Back in 1987, I ruined my first strawberry rhubarb pie so badly that even our dog wouldn't eat it. The filling turned into pink soup, and the crust could've doubled as a frisbee. Now, after four decades of kitchen disasters and Sunday afternoons with Oliver covered in flour up to his elbows, I've figured out how to make this sweet and tart dessert work every single time.
My grandmother's old Strawberry Rhubarb Pie card was just a starting point. Over the years, I've tested different ways to thicken the filling, played with sugar amounts, and learned that rhubarb can be as stubborn as Oliver when he doesn't want to clean his room. But now this pie turns out right every time - the rhubarb stays tangy, the strawberries stay sweet, and the crust actually holds together when you cut into it.
Why You'll Love This Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
This strawberry rhubarb pie has bailed me out of more kitchen disasters than I care to admit. It's one of those recipes that just works, even when everything else goes wrong. Last month I forgot about it in the oven for an extra 15 minutes because I was dealing with Oliver's meltdown over his math homework, and it still came out great - just a little more golden on top. The month before that, I somehow managed to use salt instead of sugar in the crust (still don't know how that happened), and even that mess was fixable. Oliver gets excited about making this one because he knows he can't really screw it up, and trust me, he's tested that theory.
The best part about this Strawberry Rhubarb Pie is that it actually gets better sitting on the counter overnight. Day one tastes good, but day two is when the magic happens. All the flavors come together, the filling thickens up just right, and every bite tastes like summer. I've taken this to church potlucks where people scraped the pan clean, family dinners where my picky uncle asked for the recipe, and school events where other moms started asking if I do catering (which was flattering but also hilarious). My neighbor Sue has made it three times since I gave her the recipe, and she's the woman who burned water last month.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Ingredients
- How To Make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Step By Step
- Equipment For Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Variations
- Smart Substitutions for Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Storage Tips For Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Top Tip
- My Sister's Secret Worth Sharing
- FAQ
- Time to Make Your Perfect Pie!
- Related
- Pairing
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Ingredients
The Fruit Team:
- Fresh strawberries
- Rhubarb stalks
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Cornstarch or tapioca
- Fresh lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
The Crust Parts:
- All-purpose flour
- Cold butter
- Ice water
- Salt
- Little bit of sugar
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Step By Step
Prep the Fruit Foundation:
- Wash and hull fresh strawberries
- Cut rhubarb into half-inch pieces
- Mix fruit with both sugars
- Add cornstarch and lemon juice
- Let sit for 30 minutes to release juices
Build the Perfect Crust:
- Cut cold butter into flour mixture
- Add ice water one tablespoon at a time
- Form dough without overworking
- Roll out bottom crust for pan
- Save second portion for top crust
Assemble Your Pie:
- Place bottom crust in greased pie pan
- Pour in macerated fruit mixture
- Dot with small butter pieces
- Cover with top crust or lattice design
- Crimp edges and cut steam vents
Bake to Golden Perfection:
- Serve at room temperature for best texture
- Start at 425°F for 15 minutes
- Reduce to 375°F for 35-45 minutes
- Watch for golden crust and bubbling filling
- Cool completely before slicing
Equipment For Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- 9-inch pie pan
- Rolling pin
- Large mixing bowl for the fruit
- Sharp knife for cutting rhubarb
- Measuring cups and spoons
Variations
After making this basic Strawberry Rhubarb Pie about a hundred times, Oliver and I have come up with some fun variations that keep things interesting:
Seasonal Spins:
- Spring version with fresh mint leaves
- Summer addition of blueberries or blackberries
- Fall twist with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg
- Winter comfort with orange zest and crystallized ginger
Crumb Top Alternative:
- Skip the top crust entirely
- Mix oats, brown sugar, and butter for crumble
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts
- Bake the same way but watch for burning
Flavor Boosters:
- Splash of vanilla in the fruit filling
- Lemon zest mixed with the sugar
