Ginger Cardamom Rhubarb Crisp Recipe
Like a pie without the fuss
Fruit crisps are just about the easiest dessert going…Like a pie without the fuss. You get that addictive combination of tart, soft, saucy fruit and a crisp, buttery topping plus they take all of five minutes to throw together.
Fruit crisps, or crumbles (whichever name you prefer) are the perfect go-to dessert to feed a crowd. They’re one of the best ways to showcase and enjoy in-season fruit and easy to whip up.
Rhubarb crisp (any fruit crisp, really) has been an all-time favourite at Crosby’s. Something about the way the fruit bubbles up from under the crust and creates a toffee-like sauce around the edges, and that sweet buttery topping…
If you want to get your kids cooking we would say start them with rhubarb crisp. They can pull the rhubarb, give it one tart bite (so they can understand the magical transformation of rhubarb cooked with sugar) and then get chopping. The topping doesn’t have to come together perfectly to make a great crust.
If you’d like to make a gluten free rhubarb crisp:
Substitute ground almonds or brown rice flour for the flour called for in the topping and to thicken the filling.
Ginger Cardamom Rhubarb Crisp Recipe
Ginger Cardamom Rhubarb Recipe. Crisp is delightfully spiced and topped with a buttery oatmeal crust. Sweetened with sugar and molasses for added flavour.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 serving(s) 1x
- Category: Cakes
Ingredients
- 5 cups chopped rhubarb
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
- ½ tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ tsp. cardamom
- 2 Tbsp. flour
Topping:
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ tsp. ground ginger
- ½ cup butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- In a medium bowl combine rhubarb with sugar, molasses, spices and flour. Toss to coat and scrape into a 9” by 9” (or thereabouts) baking dish.
- In another bowl combine the flour, oats, sugar and ginger.
- Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or rub with your fingers, until the mixture forms pea-sized chunks.
- Sprinkle over rhubarb mixture and bake for 35-40 minutes, until fruit is bubbling and topping is starting to brown.
- Serve with a drizzle of fresh cream.
Maila
I can’t wait to make this, but I only have blackstrap molasses, and maple syrup. How should I adjust the molasses amount?
Crystal
I love this recipe and have swapped in frozen berries after running out of the rhubarb my mom gave me. I’ve also added cinnamon and lavender to the topping. I love sitting on my balcony while overlooking my garden eating this with a dollop of yogurt. Like springtime in Paris!
Jan Mowbray
This was good but next time I will double the spices. They were very subtle as is.
Crystal
Yes, agreed
Bonnie
cld. I use steele cut oats for topping?
Crosby Molasses
Hi Bonnie, The topping wouldn’t work with steel cut oats since they need water to cook. The rolled oats in this topping get a little candied and crunchy, more like granola. I’m afraid steel cut oats would stay very hard.
Marie M Stone
Can I use regular molasses for this recipe? Do not have access to Fancy molasses….thank you.
Crosby Molasses
Hi Marie, Since you’re in the U.S. I suspect you call light molasses “regular” molasses. Light molasses is the same as fancy molasses in Canada.
LPV
This is a lovely recipe; time to make it again. Thanks for all the rhubarb recipes.
Margo Driscoll
Hi Bridget. I have so enjoyed receiving the recipes from Crosby’s. I have been searching for many years for an easy and great tasting baked bean recipe and yours is finally it! I made a double batch for a pot luck and got amazing comments and there were none left to take home! One person said they reminded him of the beans his Mom used to make – that was a great compliment in my books! We also love the Oatmeal brown bread recipe and frequently make it – it is so easy. We plan to try the Walnut loaf and Sarah’s 3 hour brown bread, the cracked wheat bread and Nela’s zucchini bread – can’t wait. Also want to try the Rhubard Crisp come rhubard season. Thanks again for the wonderful recipess.
Crosby Molasses
So pleased that you enjoy the recipes, Margo!
Leslie Leeds
I’m going to try the rhubarb crisp recipe. Sometimes adding 3/4 c of some pulsed nuts, reducing the flour to 1/2 c in the topping recipe and then drizzling with 5 T melted and cooled butter makes the topping delightfully CRISP!!!! I do it at 425 for about 30 min.
Crosby Molasses
Hi Leslie, I love your suggestion to add the pulsed nuts to the crumble. And the melted butter…mmm!
