Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

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Strawberry Rhubarb Pie is the taste of early summer baked into a flaky, golden crust — sweet, jammy strawberries and tart rhubarb bubbling together under a woven lattice top. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie balances the fruit’s sweet-and-sour tension with a buttery, from-scratch crust and just enough cornstarch to set the juices into a glistening, sliceable filling. It’s the classic pie that makes people go quiet at the table — a little sweet, a little tart, and impossible to resist warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

It takes a bit of love — real pie usually does — but almost none of it is difficult, and the payoff is a showstopper. Below you’ll find the ingredients, my step-by-step method, all the tips, and the printable recipe card at the bottom.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s everything that goes into Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. Exact quantities are in the recipe card below, but this is your shopping list.

• For the Pie Crust:
• 2½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 225g (1 cup) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 6–8 tbsp ice cold water
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• For the Filling:
• 3 cups (400g) fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
• 2 cups (250g) fresh rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces
• ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar
• ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• For the Topping:
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk (egg wash)
• 2 tbsp coarse sugar (turbinado or demerara)

How to Choose the Best Strawberries and Rhubarb

For the best flavor and the least runny filling, pick strawberries that are ripe and red but still firm — overripe, mushy berries release too much water. Choose rhubarb with firm, crisp stalks that snap cleanly; the redder the stalks, the prettier your filling, though green rhubarb tastes just as good. One important safety note: rhubarb leaves are toxic, so trim and discard them and use only the stalks.

The crust lives and dies on temperature. You want your butter very cold — cut into cubes and chilled until firm — because those solid pieces of butter are what melt in the oven to create flaky, tender layers. And don’t skimp on the cornstarch in the filling; strawberries and rhubarb are both juicy, and the cornstarch is what turns all that liquid into a set, sliceable filling instead of soup.

How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Plan for about 45 minutes of hands-on work spread across making the dough, the filling, and the lattice, plus chilling, an hour of baking, and a couple of hours of cooling. Most of that is waiting — the actual work is straightforward.

1. 1
   Step 1 — Make the Pie Dough Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt. Work the cold butter in with your fingertips until you have coarse crumbs with visible pieces of butter. Mix the vinegar into the ice water, then add it 1 tbsp at a time until the dough just holds together. Divide in half, flatten into discs, wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. 2
   Step 2 — Make the Filling Combine the strawberries, rhubarb, both sugars, cornstarch, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Toss gently and let it rest 10–15 minutes, until glossy and the juices start to draw out.
3. 3
   Step 3 — Roll the Bottom Crust Roll one dough disc to about 30cm (12 inches) and transfer to a 23cm (9-inch) pie dish, pressing it gently into the corners without stretching. Trim the overhang to about 1.5cm and refrigerate.
4. 4
   Step 4 — Make the Lattice Roll the second disc to the same size and cut into 2cm strips. You’ll weave these into a lattice over the filling — lay half in one direction, then fold back alternate strips as you weave the others across.
5. 5
   Step 5 — Fill and Assemble Pour the filling into the chilled crust, juices and all, and dot with the butter pieces. Weave the lattice on top, press the ends into the bottom crust overhang, and crimp the edges. Refrigerate the assembled pie 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) with a baking sheet on the lower rack.
6. 6
   Step 6 — Egg Wash and Bake Brush the lattice and edges with egg wash and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar. Bake on the hot sheet at 220°C for 20 minutes, then reduce to 190°C (375°F) and bake 35–40 minutes more, until deeply golden and the filling bubbles vigorously in the center. Tent the edges with foil if they brown too fast.
7. 7
   Step 7 — Cool Completely Transfer to a wire rack and cool at least 2 full hours before slicing. This isn’t optional — the filling needs this time to set into a clean, sliceable consistency.

Why This Recipe Works

This pie is really a study in managing moisture and temperature. Keeping the butter very cold means it stays in solid little pieces until the oven heat hits them — then they release steam and melt, creating the flaky, layered crust. The splash of vinegar keeps the dough tender by limiting gluten development. On the filling side, tossing the fruit with cornstarch and letting it rest starts drawing out the juices, and baking until the center bubbles vigorously is what activates that cornstarch so the filling sets rather than sloshing.

The construction helps too. A lattice top lets steam escape as the fruit cooks, which concentrates the filling instead of leaving it watery, and baking on a preheated sheet blasts the bottom crust with heat so it crisps instead of going soggy. The two-stage bake — hot to set the crust, then lower to cook everything through — browns the pastry beautifully without scorching it. And the long cool is when the magic finishes: the set filling firms up enough to slice into clean, glistening wedges. Cold butter, enough starch, a hot start, and patience — that’s the whole secret to a great fruit pie.

