Easy Gluten-Free Rhubarb Crisp

This garden fresh gluten-free rhubarb crisp is one of our favorite summer desserts. It is easy to make and is slightly tart with the perfect amount of sweetness that everyone will love. It is the recipe I have enjoyed since I was a little girl.

Here is why this is THE only rhubarb crisp you will ever need to make

If summer had a taste, it would be this fresh rhubarb crisp recipe. When I was growing up my mom used to make rhubarb crumble (and my Mom's Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler) multiple times every summer. We all loved it with cold vanilla bean ice cream or heavy cream on top.

When we first moved into the house over 20 years ago and saw this big green bush in the backyard we had no idea what it was. We soon learned that it was rhubarb and my mom couldn't have been happier. She was quickly taken back to her childhood where they also had rhubarb plants. Her mother, my grandmother, would make rhubarb crisp for them during the summer as well and she wanted to continue the tradition.

I mean, what are the odds that we would move to a house with the rhubarb plant? It's now been growing for over 20 years and for 20 summers we've all enjoyed my mom's rhubarb crisp. The plant is now 5 to 6 feet in diameter and my dad and mom can't keep up eating it on their own. So each year they cut and freeze several quarts so that they can enjoy this family favorite dessert all year around.

The only change to the recipe is that I added peaches. To me both fruits are very reminiscent of summer flavors for me so I couldn't decide on a better combo. The outcome was delicious perfection!

What you need

During the summer (or what I like to call rhubarb season), I don't want to be stuck in the kitchen. I want to be outside with my kids. Luckily, this recipe is one of the easiest desserts so you can play outside and still have a yummy summer treat.

Rhubarb

Here are some notes about rhubarb that came from my awesome mother... The best part about rhubarb is that it's hearty and super easy to grow. It takes almost no time to care for and the rewards are plenty.

So if you have even a small space in your yard, get yourself a rhubarb plant. You can make so many things from it and it's really unlikely that you will kill it, our family hasn't!

Rhubarb is nicknamed the pie plant. When added with sugar, it's tartness marries perfectly for an amazing dessert or pie.

Lastly, It's actually a vegetable. You can eat it raw, but it will probably be too tart, so it's best to put it in a yummy dessert like this.

Peaches

There is something about having fresh fruit in a summer dessert. Peaches are a great summer fruit because they are sweet and juicy. I think peaches pair very well with this dessert.

You can always use other fruits, such as fresh strawberries or any other summer fruit, if you desire. I like to grab mine from our local farmer's market.

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour

Gluten-free baking can be hard, especially when you are trying to make the perfect dessert. Don't worry though, because I have written an in-depth post, Gluten-Free Flour and Starches: A Resource Guide + Recipe, about how to bake with gluten-free flour.

Gluten-Free Rolled Oats (Certified)

Gluten-free oats are the key to the crisp topping for this gluten-free rhubarb crisp. A crunchy topping is the signature piece of any type of crisp. Oats are technically gluten-free, but they are often cross-contaminated in processing, so make sure the oats you buy are certified gluten-free oats.

How to make gluten-free rhubarb crisp

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees f
• Dice peaches and rhubarb into ½ inch cubes
• In a 9 x 13 baking dish combine peaches, rhubarb, cornstarch, and powdered sugar together
• Using a stand mixer cream together butter and powdered sugar

• Combine all-purpose gluten-free flour rolled oats, sugar, and baking powder together in another bowl
• Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until crumbly
• Pro tip: Do not over mix or topping will become dough like
• Using your hands, crumble topping mixture over the fruit
• Bake uncovered 45 to 50 minutes then serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream or cold heavy cream

*This recipe was originally published on September 7, 2017 but has since been updated in 2022 then again in April 2026 with more information and instructions.