Raspberry Rhubarb Crisp

This raspberry rhubarb crisp is sweet, tart, and topped with the best cinnamon crumble I’ve ever had in my life. It’ll be in the oven in just 10 minutes!

This recipe is an adaptation of my Dad’s mother’s recipe for rhubarb crisp. All I did was throw some raspberries into the mix, because you just don’t mess with perfection. And what happened was pure magic-–raspberries and rhubarb have the best flavors to balance each other. You get a slight bit of sour from the rhubarb and floral sweetness from the raspberries! L’amour! 

Grandma Farr knew a little something about crisps because this topping is the best I’ve ever had! It is sweet and crumbly but still tender, and there is the perfect hint of cinnamon. Fair warning: you’re going to want to put it on everything! Easy apple crisp in the autumn, peach crisp in the summer, and berry crumble all year long!

Professional Tips

• Taste your fruit. Or at least taste the raspberries. It is a raspberry rhubarb crisp after all! You might want more or less sugar depending on the ripeness of the berries. I like to mix and then taste to get a real indication of how the flavors will meld.
• Make sure it bakes long enough! Raspberries and rhubarb both release a lot of juice when they are cooked, so this crisp is a tad runny even when cooled. The key to a thicker filling here is to make sure it bakes long enough! Wait to take the crisp out of the oven until after you can see the filling bubbling. If you want it to be even thicker, you could add a teaspoon of cornstarch, but I find the fruit juices to be enough.
• More is more when it comes to crisp topping. The beauty of this recipe is that it allows for some to sink in and absorb some of the fruit juices and some to stay on top and get nice and crispy.

Ingredients

• Rhubarb: Choose rhubarb stalks that are stiff (not limp), and, ideally, are a deep pink to red color. The best, in-season, rhubarb is a dark, almost magenta red. Yes, you can use frozen rhubarb. Don’t worry, it’s all still incredibly tart!
• Fresh or Frozen Raspberries: Fresh or frozen raspberries can be used for this recipe. If making this crisp in the winter, I would go with the frozen raspberries, which have a better flavor and less water content. 
• Granulated Sugar: Sugar absorbs moisture as the filling bakes, which results in a thicker fruit filling. For a deeper caramel flavor, swap half the granulated sugar with brown sugar in the fruit filling.
• All-Purpose Flour: I use all-purpose flour for this recipe. To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute your favorite 1-to-1 gluten-free flour or experiment with almond flour like I do for my strawberry rhubarb pie!
• Unsalted Butter: The butter can be substituted with coconut oil if you would like. The texture of the topping will come together differently.
• Kosher Salt
• Cinnamon

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Infuse your crisp with other spices. I use my Grandmother’s cinnamon crumble topping, but you could use different spices. Try pumpkin spice, apple pie spice, nutmeg, or even cardamom like I do in my cardamom pear crisp! 
• Want to add texture? Fold a few tablespoons of quick oats or chopped nuts into the topping. 
• Mix up the fruit! Rhubarb tastes great with more than just raspberries! I like to pair it with other sweet fruits such as blueberries, peaches, or strawberries like I did in this strawberry rhubarb crumble. Depending on the fruit, you might want to add a teaspoon of lemon juice or some lemon zest!

How to Make Raspberry Rhubarb Crisp

Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Place the rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For easier cleanup, place your baking dish on a parchment-lined sheet pan to catch any bubbling fruit.

Step 2: In a large bowl, combine rhubarb, raspberries, 1 cup sugar, and water. Mix to coat fruit evenly. Spoon into a shallow 1 ½ quart casserole dish or a 10-inch pie dish, which is what I did.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, remaining ½ cup sugar, cinnamon and salt. 

Step 4: Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture comes together and is crumbly and homogenous. There will be no visible pieces of butter left. It should be clumpy. You can also do this in a food processor. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit mixture.

Step 5: Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes. The topping should be golden brown and you should see the fruit bubbling up around the edges.

Let cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before serving to help the juices thicken slightly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this professional chef tested recipe. Check out our other delicious, chef-developed easy crisp recipes!