Discover the Best Rhubarb Desserts for Spring: 25 Irresistible Recipes for Every Palate
As spring unfolds, a truly special ingredient graces our kitchens for a fleeting period: fresh rhubarb. Its vibrant stalks signal the arrival of warmer days and the perfect opportunity to indulge in delightfully tangy and sweet treats. Don’t let this short season pass you by without making the most of its unique flavor. This carefully curated collection of rhubarb dessert recipes will inspire you to transform this remarkable “fruit-vegetable” into unforgettable culinary creations.
Rhubarb is celebrated for its wonderfully tangy, bright, and distinctly acidic taste, which truly shines when expertly paired with sweeter flavors and complementary fruits. Though botanically a vegetable, its culinary application places it firmly in the fruit category, particularly in desserts. While rhubarb and strawberries are a classic and much-loved duo, there’s an exciting world of other delightful rhubarb pairings waiting to be explored. Imagine the warm, spicy notes of ginger complementing rhubarb in a spectacular layer cake, or the creamy richness of ricotta elevating its tartness in an elegant Italian tart. The possibilities for creating incredible rhubarb-centric desserts are vast and incredibly rewarding.
Experimentation with a variety of sweeteners is key to unlocking rhubarb’s full flavor potential. Natural sweeteners like golden honey or rich maple syrup can enhance its complex profile, adding layers of depth beyond simple sugar. The warm, inviting aroma and taste of vanilla also provide a rich foundation that beautifully balances rhubarb’s tartness, making it an indispensable ingredient in many rhubarb dessert recipes. Whether you’re baking a cake, crafting a crisp, or preparing a preserve, consider how these elements can elevate your dish.
This comprehensive collection of 25 rhubarb desserts is your ultimate guide to celebrating and savoring rhubarb season to the fullest. From comforting crumbles and luscious cheesecakes to refreshing gelatos and elegant tarts, you’ll find a wide array of options designed to satisfy every craving. We’ve also included delicious vegan and gluten-free dessert options, ensuring that everyone can enjoy the bounty of spring rhubarb. Each recipe highlights rhubarb’s unique character, offering a fresh perspective on this beloved seasonal ingredient.
For those eager to deepen their knowledge and refine their techniques for baking with rhubarb, we highly recommend diving into this excellent Guide to Baking with Rhubarb from The Bake School! It provides invaluable tips and tricks that will help you master this versatile ingredient and create perfect rhubarb desserts every time. This resource will ensure your baking adventures are successful and incredibly delicious, making your rhubarb season truly memorable.
25 Rhubarb Dessert Recipes for Spring
1. Rhubarb Panna Cotta
by Food Nouveau
This rhubarb panna cotta is a truly easy and dreamily creamy dessert that magnificently showcases the sharp, bright taste of rhubarb. By presenting rhubarb in three distinct ways—perhaps a vibrant compote, a silky purée, and delicate pieces—this recipe offers a multi-layered flavor experience that’s both sophisticated and incredibly satisfying. It’s an elegant choice for a spring dinner party or a refreshing individual treat.
2. Classic Rhubarb Crisp
by Tara Teaspoon
A Classic Rhubarb Crisp is arguably the quintessential rhubarb dessert recipe, beloved for its comforting simplicity and irresistible textures. This aromatic recipe proudly puts rhubarb front and center, allowing its unique tang to shine without the usual accompaniment of strawberries. Imagine pure, vanilla-sweetened rhubarb enveloped by a delightfully sweet and crunchy oat topping – a warm, inviting treat perfect for any occasion, especially when served à la mode.
3. Gluten-Free Rhubarb Crisp
by Kelly Neil
This gluten-free rhubarb crisp offers a rustic yet gorgeous dessert experience that doesn’t compromise on flavor or texture. It achieves a perfect balance with its tart rhubarb filling, crunchy oat topping, warm spicy cinnamon, and the nutty depth of buckwheat flour, all brought together with a generous amount of butter. It’s a wholesome and satisfying dessert, ideal for those seeking a gluten-free option without sacrificing the classic comfort of a crisp.
4. Easy Rhubarb Cobbler
by Christina’s Cucina
Christina’s Cucina presents an Easy Rhubarb Cobbler that is not only delightfully simple to prepare but also utterly scrumptious. This comforting dessert features tender, sweet-tart rhubarb beneath a soft, biscuit-like topping. It’s especially divine when served warm, allowing its fragrant steam to mingle with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of rich custard, or a cloud of freshly whipped cream for the ultimate spring indulgence.
5. Lemon Rhubarb Cake
by Occasionally Eggs
This vegan lemon rhubarb cake is a beacon of spring baking: light in texture, bursting with fruity flavor, perfectly sweet, and delicately tart. Crafted with wholesome ingredients like whole grain spelt flour, nourishing coconut oil, and natural maple syrup, it offers a “better-for-you” quality without compromising on taste. Its bright citrus notes perfectly complement the rhubarb, making it a refreshing and guilt-free treat.