Eliz
My rhubarb is chopped and frozen…do I cook frozen, or thaw and drain the rhubarb first?
Thank you.
Elizabeth in Burlington, Ont.
Crystal
I used frozen and they worked fine. Being cubed they cook about the same. Freezing the rhubarb will actually bring out more of its natural sugars.
yvonne
Amazing!
Just saw this recipe this morning – went out to my yard – gathered the rhubarb and now, two hours later, I have just had a small bowl of this delicious dessert. OMG – the best Rhubarb Crisp recipe ever – not sure if it is the spices, molasses or both.
Crosby Molasses
So glad that you enjoyed it, Yvonne!
Wanda Frampton
Sorry I am Canadian, But what is CARDAMOM ? I have never heard of it.. Thanks
Crosby Molasses
Hi Wanda, Cardamom is an aromatic spice that you can buy either ground or in little pods. It isn’t overly common so you’re definitely not the only one unfamiliar with it. It’s quite expensive ground so if you want to give it a try you might want to start with the pods (You can buy them at bulk stores or health food stores). You break open the little pods to get the black seeds out and then you can crush the seeds. The flavour is lovely — quite exotic.
Barb
what is the difference between cooking molasses and fancy molasses.
Thanks
Crosby Molasses
Hi Barb, Fancy molasses is pure cane juice that has been cooked to a syrup. It’s the lightest and sweetest molasses. Cooking molasses is a blend of fancy (30%) and blackstrap (70%) molasses. Blackstrap is a very robust molasses that’s a by-product of the refined sugar making process. It’s very nutrient dense.
patty donovan
I just love the recipes on this site.. they feel like my Mom, but with a modern twist! Thank you for sharing them!
Crosby's Molasses
Hi Patty, Thanks for the compliment. They make me think of my mom too.
Patti
I made this last night, it was awesome. Served it with chocolatey cookie dough ice cream. Loved the spice combination.
Crosby's Molasses
Hi Patti, Glad you liked the rhubarb crisp. I bet it was extra yummy with the ice cream.
Dorothy Gowan
I found ,on this website, a recipe for old fashioned gingerbread, came from an old cookbook and I remember Signal Hill was mentioned in the info..( Signal Hlll is in Newfoundland) so perhaps the recipe came from there.. it also had a link for Toffee Coffee Sauce to serve on it…I found the sauce recipe, but when I went back to get the gingerbread recipe, it was gone & I can’t find it anywhere on your website.. would it be possible to get it in an email??? would really appreciate it as it sounds like the one my mum used to make, ( in N.B)… D. Gowan
Crosby Molasses
Hi Dorothy, The recipe is on its way to you.
E
Can you send that ginger bread recipe to me too?
Marie-Pierre Lessard
Hello Eve,
All our gingerbread recipes can be found here
Cheers,
Sandy
My family is not very fond of molasses.. how would maple syrup work in this recipe??
Crosby Molasses
Hi Sandy, You could substitute the same amount of maple syrup, or you could go half fancy molasses and half maple syrup. The molasses works especially well with the cardamom, ginger and rhubarb flavours.
Patricia
Hi Bridget: In honor of the first day of summer, I made this crisp (as I haven’t had anything “rhubarb” since I was a kid) and it was wonderful….sweet and tart at the same time…took me right back to my stewed rhubarb childhood days :)
Crosby Molasses
Hi Patricia — Your message made my day. There’s nothing I like more than a little time traveling through your stomach.
Lorraine
Hi there;
Love the idea of serving dessert in a lovely teacup and saucer. :) Can’t wait to try the recipe; I love cardamom.
B Jones
I’ve been enjoying your recipes. Thanks.
Crosby Molasses
You’re welcome. It’s always great to get a bit of feedback.
movita beaucoup
Squeeeeeeal! This sounds AWESOME!
Crosby Molasses
It’s very good. The world could use more fruit crisps and less Nutella.
Angela
even if I wasn’t allergic to nuts, I still don’t like the idea of nutella, yuck. If I don’t have any cardamom, what will work as a substitute?
Crosby Molasses
Hi Angela, You could add a little extra ginger or replace the cardamom with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Enjoy.
Penny Snell
Always love receiving the wonderful recipes, Thank you Bridget.
Crosby Molasses
Thanks Penny, I’m happy you’re enjoying them. Lots more to come…