Strawberry rhubarb pie is a classic dessert made with a gooey fresh fruit filling and a flaky homemade pie crust.
Strawberry rhubarb pie is a summertime favorite! The filling is so fresh and the perfect combination of tart and sweet. The flaky homemade pie crust is easy to make and just might be the best part!
If you've never tried rhubarb, it's a red vegetable that has a very tart and sour taste, especially when it's raw. It's only in season a few months out of the year, so as soon as you start seeing it on sale at your grocery store, making strawberry rhubarb pie should be your first thought!
What You Need to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie:
Double Pie Crust:
- Butter: Unsalted and very cold! Cut the butter into small pieces before you start, then keep it in the fridge or freezer so it's very cold when you add it in.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is great for a tender, flaky pie crust. Measure correctly by lightly spooning the flour into your measuring cup and then leveling it off with the flat side of a knife.
- Salt: Just a pinch to add flavor.
- Sugar: Adding sugar to the dough interferes with the development of gluten, which keeps the crust tender and flaky.
- Egg yolks: Egg yolks help bind the dough and make it easier to work with. The fat in the yolks also add flavor, richness, and make the crust more tender.
- Ice water: Just enough to make the dough cohesive.
Filling:
- Fresh rhubarb and fresh strawberries: Rinsed, dried, and cut into ¼" thick slices.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and makes the filling thick and gooey.
- Cornstarch: I prefer using cornstarch over flour. It's about twice as strong so you don't need to use as much of it to thicken the filling.
- Lemon juice: Adds flavor and also acts as a natural preservative.
- Salt: Essential to bring out the flavors.
- Unsalted butter: One tablespoon, cut into small pieces, to dot the top of the filling.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Make the Pie Dough:
- Cut the butter into small pieces first, then keep it in the fridge or freezer until you're ready to add it in.
- Measure the flour and add it into the bowl of a food processor along with the salt, sugar, and egg yolks. Pulse to combine.
- Add the cold butter pieces and pulse until evenly coated. This is a lot easier in a food processor, however, you can also cut the butter in with a pastry blender.
- Add in the ice water gradually and pulse until the dough is cohesive. Be careful not to add too much water, mine needed 4 and ½ tablespoons.
- Divide the dough in half and form each into round flat discs. Wrap them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to rest and chill the dough.
- Lightly dust a cool, clean surface and a rolling pin with flour and roll out one portion of dough into a 12" circle. Flip and lightly sprinkle the dough, rolling pin, and surface with more flour as needed so the dough doesn't stick.
- Drape the dough over a 9" deep-dish pie dish that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Leave about 1" of overhang around the edges.
- Roll out the second portion of dough into a 12" circle. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and keep them both in the fridge or freezer while you make the filling.
Make the Filling:
- In a large bowl, add the sliced strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch, fresh lemon juice, and salt. Use a wooden spoon to stir well until evenly combined.
- Allow the filling mixture to sit in the bowl for at least 30 minutes. As the filling sits, the rhubarb and strawberries will start to release a lot of their juices. You don't want there to be too much liquid in the pie or you'll end up with a soupy mess with a soggy crust. You should notice the bowl filling up with a lot more liquid as the filling sit in the bowl. Stir occasionally to promote more juices get released from the fruit.
Assemble the Pie:
- Remove the rolled-out dough that's in the pie dish from the fridge or freezer. Brush the inside with a lightly beaten egg.
- You can drain the filling mixture through a colander or use a slotted spoon to scoop the filling into the pie. Do your best to leave out all of the excess liquid in the bowl.
- Dot the top of the filling with the pieces of unsalted butter and then cover the filling with a lattice or a solid crust. If covering with a solid crust you'll need to cut a few slits in the dough so steam can escape.
How to Make a Lattice Topping:
Remove the second rolled-out pie dough from the fridge or freezer. Use a pastry wheel or a sharp knife to cut it into ½-¾" strips. Arrange 5 of the strips going across the top of the filling in one direction. Then, fold back every other strip half-way and add a perpendicular strip underneath them.
Fold the strips back over, then fold back the opposite strips and add another perpendicular strip underneath them. Repeat this process, alternating which strips are folded back each time, until the entire pie is covered.
Trim the strips so they're even with the overhang of the bottom dough and then seal them together.
To make a fluted edge: Use your pointer finger to press the dough in one direction, and then use your other hand to pinch it in the opposite direction, repeat going all around the edges of the pie.
