Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping balances a juicy, sweet-tart filling with a generous layer of golden brown sugar crumbs. It’s a tasty choice when you want fruit-filled Dessert Recipes to serve after dinner. Each slice has tender fruit, a buttery topping, and enough tartness to keep the pie from tasting overly sweet.

Strawberry rhubarb crumble pie is a welcome change when you want something beyond the usual pie flavors. Its bright color catches your attention before the first slice is served. This is a dessert that family and friends will remember.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping had been on my baking list because it is one of my husband’s favorite pies. It was my first time baking strawberries and rhubarb together, but the sweet-tart combination quickly won me over.

Spring weather gets me in the mood to bake while I can have the windows open and not heat up the house too much. I’ll often make this Easy Blackberry Cobbler or 3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Peach Cobbler when we want something sweet after a delicious dinner.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping

This rhubarb pie has equal portions of strawberries and rhubarb, giving the filling a good balance of sweet and tart flavors. A small amount of orange juice and vanilla round out the pie without covering up the flavors of the filling.

Fresh fruit works well, but frozen strawberries, rhubarb, or a combination of both can also be used. Thaw frozen fruit completely and drain it well before measuring to prevent excess moisture from making the filling watery.

The brown sugar topping can also be described as a crumble or streusel topping, but this version is made without oats. Melted butter creates the larger crumbs, while nutmeg adds a hint of spice and apple cider vinegar balances the richness. The result is a fruit pie with a tender filling and a golden topping that adds texture to every slice.

There are many recipes for making pie crust from scratch; however, homemade pie crusts aren’t my thing – yet. No shame or judgment in using a frozen or refrigerated crust for any pie recipe calling for one. If you do want to try making the crust from scratch, here is a recipe for an easy, no-fail homemade pie crust.

Timesaving Tips and Variations

Simple tips will make preparing this fruit dessert even easier. My favorite of these is lining the sheet pan for easier cleanup.

• Use a frozen deep-dish pie shell directly from the freezer. It does not need to be thawed or prebaked.
• Prepare the crumb topping before mixing the filling so it is ready when the fruit goes into the crust.
• Cold butter can be cut into the dry ingredients in place of the melted butter.
• Slice the rhubarb into ½-inch pieces. Quarter large strawberries and halve smaller ones so they hold their shape better.
• Line the baking sheet with foil to catch any filling that bubbles over.
• Loosely cover the pie with foil if the topping becomes too brown before the filling finishes baking.

Cooling the finished pie is important because the filling continues setting as it rests. With the topping prepared first, the remaining steps move quickly.

Other Fruit Desserts to Enjoy

Fruit desserts are a delicious way to use berries, pears, cherries, and citrus. Here are a few more recipes to consider when dessert is on the menu.

• Amish Pear Crumb Pie Recipe
• Cherry Almond Pie
• Easy Key Lime Pie

Serve this pie for Easter, Mother’s Day, or any spring gathering with family and friends. The other fruit desserts listed here would also be welcome additions to the dessert table.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Rhubarb?

Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, but it’s been used to make sweet dishes like pies, tarts, and crisps. It’s commonly paired with strawberries to balance its tart flavor.

Rhubarb resembles celery but is so much prettier with its pink/magenta stalks. The stalks are very edible, but the leaves are not; in fact, they are very poisonous due to a chemical called oxalic acid. So don’t try to use the leaves for anything!

You can buy rhubarb fresh in the spring, and sometimes you can find it frozen in the grocery stores.

Why is my strawberry rhubarb pie watery?

Let me save you the time in finding this out after making the pie. The strawberries and rhubarb with the sugar and other pie filling ingredients will macerate (give off liquid), and you don’t want that extra liquid in your pie. The crust will become soggy, and the pie will be runny and never set up properly.

To avoid this, combine your pie filling and allow it to set for a few minutes. Then spoon out ONLY the fruit into the prepared pie shell, leaving as much liquid in the bowl as possible. Discard that liquid.

