Celebrate rhubarb season with 26 rhubarb dessert recipes that put spring’s tart, colorful stalks front and center, including bars, cakes, crisps, tarts, panna cotta, gelato, jam, and curd.

Rhubarb dessert recipes are one of the best reasons to get excited about spring baking, and this collection gives rhubarb the spotlight it deserves. You won’t find strawberry-rhubarb desserts here—not because I don’t love that classic pairing, but because I believe rhubarb has plenty of personality all on its own, and doesn’t need to be hidden behind the sweetness of strawberries all the time. Rhubarb is tart, colorful, and a little dramatic, and that sharpness is exactly what makes it so brilliant in desserts.

Add enough sweetness to soften its edges, pair it with butter, cream, citrus, ginger, vanilla, almonds, or warm spices, and suddenly you have something bright, balanced, and impossible to forget. In this collection, you’ll find cozy classics such as crisps, cobblers, and puddings, elegant rhubarb tarts and cakes, creamy make-ahead desserts, frozen treats, brunch-worthy bakes, and a couple of rhubarb components to spoon over just about everything.

Start with the quick chooser below if you already know the kind of rhubarb dessert you’re craving, then browse the full list for even more spring inspiration.

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Quick Recipe Chooser

• Best elegant make-ahead dessert: Rhubarb Panna Cotta — creamy, pretty, and very dinner-party friendly.
• Classic comfort pick: Classic Rhubarb Crisp — the easy rhubarb dessert everyone expects, for good reason.
• Best gluten-free options: Gluten-Free Rhubarb Crisp or Old Fashioned Rhubarb Bread — both give you that cozy baked-dessert feeling.
• Best easy dessert: Orange Rhubarb Crumb Bars — bright, crumbly, and great for sharing.
• Best cake for a spring gathering: Rhubarb Ginger Layer Cake — more of a project, but very celebration-worthy.
• Best frozen treat: Rhubarb Gelato — silky, blush-pink, and a beautiful way to stretch rhubarb season.
• Best tart-style dessert: Rhubarb Frangipane Tart or Rhubarb Ricotta Almond Tart — almond and rhubarb are such a good match.
• Best brunch-adjacent bakes: Rhubarb Bostock, Rhubarb Scones with Fresh Ginger, or Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Bread.
• Best rhubarb component: Rhubarb Jam or Rhubarb Curd — spoon onto toast, yogurt, ice cream, cakes, or anything buttery.

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Helpful Tips for Baking with Rhubarb

A few quick tips will help you prep, store, freeze, and bake with rhubarb more confidently, especially if you only cook with it once or twice a year.

Choose firm, bright stalks

Look for rhubarb stalks that are firm, crisp, and fresh-looking, with no soft or shriveled spots. Color can range from pale green to deep red depending on the variety, so don’t worry if your rhubarb isn’t ruby-red all the way through. Redder stalks can look especially pretty in desserts, but green rhubarb can be just as delicious.

Trim the leaves completely

Only the rhubarb stalks are edible. The leaves should always be removed and discarded because they contain high levels of oxalic acid and are not safe to eat. If you buy rhubarb with the leaves attached, trim them off as soon as you get home.

Don’t peel rhubarb unless you need to

Most fresh rhubarb does not need to be peeled. Simply trim the ends, wash the stalks well, and slice them as directed in the recipe. If the stalks are very large, stringy, or tough, you can pull away any coarse outer strings, but peeling all the rhubarb can make it lose color and structure.

Balance rhubarb’s tartness thoughtfully

Rhubarb is naturally very tart, which is what makes it so refreshing in desserts. Sugar softens that sharp edge, but you don’t need to bury rhubarb under sweetness. Flavors like vanilla, orange, lemon, ginger, almonds, butter, cream, and warm spices all help round it out while still letting rhubarb shine on its own.

Store rhubarb in the fridge

Wrap fresh rhubarb loosely in a clean towel or paper towel, then tuck it into a produce bag or airtight container in the refrigerator. It’s best used within a few days, but very fresh stalks can keep for about a week. If the stalks start to soften, use them in cooked desserts, compotes, jam, or curd rather than recipes where you want distinct pieces.

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26 Rhubarb Dessert Recipes for Spring

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1. Rhubarb Panna Cotta

by Food Nouveau

This rhubarb panna cotta is an elegant, make-ahead dessert that shows off rhubarb in a polished way. The creamy panna cotta softens the fruit’s tartness beautifully, while the compote and poached rhubarb keep the flavor bright and unmistakably springy.

