Rhubarb Bars

Course: Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Resting Time: 25

Total Time: 1 30

Servings:

Calories: 406kcal

With a buttery shortbread crust and tart filling, these rhubarb bars are the ones to make for people who love rhubarb. This rhubarb recipe uses a little honey and lemon zest to highlight rhubarb's tart, delicious flavor.

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US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust & Topping

1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (2 sticks)
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup white sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Rhubarb Filling

4 cups rhubarb chopped
¾ cup white sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

Makes: 11 x 7inch rectangle

Instructions

Shortbread Crust

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer for 1 to 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
1 cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup white sugar
Add vanilla and almond extract, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Continue mixing for 2 to 3 minutes until the dough has come together. Scrape the sides as necessary and continue mixing until it becomes pliant.
2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp almond extract, 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Divide the dough into two bowls, with 2/3 set aside for the base and 1/3 for the topping.
Chill the dough for 20 to 30 minutes before prepping the pan. The dough can be chilled longer but may need to warm up for a few minutes before it's workable.
To prepare the bottom crust, use an 11 by 7 or 9 by a 9-inch baking dish that is either sprayed with a nonstick spray or lined with parchment paper.
Using your hands, lightly press the dough into the bottom of the pan to form an even base layer. The dough should be around a 1/4 inch deep and should be as even as possible across the pan.
Par bake the crust in a preheated oven set to 350℉ (177℃) for 15 minutes.
Take the hot crust out and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Rhubarb Filling

Cut the rhubarb into bite-sized pieces.
4 cups rhubarb
Mix the rhubarb, sugar, honey, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
¾ cup white sugar, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest
Set the mixture aside, giving it a good stir before adding it to the crust after it's been baked and cooled.

Assembling the Bars

Spread the rhubarb mixture out across the baked crust. If the filling has excess liquid, use a slotted spoon to reduce the amount of liquid in the bars.
Break off small pieces of the remaining dough and spread them across the top of the filling. There should be gaps to let some of the filling show through. If the dough has been chilling for a long-time, it can be helpful to take it out of the fridge 5 minutes before this step.
Bake in a 350℉ (177℃) oven for 40 to 50 minutes. The bars are done when the shortbread on the top starts to turn a light golden brown.
Let the bars cool for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting them into squares. Giving them time to cool helps the filling set up and hold everything together.

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