This strawberry rhubarb pie recipe is pure perfection, with thick sweet tart berry filling and flaky pie crust. 5 stars!
What’s the most popular rhubarb recipe of them all? Three words: strawberry rhubarb pie. This iconic pie filling is famous for a reason: it’s just that good. Sweet tart stalks of pink rhubarb are the perfect foil for sweet summer berries. When you taste this thick, gooey filling, you’ll understand. Bake it up in a flaky pastry crust, and there’s really nothing better to finish a summer meal.
Ingredients in strawberry rhubarb pie
This recipe is a true revelation: the gooey red filling is a burst of sweet tart, pure fruity flavor. Like any pie, it’s a bit of a project: but it’s worth every minute. Strawberry rhubarb pie has a relatively short ingredient list. Once rhubarb is in season, it’s a matter of stocking up on a few extra ingredients and setting aside a few hours. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 2 Homemade Pie Crusts (or your favorite recipe)
- Fresh strawberries
- Rhubarb stalks
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch
- Vanilla extract
- Orange zest
- Egg, for egg wash
- Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
The secret to this strawberry rhubarb pie
One note on fruit pies: the liquid content of your filling can vary based on the specific fruit. Rhubarb and strawberries are approximately 95% water, which is activated when the fruit is heated. It’s easy to end up with a runny pie, so we’ve safeguarded this recipe so it works every time:
- Pre-cook the filling with cornstarch for 5 to 6 minutes. Cooking the filling on its own gives it time to interact with the cornstarch, making a thick and gooey filling. Cook it just long enough so that the cornstarch is activated, but not enough that the fruit texture starts to disintegrate.
- Allow the filling to cool while making the crust. If the filling is too hot, it can heat up the top crust of the pie which can cause the butter to melt. Making the filling first allows it time to cool.
Tips for making homemade pie crust
This homemade pie crust recipe is our tried and true favorite! If you’ve never made a pie crust from scratch, now is the time. It’s loads tastier than purchased dough, and it’s an important cooking skill that’s fun to master. Here are a few tips and tricks for our Pie Crust recipe:
- Use Irish butter if you can find it. Irish butter has a higher fat and lower water than American butter. It gives baked goods a richer flavor and flakier texture: the absolute best for pie crust! The most popular brand of Irish butter is Kerrygold, which is easy to find at most grocery stores.
- Keeping pie crust cold is essential. You’ll add ice cold water to the crust when making the dough to make sure the butter doesn’t melt. Then, it’s important to refrigerate the pie crust for 1 hour before rolling it out. This allows the gluten to relax and the fat to firm up, which makes an extra flaky and helps it hold its shape.
- When rolling, pick up the dough and rotate it occasionally so it doesn’t stick. Liberally flour the work surface and the rolling pin. Roll as perfect of a circle as possible and making sure it’s not sticking to the work surface. If it starts to stick, dust with a bit more flour.
Egg wash is ideal for a double crust
This strawberry rhubarb pie recipe features a double pie crust: one crust on the bottom of the pan and one crust on the top. This makes for an incredibly satisfying pie, though you can also do a streusel topping like our Rhubarb Pie.
For the best golden finish to a double pie crust, we recommend an egg wash. It makes a golden laminated exterior and gives a nice golden sheen to the surface. Whisk together 1 egg, then brush it onto the exposed crust with a pastry brush. Then we like to sprinkle with crunchy turbinado sugar for a glittery finished look.
Alternative topping: streusel
If you’re new to pie crust, the double pie crust requires a bit of finesse to get it right. Want an easier pie topping? Try the crumble topping from this Rhubarb Streusel Pie! It will taste even sweeter this way since the streusel has sugar, so you may want to cut the sugar in the crumbles in half (reduce to 2 tablespoons brown sugar).
Serving strawberry rhubarb pie
Make sure to allow ample time for this strawberry rhubarb pie to cool. Allow to cool for 4 hours before serving. This might seem like overkill, but it’s important for the pie to come to room temperature, which solidifies the textures.
If you like, you can top this strawberry rhubarb pie recipe with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream. But we like it as is without topping! This allows the beautiful fruity flavor to shine through.
More rhubarb recipes
Got more rhubarb? Here are a few more rhubarb recipes we love:
- Try Classic Rhubarb Crisp
- Opt for a classic Rhubarb Pie or Rhubarb Bars
- Go for Rhubarb Muffins or Rhubarb Streusel Bread
- Opt for Rhubarb Sauce
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
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Prep Time: 1 hour -
Cook Time: 1 hour
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Total Time: 2 hours
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Yield: 1 pie (8 large or 12 small slices)
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
This strawberry rhubarb pie recipe is pure perfection, with thick sweet tart berry filling and flaky pie crust. 5 stars!
Ingredients
- 2 Homemade Pie Crusts* (or your favorite recipe)
- 3 cups (about 1 pound) sliced fresh strawberries
- 3 cups (about 1 pound) diced rhubarb stalks
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon orange zest (or ½ teaspoon lemon zest)
- 1 egg, for egg wash
- Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a large skillet, stir together the sliced strawberries and chopped rhubarb with the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and orange zest. Cook on medium high heat for about 5 minutes, until the cornstarch activates and the sauce thickens. Transfer to a bowl to cool completely while you make the crust.
- Make the pie crust.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven with a rimmed baking sheet covered in foil to preheat.
- Grease a standard 9-inch pie pan.
- Roll out the first pie crust and transfer it to a standard 9-inch pie pan, allowing the edges to drape over the sides (following these instructions). Add the filling and freeze the entire pie while rolling the next pie crust.
- Roll out the second pie crust. Use kitchen scissors to trim both crusts so there is about 1-inch of dough draping off of the edge. Fold both crusts under so they rest on the rim of the pan, then use your fingers to crimp the crust. Slice several vents in the crust with a sharp knife.
- Whisk the egg in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush the top of the crust with the egg. Sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar.
- Bake immediately for 15 minutes. Then leaving the pie in the oven, reduce the oven temperature down to 350°F. Bake for 40 minutes until the crust is golden. (Check on the pie around 30 minutes and cover with aluminum foil if the crust is getting too brown.)
- Remove from the oven. Allow the pie to cool at least 4 hours at room temperature before serving.
Notes
*Want an easier pie topping? Top with the crumble topping from this Rhubarb Streusel Pie! It will taste even sweeter this way since the streusel also has sugar, so you may want to cut the sugar in the crumbles in half (reduce to 2 tablespoons brown sugar).
Category: Dessert
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Dessert- Diet: Vegetarian
Keywords: Strawberry rhubarb pie, strawberry rhubarb pie recipe