Can Frozen Rhubarb be used in a pie?

Yes, frozen rhubarb can be used in making pies. Simply measure out the amount of frozen rhubarb you need, allow it to thaw, and then drain it well before proceeding with the recipe.

How to store a strawberry rhubarb pie

The pie can be kept at room temperature for up to 36 hours. After that, it’s best to cover it with foil and keep it refrigerated. You can also freeze the baked pie. Just wrap it up tightly with aluminum foil- a double layer works best and place it in the freezer. It can be thawed in the fridge or at room temperature.

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Essential Kitchen Tools Needed

You only need basic baking tools to prepare this pie. I have a few favorites that I’m listing here for you.

• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Whisk
• Rubber Spatula
• Foil-Lined Baking Sheet
• Wire Cooling Rack
• 9 inch deep dish pie pan

Ingredients to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

The ingredient list is divided into the crumb topping and the strawberry rhubarb filling. Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

For the Crumble Topping

• All-Purpose Flour, Light Brown Sugar, Pinch of Salt, and Nutmeg: The dry ingredients for the crumb topping.
• Melted Butter and Apple Cider Vinegar: The liquid ingredients added to the topping.

For the Pie Filling

• Frozen Deep-Dish Pie Crust: Use a 9-inch store-bought pie shell.
• Strawberries and Rhubarb: The two fruits used in equal portions.
• Light Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: Both sugars are included in the filling.
• Cornstarch and Salt: The remaining dry filling ingredients.
• Orange Juice and Vanilla Extract: The liquid flavorings added to the fruit.

Most of these ingredients are available year-round, although fresh rhubarb is easiest to find in spring.

How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping

How to make a crumb topping

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Whisk out any lumps, then add the melted butter and apple cider vinegar. Mix until large crumbs form, then set aside.

I know you may be questioning the apple cider vinegar, but trust me. You won’t taste the small amount added. It brings out the richness of the butter and lightens the flour mixture just a tad. It works.

How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling

Cut the rhubarb into ½-inch slices and place it in a large bowl. Quarter larger strawberries and halve smaller ones, then add them to the rhubarb. You don’t want to slice the strawberries because they may cook down to mush.

Stir in both sugars, cornstarch, salt, vanilla, and orange juice. The orange juice gives the pie filling an extra wow factor. Set the filling aside for 10 – 15 minutes and preheat the oven to 400°F.

Grab your frozen pie crust shell and spoon in the strawberry rhubarb filling, leaving as much excess liquid behind as possible. You can throw away the excess liquid.

Top the filling with the crumb mixture, breaking it into large pieces as you go. Pat it down gently, then place the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes. If the crumb topping gets too dark, lightly cover the pie with aluminum foil.

Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for at least 3 hours before slicing. This gives the filling time to set so it won’t run everywhere when you cut into it.

Serve a slice of this with a scoop of my homemade No Churn Vanilla Bean Ice Cream or with a mug of Homemade Vanilla Latte.

2026 Alphabet Challenge

We’re continuing the 2026 Alphabet Challenge, where food bloggers are sharing recipes inspired by the letters of the alphabet. Twice a month, we feature two letters with recipes that either start with the letter or highlight a main ingredient beginning with it. Today’s letter is “R,” and rhubarb is the tart fruit featured in this pie.

You can also look back at the recipes from the 2025 Alphabet Challenge and 2024 Alphabet Collection of Recipes. Now, let’s see what everyone is sharing for the letter “R”!

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Ginger Grilled Chicken and Radishes
• Sneha’s Recipe: Homemade Ricotta Cheese 
• A Messy Kitchen: Migliaccio (Italian Ricotta and Semolina Cake) 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Mild Curry Chicken Salad with Diced Red Apple
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Mysore Rasam 
• Magical Ingredients: Ricotta Basil Rolls
• Food Lust People Love: Roasted Stuffed Chicken Parcels 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Spicy Slaw with Red Cabbage and Mango