6. Rhubarb Ginger Layer Cake
by Style Sweet
Style Sweet’s Rhubarb Ginger Layer Cake is a showstopper, skillfully combining layers of subtly spiced ginger cake with a luscious rhubarb buttercream frosting. Inside, a silky cream cheese filling is beautifully rippled with tender poached rhubarb, adding an unexpected creamy tartness. This exquisite cake is the absolute perfect creation to bake when those eagerly anticipated, vibrant red stalks of rhubarb make their grand appearance at the market.
7. Vanilla Rhubarb Bundt Cake
by My Kitchen Love
This stunning yet straightforward Vanilla Rhubarb Bundt Cake from My Kitchen Love is an absolute guarantee to be a conversation starter at any gathering. The bright, tangy rhubarb is a fantastic addition to the classic bundt cake structure, creating an absolutely gorgeous and uniquely flavored rhubarb dessert recipe. Its beautiful presentation, coupled with its delicious taste, makes it a memorable spring centerpiece.
8. Norwegian Rhubarb Cake
by Ramshackle Pantry
Ramshackle Pantry brings us a truly delightful treat with their Norwegian Rhubarb Cake, known as Rabarbrakake in its homeland. This inviting cake is not only a fantastic dessert option but also a wonderful way to share the abundance of your spring rhubarb harvest. Its comforting flavors and simple elegance make it a beloved recipe that truly deserves to be enjoyed by rhubarb enthusiasts worldwide.
9. Rhubarb Carrot Cake with Vanilla Mascarpone Frosting
by Simple Bites
This lightly spiced rhubarb carrot cake recipe from Simple Bites features a tender crumb and is crowned with a creamy, dreamy vanilla mascarpone frosting that you’ll undoubtedly want to enjoy by the spoonful. The tart rhubarb provides a wonderful counterpoint to the sweetness of the carrot cake, making it an ideal dessert for any spring celebration, from Easter brunch to a casual garden party.
10. Lemongrass and Rhubarb Cheesecake
by Eat the Love
For a truly unique and exotic twist on traditional cheesecake, Eat the Love offers this incredible lemongrass and rhubarb cheesecake. It’s beautifully fragrant, infused with the grassy, citrusy notes of lemongrass, and features a stunning, vibrant red rhubarb streak swirling within. This dessert is not just a treat for the palate but also a feast for the eyes, promising an unforgettable taste experience that will surprise and delight.
11. Rhubarb Crumble Cake
by Simply Stacie
Simply Stacie’s Rhubarb Crumble Cake is a moist and tender delight, dotted generously with tantalizing pockets of sharp, sweet-tart rhubarb. It’s gloriously crowned with an irresistible brown sugar streusel topping that adds a delightful crunch and extra sweetness. This comforting cake is perfect for an afternoon treat with tea or as a simple yet impressive dessert after a family meal, celebrating the best of spring flavors.
12. Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Cake
by Gift of Hospitality
The Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Cake from Gift of Hospitality is a true taste of nostalgia, bursting with comforting aromas and flavors. This delightful cake is elevated by an irresistible crunchy pecan and coconut topping that adds a wonderful texture and nutty sweetness. Its easy preparation belies its incredible appeal – watch this heartwarming dessert vanish in what feels like a single sitting, proving its universal charm.
13. Rhubarb Gelato
by Food Nouveau
Indulge in this blush pink Rhubarb Gelato, a refreshing and elegant spring treat. In this recipe, the bright, vibrant flavor of rhubarb is perfectly balanced by the silky, rich, Sicilian-style vanilla gelato base, creating a harmonious blend of sweet and tart. This memorable spring rhubarb dessert recipe is an exquisite way to cool down and savor the season, offering a delightful twist on a classic frozen dessert.
14. Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream
by House of Nash Eats
Make the absolute most of the short spring and early summer rhubarb season with House of Nash Eats’ incredible Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream! This irresistible frozen treat features a deliciously tart, rosy ribbon of roasted rhubarb filling swirled throughout, complemented by plenty of buttery, crunchy chunks of crumble topping. It’s a delightful combination of cool, creamy, sweet, and tart, offering a textural delight in every spoonful.
15. Simple Rhubarb Tatin Cake
by Pardon Your French
Pardon Your French presents a Simple Rhubarb Tatin Cake that beautifully embraces the late-spring/early summer season, offering a magnificent way to showcase this perennial vegetable. The cake itself is delightfully simple and light, with subtle hints of vanilla and lemon that are delicate enough to let the vibrant rhubarb truly shine. With its gorgeous criss-cross pattern, this Rhubarb Tatin Cake is undoubtedly a celebration of luscious, pretty-pink rhubarb in all its glory.