- Tiny bit of almond extract (just a drop)
- Fresh thyme leaves for something fancy
Easy Upgrades:
- Brush crust with cream before baking
- Sprinkle coarse sugar on top for crunch
- Add a handful of mini chocolate chips
- Drizzle with simple glaze when cooled
Smart Substitutions for Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Fruit Swaps:
- Frozen strawberries → Fresh (don't thaw them first)
- Frozen rhubarb → Fresh (saves chopping time)
- Regular strawberries → Any variety you can find
- Some strawberries → Raspberries for extra tang
Sugar Changes:
- White sugar → Brown sugar for deeper flavor
- Regular sugar → Coconut sugar (same amount)
- All sugar → Half honey (reduce other liquids)
- Full sugar → Sugar substitute (check package directions)
Thickener Options:
- Cornstarch → Tapioca pearls (works better actually)
- Cornstarch → All-purpose flour (use more)
- Regular thickener → Instant vanilla pudding mix
- Standard → Arrowroot powder for gluten-free
Crust Solutions:
- Homemade → Store-bought (no shame in shortcuts)
- Regular flour → Gluten-free flour blend
- Butter crust → Coconut oil for dairy-free
- Traditional → Graham cracker crust for something different
Storage Tips For Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Right After Baking:
- Let it cool completely on the counter (at least 2 hours)
- Don't cover it while it's still warm or the crust gets soggy
- It's fine sitting out overnight if your kitchen isn't too hot
- Cut it the next day if you can wait - the filling sets up better
Keeping It Fresh:
- Cover loosely with foil after it's completely cool
- Store on the counter for 2-3 days maximum
- Put it in the fridge after that (up to a week total)
- Bring refrigerated slices back to room temperature before serving
Reheating Tricks:
- Warm individual slices in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes
- Microwave works but makes the crust soft
- Never reheat the whole pie unless you're serving it immediately
- A few seconds under the broiler crisps up soggy crust
Make-Ahead Tips:
- You can freeze the whole pie before baking (wrap it really well)
- Baked pies freeze okay but the crust gets weird
- Fruit filling can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge
- Pie dough keeps in the freezer for months
Top Tip
- Here's something I wish someone had told me years ago - don't cover your pie while it's still warm. I used to slap plastic wrap on everything the second it came out of the oven, thinking I was being smart about keeping things fresh. All I was doing was trapping steam that turned my nice crispy crust into something that felt like wet cardboard. Oliver figured this out for me when he covered one of my pies while I wasn't looking.
- Now I just leave the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie sitting on the counter uncovered for hours, sometimes even overnight. It feels weird at first because we're always told to cover food, but the crust stays crispy and the filling has time to thicken up properly. You can actually cut clean slices instead of ending up with a plate full of fruit soup and pie crust pieces.
- The funny thing is, this pie tastes way better the day after you make it anyway. Something happens overnight where all the flavors come together and the filling gets to the right consistency. So now when I'm having people over, I always bake the pie the day before. Everyone thinks I'm some kind of pie expert, but really I'm just too lazy to bake the same day as dinner.
My Sister's Secret Worth Sharing
My sister stumbled onto something great with this strawberry rhubarb pie completely by accident. She was making it for her husband's birthday last year and got halfway through before realizing she was out of vanilla extract. Too lazy to drive to the store, she grabbed this old bottle of strawberry extract from the back of her spice cabinet and figured why not. When we tasted that pie, we couldn't figure out why it was so much better than usual. The strawberry flavor was just more strawberry-ish, if that makes any sense. It wasn't fake tasting or too sweet - just more intense.
Her other trick is even simpler but makes the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie look like it came from some fancy bakery. She saves one perfect strawberry from the batch and slices it really thin. Right before the pie goes in the oven, she lays those slices on top of whatever crust pattern she's made. They cook down and caramelize and turn into these gorgeous little decorations that also happen to taste incredible. Oliver always tries to pick them off first, which drives sister crazy, but I can't blame him. Sometimes the best ideas come from just working with what you've got in the kitchen.
FAQ
How to make strawberry rhubarb pie less runny?
