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    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    May 1, 2019

    Rhubarb Cookies

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    These Rhubarb Cookies are the perfect afternoon snack or dessert on-the-go. They're soft, sweet, studded with rhubarb and topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting! Move over rhubarb crisp, there's a new kid in town!

    Jump to Recipe
    A close up side shot of a single frosted rhubarb cookie.

    April showers bring May….rhubarb?  Well, if you’re in Iowa, that’s certainly the case! 

    Happy May y’all!  April flew by and I’m sure May will be the same way.  May always seems to be a busy time of the year – with graduation parties and corn/soybean planting on the farm, life just gets crazy busy.  However, it’s also an exciting month. 

    With the grass turning green (we really need to mow the lawn!), tulips blooming, temps getting warmer and the days getting longer, May just feels good!  Do you wanna know why else May is a good month?  RHUBARB is finally ready!  Can I get a whoop whoop?!

    Growing up, Mom always had a garden full of vegetables.  When I was little, I hated that garden.  Garden = awesome produce, but garden also = weeding!  There are few chores that I disliked as much as picking weeds (although picking up rocks in the field definitely tops that list!).  

    As I grew older, I learned to appreciate the produce, and looked forward to the vegetables turning ripe.  Rhubarb was always the first thing ready to be picked and it most certainly didn’t go to waste!  From rhubarb crisp, rhubarb jam (try this easy recipe!), and rhubarb muffins, we loved them all! 

    Last year my sister in law Krista introduced me to Rhubarb Cookies.  Rhubarb in a cookie?  That was a new concept for me, but after one bite, I was sold.  I loved the soft texture, the balance of sweetness and tart rhubarb pieces, and the creamy frosting spread on top.  It’s become a “go-to” rhubarb recipe for our family and I couldn’t wait any longer to share it with you!

    A Rhubarb cookie getting frosted with an off set spatula in a woman's hand.

    How do you make Rhubarb Cookies?

    I’d recommend prepping the rhubarb first.  If you’re picking the rhubarb fresh from the garden, you’ll cut off the leaf and the bottom couple inches of the stem that detached from the root.  Next, put the rhubarb in a bowl of cold water and run your hands up and down each stalk to remove any dirt.  Then rinse off, cut into small pieces (¼ inch-ish) and set aside. 

    To make the dough, you’ll start off by creaming the butter, shortening and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This will take a couple minutes.  Then you’ll mix in the eggs and vanilla and finally the dry ingredients.  Lastly you’ll fold the rhubarb and coconut (or oats) and drop onto cookie sheets. 

    They will bake until the cookies are a light golden brown around the edges of the cookies.  Once the cookies are completely cool, you’ll top them with a simple cream cheese frosting.  Get the full recipe below!

    An over head shot of frosted rhubarb cookies on a cooling rack.

    How should I store the cookies?

    I recommend keeping these in an airtight container with waxed paper between the cookies (so the frosting doesn’t make them messy).  Due to the addition of the cream cheese frosting, you do need to keep these refrigerated. 

    Because the rhubarb holds so much moisture, these are the best if eaten within 2-3 days.  You can also freeze them for up to a month.  However, if you’ve got a serious sweet tooth and the lack of self control, these cookies won’t even last long enough to make it to the Tupperware 😉

    What makes these cookies so soft?

    As you can see in the recipe, there is no white sugar, only brown sugar.  Brown sugar contains molasses, which keeps the cookies soft and pliable.  The rhubarb brings great moisture to the cookies which also helps keep them soft.

    Should I use a grease or parchment paper on the baking sheets when baking the Rhubarb Cookies?

    You can use either.  A greased sheet would be good and parchment paper would be even better.  However, the best option would be using Silpat silicone baking mats.  They’re one of my favorite kitchen tools – I’ve literally never had anything stick to them.  In fact, if the cookies are cool, you don’t even need a spatula to get them off the pan!  I could go on and on….but you get the point 😊

    A top angle view of a rhubarb cookie in front of a cooling rack full of cookies.