2. Classic Rhubarb Crisp

by Tara Teaspoon

A classic rhubarb crisp is the kind of dessert that makes rhubarb season official. This one keeps the focus fully on rhubarb, with a sweet, crunchy oat topping that balances the fruit’s sharpness without masking it.

3. Gluten-Free Rhubarb Crisp

by Kelly Neil

This gluten-free rhubarb crisp gives you all the cozy appeal of a traditional crisp, with tart fruit, cinnamon, oats, buckwheat flour, and plenty of buttery crumble topping. It’s rustic in the best way, and a great option when you need a gluten-free rhubarb dessert that still feels generous.

4. Easy Rhubarb Cobbler

by Christina’s Cucina

This easy rhubarb cobbler is exactly the sort of simple spring dessert that wants to be served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, custard, or whipped cream. It’s unfussy, comforting, and a good reminder that rhubarb doesn’t need much to become dessert.

5. Orange Rhubarb Crumb Bars

by Food Nouveau

These orange rhubarb crumble bars are bright, crumbly, and packed with citrus aroma. The orange zest and juice beautifully lift the rhubarb, while the bar format makes it easy to slice and share for brunches, potlucks, or casual gatherings.

6. Lemon Rhubarb Cake

by Occasionally Eggs

This vegan lemon rhubarb cake has a lovely spring brightness, with citrus and rhubarb playing off each other’s tart edges. Made with spelt flour, coconut oil, and maple syrup, it has a slightly wholesome feel without losing that soft, tender cake texture.

7. Rhubarb Ginger Layer Cake

by Style Sweet

This rhubarb ginger layer cake is a true celebration dessert. Spiced ginger cake, rhubarb buttercream, cream cheese filling, and poached rhubarb come together in something layered, flavorful, and perfect for special occasions.

8. Vanilla Rhubarb Bundt Cake

by My Kitchen Love

This vanilla rhubarb Bundt cake is a great pick when you want something pretty but not fussy. The rhubarb brings color and tang to a classic vanilla cake, making it feel seasonal, simple, and very shareable.

9. Norwegian Rhubarb Cake

by Ramshackle Pantry

This Norwegian rhubarb cake, or rabarbrakake, is a straightforward, homey bake that puts rhubarb to good use without overcomplicating things. It’s the kind of cake that works just as well with coffee as it does after dinner.

10. Rhubarb Carrot Cake with Vanilla Mascarpone Frosting

by Simple Bites

This rhubarb carrot cake brings a spring twist to a familiar favorite. The lightly spiced cake gets brightness from rhubarb, while the vanilla mascarpone frosting keeps it creamy, festive, and very much celebration-ready.

11. Lemongrass and Rhubarb Cheesecake

by Eat the Love

This lemongrass and rhubarb cheesecake is one of the more unexpected desserts in the lineup. The fragrant lemongrass gives the creamy cheesecake a citrusy lift, while the rhubarb adds color and a clean, tart contrast.

12. Rhubarb Crumble Cake

by Simply Stacie

This rhubarb crumble cake sits comfortably between coffee cake and dessert. It’s moist and tender, with pockets of sharp rhubarb and a brown sugar streusel topping that makes it especially good for brunch or afternoon coffee.

13. Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Cake

by Gift of Hospitality

This old-fashioned rhubarb cake is the cozy, crowd-friendly kind of dessert that disappears quickly from the pan. The crunchy pecan and coconut topping adds texture, while the rhubarb keeps each bite from feeling too sweet.

14. Rhubarb Gelato

by Food Nouveau

This rhubarb gelato turns rhubarb’s tart, springy flavor into something silky, creamy, and beautifully blush-pink. It’s a memorable frozen dessert, especially if you like bright, rather than overly sugary, sweets.

15. Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream

by House of Nash Eats

This rhubarb crumble ice cream is for anyone who loves the idea of crisp or crumble but wants it frozen. Roasted rhubarb runs through the ice cream in a tart ribbon, with buttery crumble pieces tucked in for contrast.

16. Simple Rhubarb Tatin Cake

by Pardon Your French

This simple rhubarb tatin cake is all about presentation, with minimal effort. The criss-cross rhubarb top makes it striking, while the vanilla and lemon in the cake keep the flavor light enough to let the rhubarb shine.