Brush the top of the lattice with a lightly beaten egg and then sprinkle with coarse or sparkling sugar.
Bake:
Arrange your oven rack to the 2nd from bottom position and preheat your oven to 425°F. Keep the pie in the fridge or freezer while you wait for the oven to preheat.
Place the pie on a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Without taking the pie out of the oven, lower your oven temperature to 350°F. Continue baking for 35-40 minutes, cover the top of the pie loosely with aluminum foil about halfway through so it doesn't burn.
Allow the pie to cool completely in the fridge before slicing so the filling can set. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream, enjoy!
How to Make Pie Dough in Advance
The dough can be made a day or two ahead of time, which is great for time-saving because it needs to rest and chill in the fridge before being rolled out.
After you've made the dough, divide it in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Keep the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling it out and adding it to the pie dish.
The dough can also be frozen after it's been rolled out and added to the pie dish, there's no need to thaw before adding the filling and baking.
More Summer Pie Recipes:
📖 RECIPE
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Equipment
- 9" deep-dish pie dish
Ingredients
Homemade Double Pie Crust:
- 2 and ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large egg yolks, cold
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into small, even pieces
- 3-5 tablespoon ice water
- 1 large egg, for brushing the top of the dough
- coarse or sparkling sugar, optional, for sprinkling on top of the dough
Strawberry Rhubarb Filling:
- 2 and ½ cups fresh strawberries, rinsed and sliced ¼" thick
- 3 and ½ cups fresh rhubarb, rinsed, ends removed, and sliced ¼" thick
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, for dotting the top of the filling
Instructions
Make the Homemade Pie Dough:
- Cut the butter into small, even pieces first. Keep it in the fridge so it stays cold until you're ready to add it to the dough ingredients.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, sugar, salt, and 2 large egg yolks, and quickly pulse to combine.
- Add the cold butter pieces and pulse for about 15 seconds or until the flour is evenly coated.
- Add water and ice to a glass and then measure out 1 tablespoon at a time and add it to the dough. Start with 3 tablespoons of ice water, pulse for about 10 seconds, and add a little bit more water as needed just until the dough comes together.
- Gather up the dough with your hands, divide it in half, and shape each half into a flat, round disc. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 3 days) to rest and chill the dough.
Make the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling:
- Wash and dry the fresh strawberries and rhubarb before you start. Cut the ends off of the rhubarb and slice it into ¼" thick slices. Trim the tops off of the strawberries and slice them into ¼" thick slices.
- Add the sliced fruit to a large mixing bowl and add the granulated sugar, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, salt, and cornstarch. Mix well until evenly coated. The fruit should be starting to release some of their juices.
- Set the bowl aside and let the filling mixture sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. As it sits you'll notice a lot of liquid filling up in the bowl, which happens because the fruit is releasing their juices. You don't want to add that liquid to your pie or your filling will be soupy and your pie crust will be soggy.
Roll out the Pie Dough:
- Remove one portion of dough from the fridge. Lightly dust a clean, dry surface with flour, dust your rolling pin, and both sides of the dough. Gently roll the dough out into a 12" wide circle, flip the dough and sprinkle with more flour occasionally so it doesn't stick.
- Lightly spray a 9" deep-dish pie dish with non-stick spray and drape the rolled out dough on top of it. Press the dough down into the dish evenly and leave a 1" overhang around the edges. Set that in the fridge while you roll out the second portion of dough into a 12" circle.
Assemble and Bake the Pie:
- Remove the pie dish with the bottom portion of dough from the fridge. To add the filling, you can either drain it through a colander or use a slotted spoon to scoop it into the pie dish. Leave out all of the excess liquid that's in the bowl. Dot the top of the filling with the pieces of butter,
- Cover the pie with either a lattice or a solid topping with a few slits cut out. See the post for a step-by-step visual if you're unsure how to make a lattice topping. Brush the top of the dough with the lightly beaten egg and sprinkle the top with coarse or sparkling sugar, optional.
- Place the pie in the freezer while you wait for your oven to preheat. Arrange your oven rack to the second from bottom position and preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Once your oven is preheated, take the pie out of the freezer and place it on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then, without taking it out of the oven, lower the temperature to 350°F. Bake for 35-40 minutes, cover the top loosely with aluminum foil about halfway so it doesn't burn.
- Allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature and then in the fridge before serving.
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