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!
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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! 😉
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.
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.
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.
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
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Rhubarb Custard Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 2 cups flour
- â…“ 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.
Roger Packnett says
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
Penny Spoden says
Love these but can't eat the whole pan now, can I freeze them?
Kelsey says
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!! 🙂
Pam Ponto says
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.
Lisa says
Awesome dessert!!
Sarah says
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.
Yvonne says
Can you use almond milk?
kelsey says
Though I haven't tried it, I think it would work just fine! 🙂