    Rhubarb Cookies

    kelsey
    These Rhubarb Cookies are the perfect afternoon snack or dessert on-the-go. They're soft, sweet, studded with rhubarb and topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting! Move over rhubarb crisp, there's a new kid in town!
    4.60 from 5 votes
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    Prevent your screen from going to sleep.
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Servings 48 cookies

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ c butter softened
    • ½ c shortening
    • 1 ½ c brown sugar
    • 2 eggs
    • 3 c flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ c diced rhubarb
    • ¾ c flaked coconut OR old fashioned oats

    Frosting

    • 3 oz cream cheese softened
    • 1 tablespoon butter softened
    • 1 ½ c powdered sugar
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

    Instructions
     

    • Cream the butter, shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
    • Beat in the eggs.  
    • Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix well.
    • Stir in the diced rhubarb and coconut.
    • Drop by rounded tablespoons on greased baking sheet (parchment-lined would make for even easier cleanup).  Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.
    • Make the frosting:  Beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy.  Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
    • Spread over the cooled cookies.
    Keyword cookies, frosting, rhubarb
    Tried this recipe?Follow me at @dancearoundthekitchen.kelsey and let me know how you liked it!

    Recipe added to the Weekend Potluck and Meal Plan Monday.

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    about kelsey

    About Kelsey

    Combining my love for food and family is a pretty easy calculation. Almost all family gatherings include food… After all, a party without cake is just a meeting right? Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kelly says

      May 04, 2019 at 10:09 pm

      5 stars
      Sooo delicious! Very rich, but perfect with the refreshing tart bits of rhubarb. Even great without frosting. I used all butter in place of the shortening and a 50/50 ratio of coconut and oatmeal 🙂. I wasnt sure my rhubarb was quite ready to be use, but thought I could manage to steal a few stalks for this recipe and I’m glad I did!

      Reply
      • Kelsey says

        May 05, 2019 at 9:21 pm

        Hey Kelly! So glad to hear you loved the cookies! Don't you just love rhubarb season?! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Kathleen says

      May 17, 2019 at 2:14 pm

      5 stars
      Kelsey -- these look divine!! I'm a total rhubarb nut (even have a whole board on Pinterest for Rhubarb) LOL! Thanks for sharing on Weekend Potluck!

      Reply
    3. Deanne says

      May 20, 2019 at 8:06 am

      5 stars
      Yum! Our family loves rhubarb desserts and these look fantastic. Can't wait to try them!!!

      Reply
      • Kelsey says

        May 20, 2019 at 10:18 pm

        Thanks Deanne!! I'm SO glad my sister-in-law passed this recipe onto our family!

        Reply
      • Cheryl Templin says

        May 20, 2021 at 5:15 pm

        Made according to recipe. Really good. I would add a little more rhubarb next time. But loved them the way they are also. I love coconut so this was perfect combined with rhubarb.

        Reply
    4. Bernadette says

      July 05, 2020 at 2:14 pm

      So delicious love rhubarb ,I put 3 cups of rhubarb instead of 1 1/2 cups .They were great .Thanks for the recipe
      .

      Reply
      • Kelsey says

        July 09, 2020 at 2:07 pm

        So glad you liked these, Bernadette!!

        Reply
    5. Cheryl says

      July 12, 2020 at 9:29 pm

      4 stars
      Love these! I switched out the frosting for white chocolate chips and they were perfection!

      Reply
      • Kelsey says

        August 04, 2020 at 3:35 pm

        Awesome!! So glad to hear you enjoyed these, Cheryl! -Kelsey

        Reply
    6. Wendy says

      October 14, 2020 at 1:05 pm

      4 stars
      The cookies taste good, but mine didn’t flatten. Can’t wait to taste the cookies after I frost them.

      Reply
      • Kelsey says

        October 14, 2020 at 4:01 pm

        Hmmm...I'm not sure why that would be! Hopefully you will taste them and change your mind to a 5-star rating!! 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kelsey! I am a wife, mother and BFFs with my KitchenAid mixer, happy to bring you easy meals and decadent desserts! Welcome to my blog!

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