Best Ways to Serve Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Variations to Try

• All-Rhubarb: Skip the strawberries for a bracingly tart, old-fashioned rhubarb pie — bump the sugar slightly to balance it.
• Extra Strawberry: Flip the ratio toward more strawberries for a sweeter, milder pie that’s great for rhubarb skeptics.
• Ginger or Orange: Add grated fresh ginger or swap the lemon zest for orange to give the filling a warm, fragrant lift.
• Crumble-Topped: Instead of a lattice, cover the filling with an oat-and-butter streusel for a crisp, easier topping.
• Store-Bought Crust: Use two refrigerated pie crusts to save time — the homemade filling still makes it feel special.

Storage, Meal Prep & Serving

Storing Leftovers

Loosely covered, the pie keeps at room temperature for 1–2 days, or refrigerate it for up to 4 days. The crust is crispest on day one, but a chilled slice the next day is a wonderful thing.

Freezing

Strawberry rhubarb pie freezes well for up to 3 months. You can freeze the assembled unbaked pie (bake from frozen, adding 15–20 minutes) or freeze the fully baked, cooled pie. Thaw a baked pie in the fridge and re-crisp in the oven before serving.

Reheating & Serving

Warm slices in a 160°C (325°F) oven for about 15 minutes to bring back the crisp crust — much better than the microwave, which softens it. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm, ideally with a scoop of ice cream.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Slicing before it’s cool. The number-one cause of runny pie. The filling only sets as it cools, so wait the full 2 hours before cutting.
• Underbaking the filling. If it isn’t bubbling in the center, the cornstarch hasn’t set. Bake until you see that vigorous central bubbling, even if the crust is already golden.
• Warm butter or dough. Warm butter makes a tough, greasy crust. Keep everything cold — chill the dough, and the assembled pie, before baking.
• Burnt edges. The exposed crust edge browns fastest. Tent it with foil or a pie shield once it’s golden while the rest finishes baking.

Nutritional Information

Per serving (based on 8 slices):

Serving & Presentation Tips

• Show off the lattice. Bring the whole pie to the table before slicing — that golden, sugar-crusted woven top is the centerpiece.
• Cut clean slices. Use a sharp knife and, if the filling is very juicy, a pie server to lift each slice out neatly onto the plate.
• Serve à la mode. A scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into a slightly warm slice is the definitive way to eat this pie.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Final Thoughts

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie earned its place in my spring baking because it’s the pie people remember — that perfect sweet-tart filling in a flaky, golden crust, the taste of the season in every bite. It asks a little patience, but there’s nothing quite like setting a lattice-topped fruit pie in the middle of the table.

The first time you make it, focus on two things: keeping the butter and dough cold for a flaky crust, and baking until the filling bubbles in the center so it sets. Nail those, cool it fully, and you’ll have a bakery-worthy pie every time.

Make it this week and let us know how it turned out — leave a comment below and tell us if you went team lattice or team crumble. We read every single one. 🍓

Medium

Desserts & Sweet Treats
American
Dessert

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb in a flaky, from-scratch butter crust with a golden, sugar-crusted lattice top. The classic taste of summer.

45 minPrep

55 minBake

3.5 hrsTotal

8Slices

~420Calories

Ingredients

• For the Pie Crust:
• 2½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 225g (1 cup) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 6–8 tbsp ice cold water
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• For the Filling:
• 3 cups (400g) fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
• 2 cups (250g) fresh rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces
• ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar
• ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• For the Topping:
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk (egg wash)
• 2 tbsp coarse sugar (turbinado or demerara)

Instructions

1. 1
   Step 1 — Make the Dough Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt, work in the cold butter to coarse crumbs, then add the vinegar-water 1 tbsp at a time until it just holds. Shape into 2 discs, wrap, and chill 1 hour.
2. 2
   Step 2 — Make the Filling Toss the strawberries, rhubarb, both sugars, cornstarch, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt; rest 10–15 minutes.
3. 3
   Step 3 — Roll the Bottom Crust Roll one disc to 30cm, fit into a 23cm pie dish, trim the overhang, and chill.
4. 4
   Step 4 — Make the Lattice Roll the second disc, cut into 2cm strips, and set aside to weave.
5. 5
   Step 5 — Fill and Assemble Pour in the filling with its juices, dot with butter, weave the lattice, crimp the edges, and chill 20 minutes while the oven heats to 220°C (425°F) with a sheet on the lower rack.
6. 6
   Step 6 — Egg Wash and Bake Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with coarse sugar, and bake on the hot sheet at 220°C for 20 minutes, then 190°C (375°F) for 35–40 minutes, until golden and bubbling in the center. Tent the edges if needed.
7. 7
   Step 7 — Cool Completely Cool on a wire rack at least 2 hours before slicing so the filling sets.

📝 Olivia’s Notes

Keep the butter and dough cold for a flaky crust, and bake until the filling bubbles in the center so the cornstarch sets.

Cool a full 2 hours before slicing, or the filling runs. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.

Recipe by Olivia · Sip Savory Recipes

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