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    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    March 18, 2021

    Rhubarb Custard Bars

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    Rhubarb Custard Bars (AKA Rhubarb Dream Bars) have a shortbread crust, creamy custard, tart rhubarb and a smooth cream cheese frosting to top it off! It's one of the BEST rhubarb desserts!

    Jump to Recipe
    Rhubarb Custard Bar with a bite out of it

    Wanna know one of my favorite things about spring? It's RHUBARB season!! And you know what that means?! It's time to bake!

    I've got several rhubarb recipes (I just love rhubarb!).....Rhubarb Cookies and Rhubarb Crunch are two of my favorites. Then, when you're tired of baking with rhubarb, you can whip up a batch of my Rhubarb Sauce (SO good on ice cream!) or my most delicious Rhubarb Berry Jam!

    But before you make any decisions on what to make with that rhubarb, consider these Rhubarb Custard Bars. They're easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser!! It's a recipe you'll want to make again and again and again. Just go ahead and print it. You'll thank me later! 😉

    Rhubarb Custard Bars stacked on a wooden cutting board

    How to Make Rhubarb Custard Bars

    First, you'll make the crust. Stir together the flour and sugar and then cut in the butter with a fork or pastry cutter. This mixture will be very crumbly, which is okay. Press into the parchment-lined pan and bake. (You want some parchment to come up the sides like in this photo below. That'll help your remove the bars from the pan when they're done.

    Shortbread Crust ready for the oven

    Next up, the filling! If you haven't prepared the rhubarb, do that first. Cut the leaves off as well as the bottom of the stem. Wash the stalks and dice. Then simply combine all the ingredients (except for the rhubarb) and whisk it until smooth. Then stir in the rhubarb and pour the filling into the cooked crust and bake about 30 more minutes.

    Rhubarb filling ready to go into the pan

    Last but not least, the frosting! Once the bars are cooled (on the counter or in the fridge), make the frosting. First off, make sure the cream cheese is softened. If it's not, it'll be extremely hard to get the mixture smooth.

    Beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Then, fold in the whipped topping (homemade or store-bought) and spread it over the bars.

    Cream Cheese frosting being spread over the rhubarb custard bars

    Can I use Frozen Rhubarb?

    You sure can! Simply thaw the rhubarb out and drain the excess moisture before adding it to the filling mixture.

    How to Store Rhubarb Custard Bars

    Due to the cream cheese and whipped topping in the bars, you will need to keep these refrigerated. I don't recommend freezing these bars as the texture will change during the freeze-thaw process.

    Other Delicious Rhubarb Desserts

    Rhubarb Dump Cake

    Rhubarb Mulberry Pie

    Rhubarb Crunch

    Rhubarb Custard Bar on a tray

    Connect with Dance Around the Kitchen!

    Follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook so you never miss a recipe!! And as always, thank you for following along with my blog, making my recipes, liking and sharing on social media and any other way you support Dance Around the Kitchen!  -Kelsey

    Rhubarb Custard Bars

    kelsey
    Rhubarb Custard Bars (AKA Rhubarb Dream Bars) have a shortbread crust, creamy custard, tart rhubarb and a smooth cream cheese frosting to top it off!
    5 from 4 votes
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    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Course Dessert
    Servings 20

    Ingredients
      

    Shortbread Crust

    • 2 cups flour
    • ⅓ cup sugar
    • 1 cup salted butter

    Filling

    • 1 ½ cups sugar
    • ½ cup flour
    • 1 cup half and half (whole milk works fine too)
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 5 cups diced rhubarb

    Topping

    • 6 ounces cream cheese softened
    • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 cup whipped topping

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9x13" pan with parchment paper.
    • In a large bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter with a fork until crumbly.
    • Press the crust into the pan and bake for 10 minutes.
    • While the crust is baking, make the filling.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, half and half, eggs and vanilla; stir in the rhubarb.
    • Pour the filling into the crust and bake an additional 40-50 minutes or until the filling is set.
    • Let the bars cool completely.
    • To make the frosting, whisk together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla; fold in the whipped topping and spread over the cooled bars.
    • Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
    Keyword rhubarb
    Tried this recipe?Follow me at @dancearoundthekitchen.kelsey and let me know how you liked it!

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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. Roger Packnett says

      May 31, 2021 at 5:00 pm

      5 stars
      Kelsey, these dessert bars are the best.
      It took a little longer though to bake the final product; about 50 minutes total. Sooo good!
      Thank you,
      Roger

      Reply
    2. Penny Spoden says

      July 29, 2021 at 5:14 pm

      5 stars
      Love these but can't eat the whole pan now, can I freeze them?

      Reply
      • Kelsey says

        August 09, 2021 at 9:39 pm

        Hi Penny - I wouldn't recommend freezing these, but if you tried, I'd love to know how they are once you thaw them out again!! 🙂

        Reply
      • Pam Ponto says

        June 03, 2022 at 7:32 am

        How about making 2 8 x 8 pans and share one with a friend or family member. I do this with most of my baking because I don't need all those treats and they are always well received when I give them away.

        Reply
    3. Lisa says

      May 30, 2022 at 12:07 pm

      5 stars
      Awesome dessert!!

      Reply
    4. Sarah says

      June 03, 2022 at 8:33 am

      5 stars
      Definitely a keeper! A bit too sweet (and I love sweet) so next time I'll reduce the icing sugar and the sugar in the filling by a quarter cup to start.

      Reply
    5. Yvonne says

      June 10, 2022 at 12:28 pm

      Can you use almond milk?

      Reply
      • kelsey says

        June 22, 2022 at 2:26 pm

        Though I haven't tried it, I think it would work just fine! 🙂

        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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