16. Rhubarb Clafoutis (Dairy-Free Option)
by Baked the Blog
This rhubarb clafoutis from Baked the Blog is a testament to simplicity and deliciousness, perfectly utilizing the bright red spring crop. Made with just 7 essential ingredients, this dessert is incredibly straightforward to prepare, resulting in a custardy texture studded with tender rhubarb. Its dairy-free option makes it accessible to even more palates, ensuring that everyone can enjoy this lovely, rustic French treat.
17. Rhubarb Pudding
by Fab Food 4 All
Fab Food 4 All presents a truly delicious and comforting Rhubarb Pudding, infused with a subtle hint of warming vanilla. This classic British-style dessert features tender, stewed rhubarb beneath a soft, pillowy topping. It’s an absolute dream when served warm with a generous pour of creamy custard or a scoop of velvety vanilla ice cream, making it the ultimate cozy indulgence for a cool spring evening.
18. Rhubarb Frangipane Tart (Bakewell Tart)
by Lost in Food
This exquisite rhubarb frangipane tart, also widely known as a Bakewell tart, is a truly delicious sweet pastry creation. It features a buttery crust generously filled with tender rhubarb and a rich, sweet almond frangipane. The delightful combination of tart rhubarb and nutty almond creates a harmonious flavor profile that is utterly irresistible. This delightful tart is guaranteed to have you craving more with every single bite.
19. Rhubarb Ricotta Almond Tart
by Mangia Bedda
Mangia Bedda’s elegant Rhubarb Ricotta Almond Tart is a masterpiece of flavor and texture. It begins with a delicate, almond-based crust, then topped with a creamy, sweet ricotta cheese filling, and vibrant, tart rhubarb. Finishing touches of slivered almonds add a delightful crunch. This tart offers a perfect balance of rich, sweet, and tart elements, making it a sophisticated and utterly delicious spring dessert option.
20. Rhubarb Galette
by Liv for Cake
This Rhubarb Galette from Liv for Cake is the epitome of a perfect sweet-tart treat – rustic, beautiful, and incredibly flavorful. Its free-form crust encases a generous filling of tender, tangy rhubarb. You can enjoy it warmed to perfection, straight out of the fridge for a refreshing bite, plain for its pure flavors, or with a delightful side of vanilla ice cream. It’s incredibly simple to make and always delivers a delicious result!
21. Old Fashioned Rhubarb Bread (Gluten-Free)
by The Rustic Foodie
The Rustic Foodie’s Old Fashioned Rhubarb Bread is wonderfully moist and tender, ensuring a delightful texture in every slice. Made with creamy sour cream, it’s baked to perfection with a delectable cinnamon streusel layer on top, adding a lovely crunch and aromatic spice. This versatile rhubarb dessert recipe is a fantastic addition to any brunch menu, and it pairs absolutely perfectly with a comforting cup of afternoon tea, offering a taste of home.
22. Rhubarb Bostock
by The Bake School
If you’ve never had the pleasure of tasting bostock, you’ve truly been missing out on a culinary gem! This incredible rhubarb bostock recipe from The Bake School offers a fun and sophisticated brunch option that is sure to wow your guests. This sweet, elegant treat is crafted with day-old brioche, a rich homemade frangipane, and a bright rhubarb jam, combining textures and flavors for an unforgettable breakfast or dessert.
23. Rhubarb Scones with Fresh Ginger
by Baked the Blog
Rhubarb scones are an absolute favorite spring treat, perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea. Baked the Blog’s recipe skillfully combines the spicy warmth of fresh ginger, which is a fantastic match for the rich, creamy scone base and the delightful tartness of chopped rhubarb. Each scone is a burst of contrasting yet complementary flavors, making them an irresistible way to enjoy the season’s bounty.
24. The Easiest Rhubarb Jam Recipe
by Christina’s Cucina
If you’re a brunch-loving rhubarb enthusiast, then Christina’s Cucina’s Easiest Rhubarb Jam is an absolute must-make for you! This delightful jam is incredibly simple to prepare and strikes the perfect balance of sweetness, allowing the unique, vibrant flavor of rhubarb to truly shine bright. Spread it on toast, scones, or use it to fill pastries for a taste of spring any time of year.
25. Rhubarb Curd
by Vikalinka
For all fans of classic lemon curd, Vikalinka’s Rhubarb Curd is a revelation and an absolute must-try as soon as possible! This truly unique rhubarb dessert recipe is remarkably easy to prepare, incredibly delicious, and wonderfully refreshing. Its vibrant color and bright, tangy flavor make it perfect for spreading on scones, filling tarts, or simply enjoying by the spoonful – a fantastic way to capture the essence of spring rhubarb.