This crustless rhubarb custard pie is super easy to make. The hardest part is cutting the rhubarb. Delicious custard sauce is quickly made in the blender. It’s like an impossible pie.
Trust me, you’re going to want to save room for dessert tonight! Simple enough for a weeknight meal, yet pretty enough for a dinner party.
This isn’t just your average dessert; it’s a symphony of flavors that proves you don’t need a fancy crust to create something truly tasty. Rhubarb, that special springtime ingredient, opens up a world of possibilities for baking delectable desserts. Its versatility makes it an easy ingredient to work with, especially if you have a penchant for fruit pies.
I know, I know, rhubarb is technically a vegetable. However, it is used much like fruit in pies, cobblers, jams, and more.
No Fuss Deliciously Simple No Crust Pie
No pie crust to make and roll out. Just dice the rhubarb and butter your 9-inch pie plate. Blend the rest of the ingredients and pour over the rhubarb. Bake in a preheated oven. That’s it!
We love easy recipes like this. What are the ingredients?
- Rhubarb. We used 3 cups. However, you can use your personal preference to determine when there is enough rhubarb in the pie plate.
- All Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Large eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Milk
- Butter
I had the easy part of this recipe – the blender. A food processor can be used for this part too. My daughter had to dice all of the rhubarb. Note, when preparing the rhubarb, it’s important to discard the leaves. Do not use the leaves of the rhubarb. I have always been told that they are poisonous.
The ingredients form the basis for impossible pies. Magically forming its own crust during the baking process. However, it is ever so slight in this recipe. Ideally, we recommend eating this the same day it is made.
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Baking does not get any simpler than this.
The custard has a creaminess that is slightly sweet because of the little bit of added sugar. Pair this with the tangy rhubarb and you have a great combination for your taste buds. Good news, I don’t even miss the pie crust when eating this.
Tips for Recipe Success
Sweetness Balance: Adjust the amount of sugar according to your taste preferences and the tartness of rhubarb. Taste the raw rhubarb to gauge its natural sweetness.
Grease Pie Plate: Make sure to grease the pie dish well to prevent sticking. This recipe uses butter for this.
Cooling Time: Allow the pie to cool at room temperature before slicing. This allows the custard to set and makes for cleaner slices.
Experiment: Feel free to get creative! You can add a handful of berries for added taste and color. Create a strawberry rhubarb pie by adding a handful of fresh strawberries. Create a raspberry rhubarb pie for added sweetness.
Serving the Rhubarb Pie
However, my daughter and I do think that this tastes best when served with whipping cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A creamy custard element that complements the tartness of the rhubarb.
It is really best served the same day. While it can be stored in the refrigerator and enjoyed the next day, it will take on a more custard taste.
Fresh Versus Frozen Rhubarb
Often, we have more rhubarb in the spring of the year than we can eat. Therefore, we clean, dice, and freeze the extra rhubarb in plastic containers or freezer bags. Normally, about 2 or 3 Cups in each container.
However, fresh is best. Use fresh rhubarb for the best flavor and texture. Look for crisp, firm rhubarb stalks, and avoid wilted or limp ones.
This is something we look forward to every rhubarb season in the late spring. However, if you don’t have a rhubarb patch to pick your own, look for fresh stalks during the season in your local grocery store.
That way, we can just add the frozen rhubarb to whatever recipe we are making. This recipe and many other rhubarb recipes are very forgiving. I have used both fresh and frozen rhubarb with no problem. No need to thaw before use either.
This is a great way to use frozen rhubarb. Bake in the oven an extra 10 minutes because the center needs a little more time. it will puff up beautifully. Enjoy with a little ice cream.
As you can see from the first photo, this pie was made in a decorative pie plate. You can find the one I used here in my store.
Rhubarb Pie or Bars?
Well, we tried this recipe as both a pie and bars. The bars had to cook only 30 minutes. We made this in a cake pan for bars.
However, both my daughter and I thought that this recipe tasted better as a pie. The custard is thicker, which adds just the right amount of creaminess. Therefore, we recommend this recipe as a pie.
What is Rhubarb?
