Small Batch Rhubarb Crisp
One of the things I love about rhubarb season is that it never takes much convincing to turn a basket of fresh rhubarb into dessert.
Today I didn’t quite have enough rhubarb for a full-sized crisp, but honestly, that worked out perfectly. I had been wanting to experiment with the recipe anyway—reducing the sugar a little and increasing the cinnamon flavor that my husband and I both enjoy.
Sometimes recipe tweaking works. Sometimes it doesn’t.
This time, I think I nailed it.
The smaller batch fit nicely into a 9×9 baking dish and baked in only about 30 minutes. The rhubarb became tender without turning mushy, the topping browned beautifully, and the extra cinnamon gave it just the right amount of warmth.
My husband and I both loved it.
Our only disappointment was realizing we didn’t have any vanilla ice cream or whipped cream in the house. It certainly wasn’t necessary—the crisp was delicious on its own—but I won’t pretend we didn’t spend a few minutes wishing we had some!
As a bonus, making the crisp first turned out to be perfect timing. Once it finished baking, I was able to take advantage of the leftover oven heat to keep my jelly jars warm while I moved outside to make a batch of rhubarb jam in my summer kitchen. Sometimes the best kitchen plans are the ones you stumble into.
Small Batch Rhubarb Crisp
Makes one 9×9 pan
Filling
- 4 cups rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Mix together until the rhubarb is well coated and place in a greased 9×9 baking dish.
Topping
- ½ cup softened butter
- ¾ cup old-fashioned oats (not instant)
- ½ cup flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Mix together until crumbly and spread evenly over the rhubarb mixture.
Bake
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for approximately 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the topping is lightly browned.
Serve warm.
Preferably with vanilla ice cream if you’re smart enough to remember to buy some first.
Unlike us.
If your rhubarb patch is producing faster than you can eat crisp, you might also enjoy my homemade rhubarb jam recipe.
→ Make Rhubarb Jam
