tracy you can also use the following measure: one cup of diced raw rhubarb equals 0.27 lb. of raw diced rhubarb.
Tracy, 1 cup of liquid is usually 8 ounces or 230 ml, where as 1 cup of white granulated sugar weighs 7 ounces. Here is a conversion chart that you might find helpful. This recipe is yummy, but I would increase the rhubarb in the filling, and decrease the whipping cream in the topping, it was over baring.
Can anyone please tell me the weight of a “cup” as we don’t use this measure in England.
Theses were fabulous. I picked my rhubarb in the morning. I made the 1/2 recipe more tart version and they were liked by all. I agree that people who think they don’t like rhubarb would love these. So different!!
Can these rhubarb bars be frozen after baking?
Very tasty, I usually don’t like rhubarb.
SO GOOD! The shortbread crust is a little labor intensive, but worth making! My new favotie rhubard recipe!!