According to Healthline, rhubarb is a vegetable that requires a cold winter to grow. In Wisconsin, we have the cold winters and each spring, this perennial plant sprouts out of the ground with the sour stalks.
When I was a child, I used to bring a small bowl of sugar out to the garden. Then I would pick a stalk of the rhubarb and dip it in the sugar and eat it. I remember only being able to eat 1 or 2 stalks at one time. Too sour after a while – even for a child’s taste buds.
When to Harvest Rhubarb
Do maybe have a rhubarb plant or two growing somewhere on your property? You might be wondering about harvesting. Generally, in Wisconsin, we are able to start enjoying this in May-June.
According to Cumberledge, K (2020). How to Harvest Rhubarb, once the stalks are at least 10-12 inches long. it is time to start picking. This will make sure that the plant will stay healthy for the next year. In her article, she also detailed information about harvesting, trimming, and storing of rhubarb, There is a lot of useful information.
Crustless Pie
As you sink your fork into each silky bite, the tangy and slightly tart rhubarb harmonizes with the smooth custard, creating a dance of flavors that is both comforting and refreshing. A delightful no pie crust recipe.
This is a very popular pie. Get more inspiration with our other pie recipes.
Crustless Rhubarb Custard Pie Easy Recipe
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Rhubarb diced
- 1/3 Cup flour
- 3/4 Cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder
- 1/2 Tsp. salt
- 4 Large eggs
- 1 Tbl. Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup milk
- 1 Tsp. butter Softened, used to grease the pie plate
text ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Clean and dice rhubarb.
- Very generously spread the softened butter on the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Add the diced rhubarb.3 Cups Rhubarb, 1 Tsp. butter
- Mix the remaining ingredients in a blender until well blended, 1 or 2 minutes. All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs, vanilla extract. Pour over rhubarb.1/3 Cup flour, 3/4 Cup granulated sugar, 1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder, 1/2 Tsp. salt, 4 Large eggs, 1 Tbl. Vanilla Extract, 1 Cup milk
- Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees. When done, the center will be ever so slightly jiggly. That will firm up once removed from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
Your Own Private Notes
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Notes
Make This Using Frozen Rhubarb Too
This is a great way to use frozen rhubarb. Bake in the oven an extra 10 minutes because the center needs a little more time. it will puff up beautifully. Eat with a little ice cream.Nutrition
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I hope that you liked this recipe. If you are looking for more ideas on what to make, here are a few other Dessert recipes that you may enjoy.
Other Rhubarb Recipes for you to explore.
You can find Victoria crocheting, quilting, and creating recipes. She has cooked in restaurants for over 20 years, including many larger parties. She learned to crochet when she was just 11 years old and has been crocheting ever since; over 50 years now. Over 40 years ago, she loved her first class in sewing and continues to hone her skills in quilting. Many have enjoyed the handmade gifts over the years. In her professional career, she has worked in management in a wide variety of businesses including higher education as a dean of a division. All the while attending college part-time to achieve her doctorate in higher education with an emphasis in e-learning.
If you let Rhubarb thraw out do you drain the water off
You can, if there is a lot, you might want to. I have dumped in frozen rhubarb and the recipe works out. I just bake a little longer.
Vicky
This was so easy to make and just the right combination of sweet and tart. Only 1/3 cup of flour to make the crust. Reduced the sugar portion by a third and substituted sugar for monk fruit. Total Yum!
Hi Pat,
Thanks for sharing your substitutions. Sounds wonderful
Vicky
This was incredibly easy to make and I love that it wasn’t even *that* much sugar compared to other recipes. It was super tasty! I altered it a little bit. I did about 2 1/4 cups of rhubarb and about 1 cup of strawberries. It turned out amazing!
Thanks for sharing, I bet the strawberries tasted great with this.
Take care
Vicky
Very easy to make and so good! I was craving a rhubarb recipe with custard but didn’t want to mess with making a crust. I had some heavy cream to use up, so used half cream and half milk. The additional richness was Not a problem lol!
I bet that was delicious with a bit of heavy cream. I might have to try that the next time I make this. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.
vicky
Is this to be served warm or chilled? You didn’t mention that but in my head, anything custard would be cold.