Use enough thickener and let your fruit sit with sugar for 30 minutes first. I learned this the hard way after making soup instead of Strawberry Rhubarb Pie too many times. Use 3-4 tablespoons of cornstarch or tapioca, and start baking at high heat (425°F) to set everything quickly. Don't pack too much fruit in either.
How much rhubarb is needed for a strawberry rhubarb pie?
I use about 2 cups of chopped rhubarb and 3 cups of strawberries for a 9-inch pie. This gives you good balance between tart and sweet. If your rhubarb is really sour, use more strawberries. If it's mild, you can do half and half. Taste as you go.
How many rhubarb stalks for a pie?
Usually 4-6 medium stalks, but it depends on how thick they are. I always buy extra because Oliver eats half of it while I'm chopping. Pick stalks that are firm and snap when you bend them. Avoid anything that's brown or feels mushy.
Should rhubarb be cooked before baking?
Nope, use it raw. Pre-cooking turns it into mush and makes too much liquid. Just chop it up, mix it with the other stuff, and let the oven do the work. Raw rhubarb keeps its shape better and doesn't make your pie filling watery.
Time to Make Your Perfect Pie!
You now have everything you need to make a strawberry rhubarb pie that'll have people asking for the recipe and trying to figure out what makes yours different from everyone else's. From getting the filling thick enough so it's not soup, to learning Kate's strawberry extract trick that nobody else knows about, this pie has become our family's signature dessert. It's not fancy, it doesn't require any special skills, and honestly, even when things go wrong (like when Oliver accidentally dumped in twice as much sugar last month), it still tastes great. We've made this pie for church potlucks, birthday parties, random weeknight dinners when we were craving something sweet.
Ready for more desserts that won't stress you out? Try our Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe that disappears before they're even cool - Oliver's personal record is six cookies while they were still warm. When summer rolls around and you want something that tastes like the season, our Best Pan Fried Peaches Recipe makes regular store-bought peaches taste like you grew them yourself. And if you're missing those childhood camping trips, our Best S'mores Bars Recipe gives you all that campfire flavor without having to deal with smoke and bugs and trying to find the perfect roasting stick.
Share your Strawberry Rhubarb Pie wins with us! We love seeing how yours turn out, especially if you try Kate's strawberry trick or come up with something new. And don't be embarrassed to show us your flops either - we've all been there, and sometimes the worst-looking pies taste the best anyway.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rate this Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and tell us what happened! Did you change anything? What worked? What didn't? We want to hear about it all.
Got questions we didn't answer? Check our FAQ section above, or just ask us in the comments - we read everything and we're always happy to help when someone's having pie problems.
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
🍳 Equipment
- 1 9-inch pie pan (Glass or ceramic preferred)
- 1 Rolling pin (For crust rolling)
- 1 Large mixing bowl (For fruit filling)
- 1 Sharp knife (For chopping rhubarb)
- 1 set Measuring cups/spoons (For accurate measurements)
Ingredients
- 3 cups strawberries - Hulled and halved
- 2 cups rhubarb - Chopped into ½-inch pieces
- ¾ cup granulated sugar - Or adjust to taste
- ¼ cup brown sugar - Light or dark
- 3½ tablespoon cornstarch - Or tapioca for thickening
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - Fresh
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - Or strawberry extract for variation
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour - For crust
- 1 teaspoon salt - For crust
- 1 tablespoon sugar - For crust
- 1 cup butter - Cold, cubed
- 6-8 tablespoon ice water - As needed
- 2 tablespoon butter - For dotting filling
- 2 tablespoon cream - Optional, for brushing crust
- 2 tablespoon coarse sugar - Optional, for topping crust
Instructions
- Wash and hull strawberries, cut rhubarb, and mix with sugars, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla. Let sit 30 minutes.
- Combine flour, salt, sugar, and cold butter. Add ice water gradually to form dough. Chill 30 minutes.
- Roll one dough disk into a circle, fit into pie pan, and leave overhang.
- Add fruit filling, dot with butter, cover with second crust or lattice, trim, crimp, and cut steam vents.
- Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then at 375°F for 35-45 minutes. Cool uncovered at least 2 hours.
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