17. Rhubarb Clafoutis (Dairy-Free Option)

by Baked the Blog

This rhubarb clafoutis is a simple, custardy dessert that makes excellent use of fresh spring rhubarb. It’s a smart pick when you want something softer and more delicate than cake, with a dairy-free option for added flexibility.

18. Rhubarb Pudding

by Fab Food 4 All

This rhubarb pudding is a proper comfort dessert: simple, warm, and especially good with custard or vanilla ice cream. The vanilla softens the rhubarb’s tartness and gives the whole thing an old-fashioned, spoonable charm.

19. Rhubarb Frangipane Tart (Bakewell Tart)

by Lost in Food

This rhubarb frangipane tart pairs sharp rhubarb with sweet almond filling, one of those combinations that just works. It’s a lovely choice when you want a rhubarb tart that feels classic, elegant, and make-ahead friendly.

20. Rhubarb Ricotta Almond Tart

by Mangia Bedda

This rhubarb ricotta almond tart brings a gentle Italian feel to the collection. The almond crust, sweet ricotta, tart rhubarb, and slivered almonds create a beautiful balance of creamy, crisp, nutty, and bright.

21. Rhubarb Galette

by Liv for Cake

This rhubarb galette is the relaxed tart cousin: rustic, pretty, and very forgiving. Serve it warm or chilled, plain or with ice cream, and you have a simple rhubarb dessert that still feels special.

22. Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Bread (Gluten-Free)

by The Rustic Foodie

This old-fashioned rhubarb bread is moist, cinnamon-scented, and finished with a streusel layer, which makes it just as welcome at brunch as it is for dessert. It’s also gluten-free, making it a useful option for sharing.

23. Rhubarb Bostock

by The Bake School

This rhubarb bostock is a brilliant brunch treat, especially if you love French-style bakery recipes. Day-old brioche, frangipane, and rhubarb jam come together into something rich, crisp-edged, and very satisfying.

24. Rhubarb Scones with Fresh Ginger

by Baked the Blog

These rhubarb scones with fresh ginger bring a little heat to rhubarb’s tartness, which makes them especially good with coffee or tea. The cream scone base keeps them tender, while chopped rhubarb adds bright, jammy pockets throughout.

25. The Easiest Rhubarb Jam Recipe

by Christina’s Cucina

This easy rhubarb jam is the recipe to make when you want rhubarb season to last a little longer. Spoon it over toast, yogurt, scones, ice cream, or cake—anywhere a sweet-tart rhubarb boost would be welcome.

26. Rhubarb Curd

by Vikalinka

This rhubarb curd offers a different way to enjoy rhubarb, especially if you love lemon curd. It has that same silky, tangy feel and works beautifully in tart shells, cakes, cookies, pavlovas, or simply spooned onto something buttery.

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Rhubarb Dessert Recipes FAQ

These quick answers cover the rhubarb questions readers tend to have before baking: what parts are edible, whether to peel it, and how to use frozen rhubarb.

What part of rhubarb is edible?

Only the stalks are edible. Rhubarb leaves are not safe to eat and should always be discarded. Once the leaves are removed, the stalks can be sliced and used in baked desserts, compotes, jams, curds, sauces, and frozen treats.

Do you need to peel rhubarb before baking?

Usually, no. Most rhubarb only needs to be trimmed, washed, and sliced. If the stalks are especially thick or stringy, you can remove any tough outer strings, but avoid peeling rhubarb unnecessarily because the skin helps preserve its color and texture.

Can you freeze fresh rhubarb?

Yes. Slice fresh rhubarb, spread it out on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer it to a freezer bag or airtight container. Freezing the pieces separately first keeps them from clumping, so you can measure out only what you need later.

Can you use frozen rhubarb in desserts?

Yes, frozen rhubarb works well in most baked rhubarb desserts, including crisps, cobblers, cakes, muffins, breads, jams, and sauces. In many recipes, you can use it straight from the freezer. For recipes where extra moisture could be an issue, thaw and drain it first.

What flavors go well with rhubarb besides strawberry?

Rhubarb is wonderful with vanilla, orange, lemon, ginger, almond, cardamom, cinnamon, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, butter, cream, and custard. This is exactly why rhubarb can carry a whole dessert collection without leaning on strawberries.