Thanks!
Let it cool to room temperature to serve. It is also wonderful chilled. Vicky
I made this today following the recipe, however after I let it rest it had a puddle of liquid in the centre. Any suggestions? It was very brown on top. The outer edges were tasty.
It sounds like it wasn’t cooked through in the center. Did you let your oven preheat before baking? I would check the oven temperature with a thermometer for accuracy, as you may have to adjust the temperature. Lastly, if the edges were over cooking and the center undercooking, you can put aluminum foil around the edges of the pie to keep them from overcooking before the center finishes baking. Hope one if these tips works for you.
Vicky
Your site and page is cool. Thank you
Oh my goodness. Thank you so much. So glad to hear.
Vicky
I have frozen rhubarb and had saved this recipe but not tried it. After reading the reviews, I’m making it for dinner with friends tonight. Thank you, it sounds wonderful.
You are welcome. Glad you are giving this recipe a try.
Vicky
You did not include any butter measurement…please provide an estimate. Thanks!
It is just enough to lightly coat the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Approximately 1 teaspoon.
Excellent and so easy, thank-you. I made this last night and so delicious! Made it again today…..lots of rhubarb, and made it gluten free for our guests. Swapped the flour same amount using almond flour and also added 1 tablespoon of coconut flour. Looks amazing ? I let you know what our guests think ?
Great thinking. I bet they never knew it was gluten free either. Thanks for sharing.
Vicky
This recipe was very good and will be making it again, Also ver easy to make.
Thanks for taking the time to let me know. It really is super easy and scrumptious. We make it at least once each rhubarb season. Enjoy! Vicky
I made this in a 9×9 pan and it’s delicious. Thank you!
So glad to hear. It is rhubarb season here too and it is time to make this at least once this season. enjoy.
This was delicious and so easy! My family and I loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you liked it. Thanks for letting me know. Hope it helps others give it a try. Take Care Vicky
I am sooooo excited to find this recipe. I was given this recipe 30 years ago from the mom of friend of mine. Sadly the recipe has been lost and I’ve been sad. This made my day to find this. It is so simple and soooo delish.
So happy to hear. Enjoy this delicious rhubarb recipe. Our family has this at least once a year during the rhubarb season.
Would these cut well if I was to do it in a pan as squares? Rather than a pie plate?
I think so. It is best eaten the same day as made.
Do you have any suggestions for a large baking sheet for a larger group? Would love to bring it to work-a clinic in most northern part of Minnesota, so gardens are a month behind central MN. Thanks!
I do. I would use a half sheet pan-you know, those that are 12 X 18, probably double the recipe to start with to see how it fills the sheet pan. I would make sure that it is 3/4 full and since this would be easy to spill, I would get the rhubarb in the pan, put it on the oven rack then pour over the liquid. That way, you are not trying to carry the pan across the room and spilling things as you get to the oven. At least I could see myself doing that. You might have to adjust the baking time a bit. What a wonderful thing to do for your clinic.
Yum I love rhubarb! I’ll have to try this
I hope you and your family love this as much as we do. One can never have too many rhubarb recipes.
I have never tried a Rhubarb pie before, just a little bit ago my cousin was telling me it was his favorite. Thanks for the recipe, I may just have to make one!
I hope you do get a chance to make this one. It is a keeper.
Looks delish!!! Yumm!!!
thank you.
Tried this pie and it was delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you liked the recipe. It is a delicious way to use rhubarb.
Do you think this would still be fine if you did put it into a pie crust? An unbaked one, of course. 🙂
I actually think that I would partially bake the crust first for about 10 minutes, then add the filling and continue baking.
Is it possible to substitute almond flour or another gluten free flour in this recipe?
Absolutely, almond flour will work nicely. I have not tried anything but the almond flour, but I have a feeling that would work just fine.
What type of milk is best for this recipe? Skimmed, 1%, 2%, etc.
Is there any type of milk that you would not recommend using?
Hi,
I like to use whole milk. I think it has a richer flavor ans sets up just a bit better. However, if your taste buds prefer 2%, that would be a great alternative. I am not sure about using the skimmed or 1%.